Hi,

I have owned "In a Flash" by Jay Sankey for a while now and it has been sitting on my shelf...here is why - I used it alot before until I've have been asked after the performance each time, "What are you going to do with those cards with holes in them?"

The gimmick is just too unrealistic. People always ask me what I'm going to do with the cards and I keep saying throw them away and buy a new pack. I don't think they believe me.

If there is anyone else who owns this effect, just tell me what you think of it.


-Greg

I love "In a Flash." I never really had a problem with people asking me what I'm going to do with the deck that has holes in them. That never really happenedd to me before.

Tell them you're going to turn the "hole cards" into "whole cards." If they ask you to do it for them now, say "I'm sorry but there's a 3 drink minimum and a $10 cover charge if you want to see any more magic."

Tell them you're going to put them in your pocket and do another trick.

Tell them whatever. I personally don't think it matters much what you say as long as you say something.

Good question.

I make light of it, after the quarter burns thru the cards I say, "look what you've done to my deck!" They think it's funny that the cards are ruined. Most adults will figure the holes were there to begin with but they are still amazed that it stopped at their card and they are still mesmerised by the flash of light. Whether they show it right away or not, this is a trick that gets "burned" into their memory. They will remember where they were and hopefully who the magician was! I think it's a keeper!

People have asked me to keep the cards because it was just too impossible. I said I agree and I want to keep them myself.

What about adding 'burn marks' around the holes?

A couple of tips:

1) Use the edge of a Sharpie felt tip to go around the edge of the hole in each card to make it black. When your deck is assembled, it will look very convincing. I found that burning the edges of the cards doesn't really work, but after a few performances, the cards will get discolored and your deck will look even better. I've had people inspect the deck closely afterwards and never has anyone supected that the cards didn't actually burn.

2) Use the suggested handling on Jay Sankey's site http://www.sankeymagic.com -- it's much more powerful than the original.

3) Use this as your last effect. Make sure you let your audience know this will be your last effect and it will make sense. I've always had people say "Now I know why it was your last!"

4) If you don't want to use it as your last effect, go into effects that only require a couple of cards, or effects that destroy cards such as a T&R or Card Warp. Your deck is "ruined" anyway, so you might as well ruin a few more cards.

Don't pass this one up. When presented well it is an absolute killer, and it's the one effect your audience will remember.

If they think the holes were there to begin with, try burning the edges of the holes to make it look more like it actually burns through the deck. I do this, and then I even let someone smell the cards with holes and they smell smoke.

-Evan

One of the best tricks ever made by Sankey.

It's amazing and perfect with a deckswitch and proper presentation.

hehe I have made my own in both red and blue, and Bee back, and some Aviators I have from Harrah's casino just so I can do it whenever I want.

I remember one time I did a show for my relatives, and before I started I handed out some old Harrah's cards that I got for free saying they could keep them, then I did In A Flash with a deck switch after OOTW to make it more believable.

Then my uncle says I'll give you 100 dollars if you can do that with this deck right here(holding the harrah's) and I acted scared and such but said I'd try, then I switched the deck again and did it, his jaw was on the floor!!!!!

I didn't take the money but darn it felt good to be prepared for a heckler and entertain everyone!!!

I have to agree as a new owner of this trick I think it really fries people. I've had people say to me "look what you did, now you have to buy a new deck of cards", and I usually say something like "yes I know but that's life", or I'll magically restore them later. Its not a big deal to me. I'm primarily a street performer and I work at night, so the flash attracts more people to my close-up table. This trick is a real winner if you ask me., Ed (Eddini).

I've never understood people's aversion to signing, tearing, or burning a hole through a deck of cards. I ask them to sign something and they scream "NO THAT WOULD RUIN YOUR CARDS". lol....

Your right, it's funny how 'normal' people treat cards compared to us who sometimes make a living with them. I'll be at someone's house and they'll ask to see a trick, so I'll ask them for a deck of cards. They bring out the ONLY deck they have ever owned since 1973 and it's usually a picture-back deck or a bridge deck. There goes half your arsenal, and the cards will be in prime condition so your afraid to do any signing or bending or tearing.

Worse yet, I went to a house that had NO cards. How do these people live? How do they breathe?

This is one of the BEST and strongest tricks to come out for practical performers in a long time. I performed it on a live TV show last week - perfect TV trick, and a reputation maker, enough said!