Shoelaces

So the main idea is by Alexander de Cova. The Hunter Bow Knot was originally published as "The Magical Bow Knot" by G.W. Hunter in the first volume of the Tarbell Course in Magic on page 374. The de Cova Routine has no good solution for getting the knot in position. (as I recall) This is my solution and it is practical as hell. This routine as you see it, is part of my children's act. That is why the patter is more on the light side.

It really looks like the knot is falling off the rope in real life. The timing of the knot disappearing and appearing couldn't be better. And it's automatic, as both will happen automatically when you extend your arm.

This is also a perfect interlude in almost any rope act. It really changes thigns from the usual "ends off, ends on"-structure that curses rope magic nowadays.

Key Ring Linking

Years ago Jay Sankey released Three Ring Circus. Linking Rings with key rings. And this is a wonderfully golden idea within his pile of not so good ideas he has released over the years. So we got normal objects and you link them. Unfortunately the DVD that came with the props didn't really have a well structured routine. And mine is far from it, but I at least tried to come up with a motivated reason to get into the pocket getting the dupes. So I came up with this one handed unlink which I like and use. The angles are pretty good and it freed the other hand to do the dirty business.

It's not a huge mind blowing routine that will make you the star of the night, but it is one of those tricks that is easy to carry around in the wallet. The Bonus is something that I came up with. So you only need the key key ring and you can link two sets of keys. Trust me when I tell you that this plays big. You do some magic to their property. And just like the cellphone everyone has keys. The extra ring that appears won't even be noticed, as each spectator thinks the extra ring is from the other set of keys that belongs to the other spectator.

Getting in and out of the bonus trick is easy enough and the gimmick is so hilariously ordinary you cannot not like it.

Cast a Shadow

"Cast a Shadow" is the starting point for this routine. The routine is by Eric DeCamps and has been published on page 1648 in the Apocalypse Vol.12, No.6. The click pass is by Sol Stone. I changed the last vanish for the Himber Vanish by Richard Himber because it put me in a position where it is much easier to reload the coin into the clean hand for the first production. The production from the finger palm is by Apollo Robins and he teaches it in the Cultural Exchange DVD. A good looking production I think. The angles on this routine are quite good. It can be done surrounded, but then not everybody would get to see the effects. After the first production two different Shuttle Passes happen. The first one is the classic David Roth version but the second one the "Flying Shuttle Pass" created by Jay Sankey, which if possible should be the preferred method, as it really looks like the coin fly from the "other" hand. The routine itself makes heavy use of the Ramsay subtlety but I think the pace of the routine is fast enough to support the choice.

This is the sort of routine that best works with smaller coins. For the sake of the visibility in the video I chose bigger coins to perform with. But best would be quarter sized coins. That makes the handling of certain shifts of the stack of coins to a needed position much easier. And the chance of talking is minimized a lot. It's impromptu and borrowing the coins will make the coins above suspicion giving the performer the credit.

The Five Knots in Magic

Knotology, the science of knots.... Boring. However as a filler this is a nice trick. Takes away almost no space in your bag, everything is set up and you are ready to go. It can be done on stage, close up and even in medieval busking settings.

So let's talk about the actual setup. Well a TT, the piece of silk and the rope. The TT keeps the silk in place on the rope. The setup can be moved along the rope so it won't hinder the first two knots.

The appearance of the silk on the rope is a variation of "Flash Silk on Rope" by
Doug Edwards "Apocalypse Vol.15, No.12" p. 2149.

The last phase actually makes no sense at all. But you have the TT and the piece of silk... it just feels right to do it. Also you getting rid of the piece of silk is a necessary step in order to not fill up space in your pocket. Ever tried to reach into your pocket for a prop that you need and a piece of cloth is in the way. You need to get rid of the piece of silk.

Balls and Beer

This came out of a session while brainstorming. The production of a liquid almost always is met with a sure fire awe of the audience. And one of the good old ways to close a open glass with a liquid used to be the rubber ball. So I've been playing around with both props for quite a while. I also have a silk and ball routine... never imagined putting both together.

