I've been using the wax that I get for my braces (yes I have braces) for the hummer/hover card, where the card spins very fast as it levitates. The only issue is that when I use a heavier card such as a credit card, the thread cuts through the wax and the card falls to the ground. I'm sure there is some kind of magicians wax that would work better, so I thought I'd ask. What type of wax do you recommend?

You do need a wax that isn't as soft as what you are using now. Go to an office supply store and ask for the wax that printers use for doing paste ups. That is the wax that you want. It is the very same wax that is sold with the hummer card type of effects.

The wax that you want is Bee's wax nothing more nothing less.

Cool, thanks for the information!

Michael Ammar has/ does sells a hard wax...

Madame Tussauds' wax works.

Yes but his isn't really an option for what the O.P. is asking for. Using Ammar's wax would cause the same problems. That is unless Mike is selling just blocks of bee's wax as well as his wax for another great card effect.

Nice one

Steve Fearson's Master Wax.

'Nuff said.

No need for that. As I said go to an office supply store and ask for Bee's wax plus you will get a supply that will last you a very very long time. Not just some small tin or box or whatever. It will be cheaper in the long run as well.

Oooookay... have you even actually bought the Master Wax? Comes in two 4 x 6" sheets- and you only need a pinch. The only wax I know of that comes in a "small tin or box or whatever" is that Mesika crap.

And bees wax is too soft and too dark to be reliable for the effect that the OP is specifically talking about. One warm day and "whoosh" off the thread the wax goes... try performing at 110 degrees, my friend. I do- and FMW is the *only* wax that holds up reliably. He also has custom colors specifically for these effects that match the red/blue colors of the cards.

I'd rather give the OP something that works reliably rather than a "works half the time but it's cheaper" solution.

You get what you pay for.

Not the bee's wax that printers use. I know this for a fact. My father was a printer. Plus I worked for one of the tourist magic shops in Vegas that sells the effect in queston. I worked there for several years I know of what I speak. Also you get a box of at least 24 squares of the wax if you buy it from an office supply store. Yes the wax that is supplied by Houdini's etc. is the exact same wax I am talking about. So what I said to get does in fact work and is the correct wax. So who's the one with the real work and who is just posting to post? Maybe you should find out a bit more about what you are trying to prove before you actually post next time?

Here are some choices for bee's wax, that is very hard. Hardware stores sell 2"x2" squares of wax for wood craftsman. The was is used to apply to wood screws when inserting in hard woods, it lubricates the insertion.

Another place to get a supply of hard was is the fabric store, they sell a disk of hard was to put on sewing thread. It comes in a plastic case with thread guides. Seamstresses use it to wax thread so it does not twist as much and glides through material easier.

A little softer was, as the above 2 are very hard, is a toilet ring sold at hardware and home improvement stores like Lowe's. All these are bee's wax.

Give them a try and see if you like any of them.

My intention was to provide advice to the OP to the best of my knowledge and ability, which I have done. If my passion for the craft was misinterpreted as a personal attack, then I apologize.

Speaking of personal attacks, I fail to see where I maliciously insulted your background either as a magician, person, forum member or your level of employment.

You, sirrah, have done all of that and I will thank you to keep a civil tongue and tone in the future.

Were I here simply "posting to post" I would fill the boards with meaningless "me too" or "that's cool" posts rather than trying to fulfil the motto of the board:

"Magicians helping magicians."

At my last view, it did not say:

"Magicians belittling magicians."

I respectfully suggest we agree to disagree and leave it to the OP to decide which works best for them.

*bows*

The wax ring used for toilets would be fine for card on ceiling and some magicians have used it for that. I think it maybe too soft for I.T. Maybe not but I think it would be softer than needed. In a pinch and if you were using a blue backed playing card some of the removable adhesives such I think in England it is called blu tack. I know here in the U.S. we have similar adhesives so those could maybe work but that's a maybe.

One thing to think about too is where do you live? If you live in a hot desert area such as Vegas (As I do) Or other parts of the Destert Southwest wax is going to be rhater hard to keep hard during the summer months. Now that summer is coming to a close that won't be so hard to do soon. I have to ad that if you live in Vegas probably shouldn't be doing any floating effects anyway since such things are sold in every single tourist trap magic shop in Vegas and even the locals have been over exposed to it perhaps. If you live anywhere else that is a different story most are not going to have any idea what The U.F.O. is or the floating bill etc... So it will be something that they won't have a clue about if done correctly.

RS1963,

Respectfully, you are wrong about the beeswax compared to Fearson's Master Wax.

I've worked with both waxes, you obviously have not. The Master Wax is so far superior to compare the two is silly. A package of Master Wax is $7 and worth much more.

I received an email ad directly from Fearson regarding this wax last week, you might find this link interesting: http://www.emagicsupply.com/index.php?ma......s_id=225

You can see where it says that one small dab of Master Wax is supporting the entire weight of those two decks of cards. And the wax comes in card colors as was previously mentioned.

So why do you want to bully people into using beeswax meant for a different application when the perfect wax is readily available at a good price?

In response to the OP, I would have to also recommend the Master Wax. I've tried them all and it's the only one perfectly suited for thread work. Even in 110 degree heat, which is a serious consideration for many people.


Rob

As usual, you are correct!

I have had excellent success with the wax Bill Hegbli mentioned that comes from the fabric stores. Very firm. Also have some Master Wax.

I recently bought some of the toilet ring wax. Perhaps this comes in a variety of firmnesses, but what I purchased was so soft as to be unusable for any application.