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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts 
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I'm looking to purchase a chop cup to use in mainly corporate and wedding type environments but don't really know where to start as there are many to choose from, so far I have narrowed it down to either a wooden,leather or plastic type of material rather than a metal cup but other than that I'm open to hear what others are both using and recommend ?
Also I don't think the really small ones are the way to go as it would limit the final loads which would weaken the effect overall but like wise I don't want a massive one either. My other question is where do you carry your chop cup and it's loads as I should imagine it takes up quite a bit of space, is there perhaps a way of carrying it attached to a belt to free up pocket space etc ? |
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Stperformer Loyal user 291 Posts
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Hi Warren,
Something that may or may not fit your bill is 'Just a Cup' by Axel Hecklau. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtlVt9utiI&t=25s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BMDiZICYa8 http://weeklymagicfailure.blogspot.com/2......cup.html |
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Quote:
On Apr 27, 2017, Stperformer wrote: Thanks for posting, it's worth considering it has a lot or plus's apart from the actual cup is a bit cheap looking. |
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puggo Inner circle 2022 Posts
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Okay its metal, but I like the the Smetsers Harmonica cup - it looks 'classy', holds a lemon, collapses down to fit in the back pocket and because it's shimmed (and uses a gaff ball), nobody should find the secret, especially those that may know about chop cups.
https://www.alakazam.co.uk/product-Harmo......ers.html I also have a Killer chop cup from the Ambitious card. It's leather, comes in different finishes and has an off-set gimmick for roll in, roll out displays and can be used with chopped dice. It robust, but for me, its a bit bulky for rapid tables (great for parlour/street etc). http://www.theambitiouscard.com/aitem.cfm?itemid=32 The just a cup has many advantages, such as the large chopped dice, but the basic cup's looks could be improved. Another option would be to use Craig Petty's Chop! (but not with a paper or polystyrene cup if working a wedding..!). Dave Forrest's Cubism could be an option, although the dice is a fair bit smaller than Mr Hecklau's (which works in a different way as well). Finally, Fernando at El cubilete makes some beautiful leather cups (and balls). Send him an email to discuss, he's very helpful. See the range here: http://www.elcubilete.es/CUBILETE/CHOP_CUP.html Hope this helps. Charlie |
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Hi Charlie thanks for your input, I did look at the harmonica cups although I actually prefered the rubber type ones over the metal as I'm not keen on the metal look as I mentioned.
The killer chop cups look nice especially with the gator finish but you mention that they are quite bulky, could you give me the measurements if you have the time ? I'll have a look at Cubism as that's one I haven't thought about so thanks. I have been looking at the cups at Hidden Wren magic ( link provided ) and must admit I'm really tempted to order one as they ooze class 
http://www.hiddenwrenmagic.com/chop-cups/ |
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Leo H Inner circle 1334 Posts
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Frank Starsinic sells a nice leather chop cup--not too big, not too small:
http://www.theambitiouscard.com/aitem.cfm?itemid=32 |
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puggo Inner circle 2022 Posts
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Quote:
On Apr 27, 2017, warren wrote: 2 3/4" or 7cm wide, 3 7/8" or 9.5cm high, 2 3/8" or 6cm opening/mouth. All measurements approximate and the cup has some give, being made the way it is. Unlike some cups, it is cylindrical rather than tapered, which may be why it feels a bit bigger to me. Still a very nice cup though and Frank's site states that custom sizes are available. PS - Yes, the Wren cups look really good. Charlie |
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55Hudson Special user Minneapolis 984 Posts
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Warren,
I use a mini Paul Fox or mini Don Allen for strolling. I have larger ones, but just to difficult to carry the final loads. I always wear a suit when performing, sometimes with the jacket, sometimes only vest. When wearing the jacket, final loads (2 puppy toys - small tennis-like balls) go in left jacket pocket, cup goes in right jacket packet When wearing only vest, final loads go in back pants pocket, carry cup in my hand. I've found the greatest impact is contrast between size of cup and final load. Would love to use my larger cup, which I do when seated or for one-off performance, but the practicality of going from group to group with two full-size tennis balls in my back pockets has driven me to use the smaller cup. Hudson |
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Quote:
On Apr 28, 2017, puggo wrote: Thanks Charlie much appreciated
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Hudson thanks for your input, I'm not 100% sure what size I'll go for yet but I'm favouring a medium sort of size if that makes any sense ?
I usually wear a suit when performing but was thinking I might be able to perhaps attach the cup to a belt of some kind carries around the side of the body towards the back to try and free up some pocket space. |
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SugarRayRick Regular user 184 Posts
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I just recently purchased a mini Don Alan which I will be using in corporate work. Used for the first public performance last week after several more mths of practice.
Honestly I had no idea how it would go down, I hadn't performed chop cup before. As I was switching the little balls, I thought they may be bored. Show the final loads, and the reactions were awesome. Thumbs up here for the mini Don Alan. |
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Tom G Inner circle 2895 Posts
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I'd check out RNT 2 as they have quite an assortment. I do like metal for cups.
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Thanks again for everyone's input....i would also like to here how people are carrying their chop cups ie do you just have it in your jacket pocket or do you have it attached to your belt etc ?
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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5445 Posts
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I long ago gave up carrying a Chop Cup for walk around events. HOWEVER when I did carry one I basically carried it in my hand from table to table.
