How to make your own silly putty

OK, it's not really silly putty... but it is a putty-like substance:



So what is REAL silly putty like? According to this page, "During World War II, while looking for a cheap substitute for rubber, an engineer for General Electric, James Wright, accidentally developed Silly Putty®, now a famous toy.* Silly Putty is an organosiloxane polymer made from silicone oil and boric acid. Unlike home-made "play putty" it will not dry out, because it's not water based. Silly Putty has flexible molecules that, when 'smooshed' by fingers, slide over each other and cause the material to flow." See the page for lots more information and a second play putty recipe.

See also this video for how silly putty is made.