My imagination has locked up on me. I was wondering if anyone has creatively disguised a pull so it can be used without a jacket. I'm thinking maybe something like a pager or cell-phone accessory of some kind so it can return to the beltline and not be noticed but still be useful. Any contributions to the cause ('cause my brain isn't working) would be greatly appreciated.

Sammy the Kid

Sammy,

Someone once said, "If you want to hide something, put it in plain sight!"

What about a set of keys on a pull that attaches to your belt (like security guards wear). The keys would be attached independently of the actual pull, but appear to be on the retractable cable.

Along another line of thinking, how about a knife sheath. It could conceal the pull yet still appear inconspicuous.

Lyndel

Sammy,

Looking at your picture, I would think you could do something with a belt buckle that would be deceptive. Since a lot of western-style belts have large buckles, you could attach something behind the buckle that would house the pull. You could also maybe use it as a topit or belly servante type device.

Good luck,
Richard

I saw Danny Cole use a pull with no jacket on and short sleeves. I think you are onto something with the pager, although they seem almost obsolete within my circles. I think anything that looks "normal" would pass. I knofe sheath would only look normal if I was out hunting and I'm in the Pacific Northwest. Belt buckles would work. But seriously, I don't think you need a jacket anymore. Just proper cover and misdirection.

LOL Muzicman! I was referring to the black nylon low-profile knife sheaths that guys carry their lock blades in attched to their belt.

But then again, that might be a regional thing too. I live down here in the South, home of Nascar, chewing tobacco, and country western music... Even the kids bicycles come equiped with a gun rack down here! LOL!

Yeee Haw!


Lyndel

Well, I don't wear a buckle unless I'm wearing my gunbelt and holster with that outfit. Leather braces only. But, I'm not always in that outfit. A lot of times I'm in regular street clothes around family and you know how family can be. Wanna touch everything and know how does that work.... They'll pay untold money to see Copperfield but want to get in your stuff like they bought it... Well, enough ranting. I'm liking some of these ideas. I think I will do the nylon belt pouch to start.

Sammy the Kid

You haven't said what it is you're vanishing. That might influence design.
This is the kind of stuff I love thinking up, only so far I haven't gotten very far.
A couple of things come to mind, besides the good ideas you've got here already:
I don't see why a pull couldn't be used in a short sleeve shirt - some "short" sleeves aren't that short even. Anchor the pull at the back of the opposite arm, just inside the arm pit - run flat 1/4 elastic across your back, with pull tucked, so to speak, under your other arm. Use safetly pins, if necessary/possible. So, here, the pull simply retracts up into your short sleeve, using your armpit as a brake. There are a lot of different pulls out there, I'd recommend something on the soft side for this, or it could whack you right in the ribs by the serratus muscles.

Another setup: is that used with the Raven in short sleeves: have it go in between the buttons and in your shirt, if it's flat enough.

If you're not surrounded, you could also simply anchor a pull on your belt, right in the center (horizontally speaking) of your back. Use something to brake it - a plumbing O ring, cloth hook, etc. so it doesn't swing around to the other side.
It might be better to run the pull between your legs, when you vanish it, any play will tend to be vertical, rather than horizontal, less likely to "peek" from behind you. (Well, in theory anyway - not tested in real world setting)

As a semi-serious suggestion, if you wear really long T-shirts, and don't tuck them in .. pull goes right in the zipper ! Naturally, same warning applies here as with short sleeve pull, only more so !

You could also use your hat, I would think that would be a good place for a pull.

For your cell phone idea, which I think is neat, you can buy just the phone cases (bodies, or shells.. whatever you call them) online at several cellphone accessory stores, I got one for my old LG VX-4400, for example. That gives you an empty shell to start with.
Heck, that's even a great place to hide a thread boss, come to think of it.
Good luck.

Hey Sammy, like the one post said, "in plain sight". Howabout that big ole badge your wearing in the picture? Great place to conceal your Pull.

Pax Mentis

umm.. a badge is flat, he did say "Pull".. or are we talking about a reel ? But then you have to hide whatever you just vanished too..

Sammy, also check out Peter Loughran's "Black Hole", that might be something you'd like. I don't' have it myself, but from the descriptions I've read, it sounds apropos.

I'm kinda looking towards a "universal-do-all-pull" to vanish pretty much anything. I'm trying to think of one to use during my "Old West" routine and another one to go with street wear when I just gotta make stuff go away. Mystician, those are some pretty good ideas to work with. I also like the idea of using the reel behind my "Regulator" badge.

Sammy the Kid

Has any one got any further with this? I've been thinking hard about this as I really want a coin pull that doesn't come with too strict a dress code, but I'm not getting anywhere. I've spent ages looking for a thread on the subject - knew the must be one somewhere

Eleazar Goodenough has invented a "Tuckit" that is basically a Topit with no need for a jacket, and his design includes an internal pull. You'll find it as part of his "Ultimate Newspaper Tear" in his book "Tear-Able Magic" on my site.

Because he's a kid and rarely dresses up in the "traditional" magic outfits, he has also come up with some innovations for T-Shirts that will shortly be released in The Wizards' Journal #7 on my site. Maybe as soon as this week-end, if I can make him get his homework done and work on some serious magic stuff. I know he was talking about a T-shirt pull, but maybe he was just pulling my leg.

Like Mystician said,, what are ther items you wish to use it withh, a Pull may not be the way to go, if it is something that fits fully inside the pull, then maybe the old favorite. Just start taking up the affectation of thumbs in the pockets, or tucking behind the braces. Likewise a palmo might be employed.
If you are looking for something to use with stuff too big for the sold standby, then maybe how much cover can you provide, a bandanna? rather than a silk, can give good cover, if it is something closer in color to your pants, what about that direction, meaning a pull does not have to travel UP... and if the bandanna(s) gets just tucked into the belt, or front pocket edge, it might be just enough.
k

Hey guys, those of you with with your website links in your signatures.. you do know that if you enclose the link with "[ url ][/ url ] " tags, it will display as an actual link, right ? Just wondering .. makes it a bit easier for most folks to click on it.

A lot of people will never bother to copy and paste it, or type it out; and you'll lose the potential traffic. Sad but true. My in-laws have had a computer for 5 years and they still don't know how to copy & paste... or I should say, they won't learn, I guess. (God knows I've tried to show them)

I used to have a dollar snatcher inside a small zippered purse. The line was attached to a shell nickel. I would put the purse in my rear jeans pocket and pull out the coin and just wave my hand over it and it would vanish. I never got busted on it! I think I'm going to see if I can find that again. I think I got from the Rabbit in the hat Ranch! Make one up. I also used to use a small paper about the size of a post card that had a photcopy of a nickel on it. I would show both sides(concealing the nickel photo) and then wave this paper over the nickel and when it vanished I would turn over the paper and shoe the phot of the nickel on the paper.