Bitcoin Forum

I just wrote a post (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5284015.msg55658166#msg55658166) a couple of hours ago saying that I impulsively bought a Ballet wallet and was expecting its arrival today.  Well I got it, and as I couldn't find many threads that mention it (maybe because it's not a true HW wallet) I thought I'd show it brand new:

https://i.imgur.com/w5u0QzU.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/GktfYh3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JpWmuHu.jpg

I happen to be a sucker for neat packaging and was pleasantly surprised at what I received.  I figured I'd just get a Ballet card in some shrinkwrap, but nope. 

Now, as far as using this thing goes, I'm aware that there are some serious security issues associated with the Ballet and I haven't read any reviews on bitcointalk that would convince me one way or the other that it's safe enough to use.  Thus I'm not sure I'm going to try it out or keep it as a crypto collectible--like my Keepkey. 

Anyway, I just wanted to show you guys how the Ballet comes if you didn't know (and if you even care). 

Am i right, that the private key is being assigned to the card by the manufacturer, including the passphrase?

So, it is basically a (beautiful) paper wallet on a metal card. But created by someone else you need to trust?

I like the concept of the card and the design, but hate the fact that this is not trustless and that you'll have to rely on 1) the manufacturer not being malicious and that 2)he didn't have a security vulnerability while generate the private keys.

As with everything, I think they actually advertised the ballet wallet under the collectible section which is fully understandable; most coins needs the creator to be trustable anyways. Noticed that you bought the Real Series, I think the Pro series gives you the liberty to generate a BIP38 key and give it to them which makes it much more secure (considering you have a long password).

If you trust BobbyLee and wants to perhaps gift it to someone then I guess putting around .01BTC shouldn't be that big of an issue. That's the limitation with most collectible anyways.

Here are some nice tests (https://jlopp.github.io/metal-bitcoin-storage-reviews/reviews/ballet-crypto/) ran with this wallet. So The Pharmacist, I think you should be aware of it, in case you want to use and don't want to lose funds in it :D

Compared wallets price to other hardware wallets, I think it is expensive to pay $35 for a plastic card.

That’s right, it all comes down to trusting that the private key on the card isn’t recorded anywhere else and that at some point someone won’t sweep the funds we’ve saved on that card. Given how much attention is paid to how some of the well-known hardware wallets generate seed, I wonder if anyone would buy a Trezor or a Ledger that has a pre-generated seed that cannot be reset?

I don't know what to call the idea of creating something like this, but I know it's the complete opposite of what we keep saying "not your keys, not your coins".

I would not use this for keeping Bitcoin and this is what they say about their private key security:
https://www.balletcrypto.com/en/2FKG/

Process is very complicated and there are many weak points in chain of creation, including the fact that bunch of staff is sent from China secure facility to USA. 

If you changed your mind you can always get your money back, because they offer 100% money back guarantee.

Nah, I knew all of the problems that have been mentioned here before I bought it and I don't and never did intend to store a significant amount of bitcoin on it.  As I said, I may just keep it as a collectible though I'm not sure yet.

I agree, and I think it's probably aimed toward newbies and/or people who want to give bitcoin as a gift--but that still doesn't mean it's secure at all.  Hopefully if someone got a Ballet wallet loaded with some bitcoin on it as a gift, they'd immediately transfer that bitcoin to a secure wallet. 

But regardless of what I do with my Ballet, it'll be interesting to find out how trustworthy they are (but I don't know how long that'll take if the yardstick for that trustworthiness is the manufacturer stealing everyone's coins stored on Ballet wallets).

It's not actually plastic... it's stainless steel.

Essentially this "hardware wallet", is basically the equivalent of physical bitcoins... maybe best to be treated as a collectable? ???

But a raspberry pi wouldn't be as stylish as this card  :P
Also, gifting a mini computer storing BTC is somewhat.. weird to say at least  :D

The design itself is nice IMO. A blank card with the ability to add your own private key / mnemonic code would be nice.

The price could have been maybe half the current if they had used plastic - because stainless steel would make sense if the information was engraved on the card, but as we can see from the jlopp test, any exposure to high temperature, corrosion or pressure causes complete or partial loss of information. The question is why they used stainless steel and thus increased the price of the product, maybe for the reason that the user would get the feeling that he has something premium in hand?

No, but damn I fell in love with Raspberry Pi's in the last year--I have no education or training in computer science or programming, so it's a perfect learning tool for me.  But yeah, getting a Pi in your Christmas stocking with bitcoin on it just isn't as neat-o as getting something like a Ballet.

Oh, I'm sure that's why they chose metal instead of plastic.  In fact, I think I saw a 24k-plated version of the Ballet (or a similar card-type wallet) on Amazon.  The heavier it is and the more sturdy, the more substantial it feels in your hand.  That said, if they wanted to manufacture a "practical version" of the Ballet, I'm sure they could charge much less by using plastic.

Edit:
WOW!!  That's an amazing collection you've got there, and a dope Pi setup as well.  Thanks for posting those pics.

(as ranochigo said) if you want more security with Ballet wallets - use the pro version - then there is no real trust needed as the key is protected thru BIP38 - the whole point with the Real series is the ease of use and for introductions for those unfamiliar with most things related to crypto.

I use a pro series card and carry it with me - with no concern if it got lost as the private key is useless without the pass phrase which only I know and I keep a back up in the safe.

Still, that being said, most of my funds are stored on core wallets that are stored on an encrypted portable drive that requires 2 usb keys to unlock and there is only one key with the drive at any time unless I am using it.

I do promote them for use for those just starting with crypto - I trust that Bobby will not be stealing the funds - his employees? meh... I never recommend any vast quantity to be stored on them, though there is over 30 million currently stored on ballet cards. And there has never been a complaint that anyone's funds have disappeared. Bobby is also the only person to have ran and closed an exchange where everyone got their funds.

I personally collect them (without using them) as collectibles :)

https://i.ibb.co/qJz3TdD/Photo-Nov-18-5-19-26-PM.jpg (https://ibb.co/KKYpTX5)


and raspberry pi's are still sexy af :)

here is my twin pi (two raspberry pi 4's 8gb versions with a 250 gb drive on one and a 500 gb drive on the other.

https://i.ibb.co/Dzm746w/Photo-Nov-05-10-04-24-PM.jpg (https://ibb.co/HBRr7MG)
https://i.ibb.co/R4ktYj6/Photo-Nov-07-4-53-09-PM.jpg (https://ibb.co/4gnCK1S)
https://i.ibb.co/k8bS4MN/Photo-Nov-07-4-59-10-PM.jpg (https://ibb.co/J76svCD)

A very impressive collection... :o :o :o

I had no idea they had all the holiday/special event cards! That's pretty cool, and would be a neat way to get people into Bitcoin. I could also see them as being an alternative to a "gift card"... when you want something just a little  bit different. ;)

yes exactly! and that is what I use them for - I always eventually push for them to get a secure wallet where they own the keys as well - if they stay with liking ballet, then I push for the pro series.