A thing to think about is the people sitting at the table being able to see what you are doing. One brilliant technique is to take your cup with you shopping and find a tall beer glass that the Chop Cup can fit conformably into (and come out of easily). Turned mouth down the tall beer glass becomes a pedestal. Make a stiff pad from craft foam glued to both sides of a DVD with some felt glued to the one of the craft foam pieces (outside surface). The felt should be a constructing color to the balls you'll use. That stiff disk becomes the close-up working surface/pad. Once made you have a nice, stiff, circular, pad that looks good, will show off the balls well and functions well for the chop cup. This pad is kept in a side jacket pocket or stuck in you belt at the small of your back. In use, walk up to the table and set your beer glass (with chop cup inside) down on the table and go into your set. When it comes time to perform the chop cup, Take the cup out of the glass, hand the cup to the nearest spectator to examine, turn the beer glass mouth down, pull out the pad and rest on the base of the glass, take back the cup, and start your routine. The elevation given by the beer glass will insure better lines of sight for a table. Reverse the process when you finish your routine. Final loads back into their places, pad back into it's place, small balls pocketed, and chop cup back into the beer glass and away you go. Or you can use a cloth bag to carry the cup and perhaps a couple of other props (a Royal Crown bag works well for carrying the cup and other small props). I made a fairly large bag and made one side double thickness with a thin (1/8" thick) piece of foam rubber sewn between the two layers of cloth. It made for a nice working surface for the chop cup. It was 8" square and I could do a coin matrix on it. Worked well for small tables (up to 6 tops). I stopped using it in favor of the beer glass pedestal. Now back to the type and style of cup. It makes absolutely no difference. Find a cup that matches or complements you your "look". They all work the same. You will be doing the magic not the cup. The more nondescript the better (IMHO). Settle on a cup or two and spend a lot of time working with it to learn its particular "quirks", idiosyncrasies, etc. Make handling it become natural and fluid. Do you have a routine in mind? Do you know what you want to use for final loads? The final loads will dictate, to some extent, the size of cup. In fact you really don't need to buy a special cup at all. You can use a water glass wrapped in paper or a coffee cup picked up at the venue (see work by William Zavis, John Carney, Creg Petty, and others). Maybe use a paper coffee cup (as found in Starbucks, etc). You can even throw it away when you leave the menu. Gaff a dollar bill and make the routine look impromptu. Greg Petty has some good work for this and is the easiest to find right now (see his "Chop"). The cup is probably the least important part of a Chop Cup routine.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Quote:
On Apr 29, 2017, Harry Murphy wrote: Harry thank you very much for your post it's very informative, a friend of mine uses a small circular pad that he places on a wine glass like you mentioned so I am a little familiar with the concept, its funny you should mention Craig Petty's chopped as in the real world he actually uses Dave Forrest's Cubism rather than chopped as can be seen on his youtube channel or at least that's what he's using in the video's I've seen. The trouble I find is that when I decide on something and do a little research there always seems to be at least 2 really good options making it very difficult to choose, originally I was going to get a nice wooden chop cup however I also like Dave Forrest's Cubism too which is considerably cheaper than the wooden chop cups I've been looking at. At the moment I'm also researching methods for carrying the chop cup around as I'm sure there must be a simple discreet belt of some kind that would do the job. Once again thanks for your input it was very helpful
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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5445 Posts
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Cubism is a nice cup with gaffed die rather than balls. Balls (if you have them) may be used. In fact, I'd probably use rolled up bills as much as the dice. The routine works well and is somewhat different than the typical Chop Cup Routine. If you like the look, enjoyed the routine (and can see yourself performing it), then I'd say stop looking and obsessing over which is best and take the plunge. It is well made, the routine well motivated, and is compact.
A bit of caution. If you go with a black leather cup make sure the clothing you wear to perform is not dark colors. Your cup will vanish into the background of your clothing. A colorful shirt (even a white shirt) is in order here. But you knew that. Frank Starsinic at the Ambitious Card makes a nice leather "Hip Pouch" (think super sized pocket) that is designed to be worn on your belt, will hold a Chop Cup, final loads, a few other props (TT, Sharpie, rope, etc.) Check it out at: http://www.theambitiouscard.com/aitem.cfm?itemid=56 Frankly, hand carrying the Chop Cup in a cloth bag or just out in the open works fine. R. Paul Wilson works table to table carrying his cup and with a few props in the cup. See his table hopping act on DVD: http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/292 Just an option or two.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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jakeg Inner circle 1741 Posts
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Harry ... just got around to reading the thread. Glad I did. Thanks for the advise.
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Stu Montgomery Veteran user St Petersburg FL 354 Posts
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I always wear a suit when performing, sometimes with the jacket, sometimes only vest. When wearing the jacket, final loads (2 puppy toys - small tennis-like balls) go in left jacket pocket, cup goes in right jacket packet When wearing only vest, final loads go in back pants pocket, carry cup in my hand.
I use the puppy tennis balls also & they're perfect with the Bazar de Magia Chop Cup, which is also ideal for a very lifelike (and very cheap) rubber egg (widely available from the numerous Chinese owned stores in the Canaries) which I sometimes switch in prior to the tennis balls. http://www.bazardemagia.com/producto/175......z_75_grs
"Round about what is, lies a whole mysterious world of might be" Longfellow.
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Dale Houck Veteran user Dakota J Magic at Saint Cloud, FL 343 Posts
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Eric Hansen makes great wood chop cups. He can custom make about anything you desire. Here are a couple he made. One is a take-apart that is racquetball size and the other is golf ball size. He's on the Café as papasmurf if you want to contact him.
 
Magic is where you find it.....
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warren Inner circle uk 4166 Posts
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Out of interest is the weight of a chop cup an important thing to consider ie is it better to have a lighter one or a heavier one or does it not really matter ?
Also thanks again to those that have posted and gone to the trouble to provide pictures and links it's most appreciated
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Posted: Apr 27, 2017 06:13 pm 
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