In most bottle productions the bottle is loaded under a silk moments before the production. The beer can be underneath the for much longer, giving you more of the good old time misdirection. Cellini used to have a pretty sweet but ballsy wine glass vanish with the use of a cloth. It's called the T-Bar Glass Vanish and it's from "The Royal Touch" book. Reversing the process makes it a great production.

In terms of angles it is actually pretty good, if you have the beer inside a bag or something that you can drape the cloth over for a brief time. Once it is ready for production the whole routine is angle proof. Sponge balls are actually even better as you can hide them much better. If this was done for kids.... a production of cookies and milk would spring to mind immediately.

So if you need a practical production of a liquid.... there you go.

PS: if you go for a bottle instead of a glass, you can even hand everything out for examination at the end.

The Thing

Bill Abbott released "The Thing" a few year ago. Technically a variation on the zombie ball. The levitation of "nothing" was something I liked, as it motivated the cloth. Without it there would be no effect. So I bought it. Then after experimenting with it became apparent to me that there needed to be "something" that that is levitated. The "nothing" was just not enough.

So I wondered what object could be "something" and "nothing" at the same time. So the soap bubble was the logical outcome of this. Soap bubbles float, which is a nice thematic link to the levitation.

So things fell together. And the presentation I used to do was way too kitschy for my character, so I changed it more and more and it became this script of our brain refusing magic. This version you hear in the video is much abbreviated and the original German version is a lot more fine tuned.

Also adding the glass ball enabled me to draw attention away from the cloth near the end. In fact I have a spectator take out the ball from the hat. The popping of the "Soap bubble" is a rather recent addition... I don't know why I didn't think of this before as it logically ends everything nicely.

let's talk about the handling of the thing. Most moves are taken straight from the DVD that Bill Abbott supplies with the routine. But two finesses are my own. First the twirl of the cloth. It may seem like a minor point, but it adds to the deception a little. Holding a cloth from the diagonal corners and twirling it like a rope sells the idea that the cloth is normal. The gimmick is unseen and even to those magicians knowing the secret this struck them as nice. The other thing is the starting position of the levitation. I don't hold on to two corners that are next to each other. I hold on to diagonal corners. And then I make the ball jump. Once. Somehow this really resonates with regular audiences. When the ball jumps, they jump. I like that. It's just a small touch, but I proud of it.

The music used in this video is by Darkmaster603 and is used by the Licensing Terms of Newgrounds.com. That means Attribution: "You must give credit to the artist." Check! And Noncommercial: "You may not use this work for commercial purposes unless you make specific arrangements with the artist." Check!

Just A Cup

Axel Hecklau sells this commercial routine. This is my presentation and I made a few changes to the structure. My version is about how magicians lead you to wrong assumptions and use that to fool you. Which I demonstrate. It is a very satisfying premise and the structure resets. The Hecklau version is great but the reset is not instant and the bag that is being used caused me much trouble.

But the main thing was the reset issue. I use this while table hopping. And between tables I don't have the time to set up the neck breaker gimmick which is used in the Hecklau routine.

In terms of method I cannot say much, as Axel Hecklau is very secret about the gimmick. I respect his wish will say nothing further.

But it's darn practical and secure. Therefore the routine is fun to do.

Unlike most Chop Cup routines it allows for interesting phases. Like taking out the die from the bottom of the cup. The leather cup has the advantage of having a final load in there and holding the cup with the mouth side down. That means you can do one final load in the spectators hand. Just saying.

Easy Coin Production

The title gives away the main aim for this. "Easy"! And it really is easy to do. The cloth really takes any hard work. So this is a great little trick for beginners in the field of coin magic. And I love it. The main idea of simply turning the cloth over and over again arose from a misunderstanding of a fried of mine who studied a rather advanced technique for producing coins with aid of a cloth. He studied an English text with very little ability to understand English and no pictures were available to him. This is what he came up with. And it is great. So credit goes to Kay Herzig for this one. The addition of jumbo coins is inevitable if you think about it. The last coin is taken from the pouch, which you need to be wearing. But any method taken from the rich field of bottle production would work as well.

