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sdmagic Special user 697 Posts |
Looking for a "heavy duty" chain escape that looks believable. This will be used to gather a crowd before doing a busking show. More of a comedy bit than a true escape (will probably do the escape under cover of a silk).
Two Questions: 1) Who makes a really good looking Chain Escape? 2) Would a high quality set of handcuffs be more effective for this? Thanks for any recommendations. sdmagic |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
The best heavy duty, believable chain escape is available at Home Depot. That's where I got mine. I'm not kidding. Get the John Novak book on chain escapes from Cannon's.
If you mean a Siberian Chain, Cannon's has a great one. You need the Novak book to really learn how to perform this. Yours, Paul |
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The Donster Inner circle 4817 Posts |
Abbotts also has a chain escape. and Xtreem was selling a Demon Chain Escape.
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sdmagic Special user 697 Posts |
Thanks to both of you for your reply! I will pick up the Novak book today.
What is your opinion of a chain escape vs. a handcuff escape? Which is more amazing in the eyes of an audience? and.... If I go the handcuff route, do you have a recommendation for a particular product? thanks!! |
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Cliffg37 Inner circle Long Beach, CA 2491 Posts |
Go to the Cannon's web site to see all the different cuffs that are out there. My personal feelinig is that if you are going to do a lot of cuff work, get a hold of Ian McColl's ADA cuffs. These are available at Cannons and thye are really great. Mine were examined by a retired court judge, and he proclaimed them Bona fied.
I also think there is a strnger entertainement value in doing a chain escape. I see the cuffs as being a part of the bigger picture in a larger sace escape.
Magic is like Science,
Both are fun if you do it right! |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
I started with chain, because when I told some friends that I was working on learning escapes, they dismissed escape artistry as "trick handcuffs."
Handcuffs are complicated devices, and most people do not understand how they work. Therefore, they think that you could alter them so that you could easily get out of them, even if they couldn't tell what you did to them on inspection. One solution to this problem is the approach that Cliff suggested, having them inspected by someone who knows what they are doing. This is especially effective if there is absolutely nothing funny about the cuffs. Another approach is to fill the minds of the audience with something so compelling that they can't think about the cuffs. Watch Kristen Johnson do her full-view Water Torture Cell escape, and the last thing that you are thinking about is funny cuffs. You are thinking that you are going to see this wonderful woman die right in front of your eyes. Here's some video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=w4engRC4-W8 Yours, Paul |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
Chains are better. They look impressive, and they make noise. Technically, they're not too far from rope.
In terms of packing your show, they also weigh a lot more.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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ufo Inner circle Phoenix, Arizona 1185 Posts |
Yes, Mark's siberian chain is a winner!
"What's your drug?" she asked. "Hope" he said, "The most addicting one of all."
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sdmagic Special user 697 Posts |
Where do you purchase "Mark's Siberian Chain" from?
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
Mark Cannon. Please see:
http://www.cannonsgreatescapes.com/Shopp......ase.html I did this on TV! Seriously. This one is great. Yours, Paul |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
Cannon's Great Escapes...Mark Cannon.
You can also make your own. A lot of escape products look very chromed and flashy, but I prefer props that look nasty. It gives the prop a sense of having a history. I think the super-clean look is nice sometimes, but it's too easy to look at it, and say "fake". You can get some nice old locks, at almost any flea market. And pieces of chain, on the roadside. Just make sure the locks work.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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sdmagic Special user 697 Posts |
Thanks everyone! Great info here from some real professionals! I do appreciate it!
sdmagic |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
Harley is the professional, and his props do indeed look nasty.
Yours, Paul |
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Wolflock Inner circle South Africa 2257 Posts |
I take chains to be more effective than cuffs. the reason being that most people have not even really experienced cuffs. they don't even know that there is a double lock. Whereas, chains are a household item for many. they know the strength and therefore are captured better IMHO than cuffs. That is unless you have the right style of showmanship to pull the cuffs one off properly.
Regards Wolflock
Wolflock
Pro Magician & Escapologist Member of JMC (Johannesburg Magic Circle) South Africa |
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
When you can use something that's acceptible without question, it always adds credibility to the escape. It doesn't matter whether it's a prop, or a belief.
People believe that it's possible to get out of cuffs. Many folks know that they can be picked, keys concealed, etc. But a piece of chain...well, it's a piece of chain. What is there to believe? And if we happen to have a little extra knowledge, like Siberian or figure eight configurations, we can take something ordinary, and make it extraordinary.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I have one from royal magic, but use my own lock. The one that came with it was really poorly made.
Im probably going to make my own though, with larger chain.
-Matt
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Harley Newman Inner circle 5117 Posts |
You don't need a lot...chain of your choice, two rings (large enough to facilitate easy passage of the chain), and measurements. You can use key rings. If you don't like them, get a couple of 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" rings from the hardware store, cut them with a hacksaw, or more easily with boltcutters, and put them where you want them.
I marketed some S. Chains for a while. One buyer, apparently, complained that the rings weren't welded. I've been using my own chain for 30 years, and not one audience member has ever cared. S. Chain is a very nice beginning piece, from which to extrapolate. It's also a thing of beauty, when performed well.
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus” -Mark Twain
www.bladewalker.com |
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Spellbinder Inner circle The Holy City of East Orange, NJ 6438 Posts |
Try making the chain REALLY long, like 6 to 12 feet long. Have two padlocks; the regular one for locking you once the Siberian "tie" has been accomplished, and another lock for attaching at the end. Once your wrists are bound Siberian style, the spectators can be encouraged to do what they want with the rest of the chain- wrapping it around your elbows, chest, or legs. The other end is padlocked with the second padlock (which for the really nervous beginners can be a gimmicked lock that opens without a key). This makes it a combination of Siberian Chain escape with the 100 foot rope tie principle; you already have your slack and the rest of the chain is just for show since once your hands are free, the rest of the chain practically falls off from any place they put it. Advantage: it doesn't LOOK like the Siberian Chain they might have gotten in a magic set.
Professor Spellbinder
Professor Emeritus at the Turkey Buzzard Academy of Magik, Witchcraft and Wizardry http://www.magicnook.com Publisher of The Wizards' Journals |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
Spellbinder's excellent suggestion is explored more fully in Novak's Chain Escape book:
http://www.cannonsgreatescapes.com/Shopp......ase.html Yours, Paul |
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sdmagic Special user 697 Posts |
Excellent suggestion Spellbinder! This has evolved to be exactly what I was looking for... an eye catching, crowd-building opener for a busking routine. I just need to add in the "comedy" to the escape. Only challenge now is to be sure the rest of the act stands up to the opener!
Thanks! sd |
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