New Effect Reviews and Fresh Ideas for an Old Trick

Greetings, fellow magi. Steve here with a few updates of
interest. After my debacle with the Appearing, Floating
Microphone and Gecko, no one wants to buy it from me on
eBay. Not only that, I have been unable to sell virtually
any of the items I recently relisted. Oh, well ...

Been trying to find a Frame Fastastique for some time. This
was a clear Plexiglas frame that displayed four silver
dollars. You remove the coins, cover the frame, vanish the
coins and the coins reappear in the frame. I saw Jose de la
Torre use this in a coin routine back when I was the VP of
the IMPS in NYC. It looked great. I've been wanting to
recreate the routine, but not even Mario Carrandi could tell
me where to find a frame.

So I started searching for coin dealers to see what I could
find in available coin displays, figuring I could gimmick it
up once I got it. Finally, after months of searching, I
found a family that specializes in making coin displays. I
ordered one to see how it goes, along with spare parts, and I
will try my hand at recreating the gimmicked frame next
week. Wish me luck. If it works out well, I may start
taking orders for them.

How far can you carry a running gag without it falling? For
those of you who have been following me for years, you know
I am obsessed with spring raccoons and yearn to put
together an entire MC act with running gags including doing
a Take Apart Vanish, Mini-Blamm Production and Raccoon
Levitation. How about a Raccoon Wringer? Was speaking with
my friend and master woodworker, Thomas Clark, and we may
take a whack at one of these. Only problem is I need to
find a flat raccoon. Thomas recommended I bring a picture
of a raccoon to a sign making shop and have them create one
for me. That's a pretty cool idea.

I just received a new rope routine I stumbled upon. It's
called 3 Way Traveling Knot by Gay Llungberg and it's dated
2006. Back this summer, when I saw Justin Flom perform in
Branson, he did a traveling knot with one spectator. He tied
one end of the rope to the microphone and the spectator held
the other end. Then he cut the rope, tied the ends, moved the
knot about two thirds of the way, untied the rope, retied
the rope, moved the knot towards the spectator and then let
the spectator untie the rope. It looked quite good.

I know Pavel has a complex and very expensive version of
this effect, but this one cost only $29.95 so I took a
gamble. Surprise, it is not crap. This is easy to perform
and should please the crowds. I am anxious to try it out on
my kids.

Also got a set of juggling knives for $68 from an operation
called El Paso down in Texas, but two of the wooden handles
were cracked when I received them so I sent them back and
am waiting for replacements. Hope they are better next time
around. What makes this set a steal is that you also get a
heavy canvas bag that you can wear on your belt. Good deal.
While better knives exist, they typically surpass the $138
range.

Can I juggle? Well, my friend, Scott Morris, started teaching
me three ball juggling back in the 1970s, and then I taught
myself from there, working my way up to rings and clubs. I
bought torches but eventually sold them and finally opted
to try my hand at knives. If I don't blind myself, this
should be a fun addition.

Also received the original Ammar Topit Book, his original
VHS tapes, the original pattern PLUS Carl Cloutier's Topit
Pattern. Now all I have to is lose some weight, so I can fit
in my suits and ask my wife to start cutting and sewing.

More soon,

All my best,

Steven