Ball, Wand and Coin

It's a weird routine I guess. But it is rather satisfying to do. Not that this matters to any audience, but the routine is short enough to be squeezed into any manipulation act. It's rather practical, the angles are not that bad and it has the potential to be enhanced drastically. The piece of silk in the end could be vanished transforming back into the coin. That coin could change into a jumbo coin, the wand could grow and all of that shit. In terms of move there is nothing new to add. The Flip Stick vanish by Flip Hallema, a Bobo Switch and Spell Bound moves. But the main thing is this new background. You like it? Was expensive as golden shit. Now I got it.

Simple Coins

This coin routine is really, really simple. Hence the name. Simple in both effect and method. Three coins vanish and then come back. The first vanish actually is the most simple vanish one can think of. It's a spin on the Bluff Vanish from Bobo's book. It's so much fun to do. The angles on the routine are very, very good. And the sounds are genuine and misleading. Just the way we like it. And you don't need a table. making this an anytime, anywhere routine.

Near the end one of the coins jumps back to the pocket. The one behind principle makes this a piece of cake. The method requires this little extra effect. But it also serves a function. The spectator could have chosen any number. Therefore it seems like a different outcome was possible. That creates the illusion that the magic happens at the moment it is perceived. And that would only be possible if really three coins were used. The routine is by Jim Abrahams and I know for a fact that this routine will be in his upcoming book that he is currently working on.

The main principle is a nice cancel for any coin routines that are one ahead. Mix the method and deception will follow. In fact the end, could be a great get ready for a one ahead routine. Or vice versa. Depending on which routine is stronger.

Simple Matrix

There is nothing unusual about this. The standard one ahead. But the ending might be of interest. As it is the only, I repeat, the only justification for using a playing card. Seriously, why a playing card. Always the same. I see magicians use the playing cards simply because they are there. You know what else is there? The purse. Using the purse is not only motivated and logical, it has so many advantages. Sound, and no "floating".

Back to the routine. Having one quarter of the card not changing in the end gives you a reason to openly ditch it. Along with other stuff. I used this ending many times and it was my perfect lead in to the six coin routine that I do.

The used sleights are standard and I don't think I need to point out the one true source. *cough* Bobo *cough*

The last coin vanish is bold but somehow it seems like an increased difficulty for you, but it makes you job much easier. Have fun.

The Button Story

Going on with this notions box theme here is something with buttons. The main "sleight" is the Bold Coin Vanish from Modern Coin Magic. A underused sleight I think. Although the term "sleight" doesn't really do it justice. It's just a bold thing you do. You can reverse the "sleight" of course. That way you get loaded instead getting rid of the coins. Must be pretty cryptic reading these lines I suppose. Watch the video! The buttons going back in the box sequence is the actual reversal of the bold vanish. Pick up two, put in one. So you can choose which buttons end up in the hand in the end.

A similar routine I have seen years ago by Jay Sankey. A whole punch of paper clips are picked up one by one and in the hand they link. Cute little trick.

But you can do more of course. What about a standard Spell Bound routine? The most simple one would be copper coins turning to gold coins, which are drop in a cup. Near the end the cup is turned over and all the gold coins have become copper again. You don't see that routine very often. And here is why: In most "warm" lighting conditions the difference between copper and gold is not great. The lack of visibility of the trick is it's downfall. The standard structure is flawless I think.

Long story shot: Have buttons change into coins one by one. Logical? Check! Visible? Check! Great scope? Check!

There's a Poll to the Right

I'm trying to figure out what kind of magic you want to see me covering most.

Do you want Close Up Stuff with no cards, do you want cards, more on stand up magic or imprompu stuff you can do with little effort? Or are you more interested in variations on existing plots or premises? Either poll or comments.

Linking Safety Pins

I decided to include this for one reason: Nobody does it. It's a beautiful little impromptu jewel. The needed preparation can be done all in the open and the "soft pin" principle is being used here. The routine you see in the video is quite basic. Just two links and two un-links. Like the big brother - the linking rings - the actual realization of the links are delayed creating wonderful time misdirection from the dirty work. In the end everything indeed can be examined. There is a angle issue with this routine. The audience must be in front of you. When this trick is appropriate the conditions are mostly one on one. And safety pins are all around us. So don't forget this little one.

Coins Through Cork

I assume you are familiar with the god awful plastic version of this. Maybe even the brass version. But all of those scream gimmick. This version is by "Kreis Magic" and is called "Cork Stopper" and is a terrific piece of magic. The prop looks like an everyday item. And the very, very cool thing about this version is that Euros coins, work perfectly for this. I mean perfectly. Other coins have to be prepared with a small iron disc that is supplied with the instruction, but 1 Euro coins are the best thing. And being a "Euro Zone" we have plenty of supply of them.

This is one of those tricks that looks like a bar bet type of trick. And you can celebrate, in fact you have to celebrate, the rolling of the bill and all of that. All of that creates a wonderful impromptu feel. There should be no doubt that there is no way for the coin to go past the cork except through. If you have a notions box, put it in there. In fact my grandma used to stick needles into a cork to keep everything tidy. So having a cork in the box will not be questioned. So you can basically have a whole notions box full of magic. Safety Pins (coming next week), magic with needles, Hindu Thread, Thimbles... you name it.

International Matrix

Let's talk about something that only magicians seem to appreciate or care about. The matrix plot. A rather special case is the matrix using four different coins. That makes the whole thing a lot harder both in terms of difficulty and structure. But it is a unique problem. And what do magicians love? Problems! This is my take on it. Basically two ahead, I even included a backfire phase. Clear inspirations for that was the version by Michael Rubinstein. I use the term inspiration very carefully. Because his version sucked. I wanted to do better. Don't get me wrong. Rubinstein's material is top notch, but the style is so stiff and old fashioned. It bores me. But that's where my efforts to create my own little version came from. Do I do it for real people? Hell no. But for magicians, once in a while.

Ball And Vase

Talk about an overexposed trick. Almost ever magic set has this trick. So using the usual method will not work on an average audience. That's how this routine came into being. Does it play well... well... no! Magicians love it though.

Transformer

This is by Richard Robinson. A quick and easy routine. It uses the familiar gimmicks and is fairly good on the angles, if you hold it by the seam (if you know hat I mean). Richard Robinson released this for free years ago on the allmagicguide website. This was my start in magic.

Close Up Linking Rings

I always had this love hate relationship with the linking rings. It has all what you expect a routine to have. It's big, loud, impossible shit to hand out, interaction and all that jazz. Yet there are drawbacks. Not all rings can be handed out. Certain displays are more than fishy. Doing it with a small set takes away the "size" of the routine, but it enables you to do something else. You can switch an entire set. or part of it. So this is how the routine plays out now. I have all rings handed out. Each one. four single ungimmicked rings. Then I do my business and when I'm at the point where I link all of them in a chain of four I let go with my other hand. This fools most magicians. You can still show the set close up. When the rings are hanging I even point this out to laypeople "When you see other magicians do that, they will always hold their hand somewhere on the rings. I don't. I want you to remember that little detail."

I know that this is extremely unfair towards other magicians, but I love it that way. Handing all rings out in the beginning is crucial. if not you waste the whole effect. The spectators have to know that there is no opening. Otherwise you lessen the effectiveness of the trick drastically. I'm very unforgiving towards magicians who don't do that. There not milking the Linking Rings for what it's worth.

The 9 Rules of Magic

I removed this routine from my repertoire. It was way too layered and nobody understood it as it required way too much inside baseball. That being said, I loved it. Magicians might get a kick out of it. But that's about it. In terms of handling. No gimmicks and all just sleight of hand.