There have bee several discussions in the Café on what to put in non-metal TT to handle the heat for a cig vanish.

It occurred to me that another option would be a small circle of that relatively new silicone material that won't melt up to 400 degrees or some such. It's used used in a bunch of kitchen products from oven mitts to oven liners.

I haven't researched it at all, but I have seen items made in a number of colors, so there might be an item that is a beige, white or similar color that would not significantly mess with the TT color.

Sure, when you can use a folded up a piece or paper in a pinch, this may be overkill, but I throw it out there as food for thought.

Ah! Professor Herwin's "gimmick/feke" is once more the topic of conversation!

You may have something there, Dave!

I started using a TT in '46 when Percy Abbott had a SALE. Normally fifty cents, Percy offered them for twenty-five cents.
Never one to miss out on a 50% discount, I ordered one, 'cuz Percy also paid the postage!

Several years before I so frivolously "blew two bits, Al Baker, (Jay Marshall's father in law at the time, had written another of his 'LETTERS TO HAROLD", and published it in "AL BAKER'S NOTEBOOK", Vol ! No. !. Bruce Elliott, editor, publisher, and office boy of the 'PHOENIX", seized an opportunity, and added a bit of Al's humor to "The Bird" by republishing Al's letter in "PHOENIX", March 3, 1944, page 223.

Since the atmosphere in the Café has a tendency to be, at times, a bit serious, I'm going to sneak an excerpt from Al's letter in here...

"My dear Harold,

...Only last week Professor Norom was saying that many laymen are familiar with the TT. (my abbrev.) It is strange that you should be worried about the same thing. I suggest that you wear two of them (one inside the other). Thus when the wise guy says the cigarette is in the false thumb, you can take the top one off and show it empty. It may be that your trouble is caused by a TT which does not match the color of your hand. Many years ago I was told to paint the hand to match the TT. If you try this, let me know how it works out."

I have no idea what other people have said but wouldn't tin foil work?

To be sure~! I've used a scrap of steel wool, crumpled "crumb" of aluminum foil, dampened bit of tissue, damp scrap of cotton wool, ETC.

If I can pick up a bit of the silicone material that Dave mentioned, I'll give it a test!

I haven't used a TT to vanish a cigarette in 50 years!!! I vanish a LIT MATCH, which I started doing in the late '70s, when Jay Marshall and I were playing a SEAM regional convention, in Raleigh, NC, IIRC. Jay and I were sharing a room, and he showed it to me. (Vernets were fairly NEW, then.) It reminded me of an idea that I had seen in "GENII" in the '50s. I think a James Lucier had submitted the idea.

Gene Anderson wrote a little "6 line rhyme" that he called "Son of Morning", and put it in his lecture. I've used it ever since.

Kirk Charles's book, "Standing Up Surrounded" had a clever little routine with a penny box of matches in which the TT can be used to vanish a lit match, too. I like it 'cuz it resets itself, so it is practical for strolling.

Vanishing a lit match via a TT is a great vanish to use for the old effect where the match used is first torn out of a book of matches and after vanishing is found back in the matchbook, burnt, but attached back in place. Great effect.

I think a cigarette is too hot for the silicone. At rest- from what I've read online- a cig is around 750 degrees F. Around 1200 degrees during a draw.

Yes, I've used for that vanish for years. and, also for the Kirk Charles bit with the BOX of matches.

They do make a high-temp silicone Boss 326 is the brand.

Supposedly that's only rated up to 500 degrees F.

But it's not a sustained heat. Crushing cigarette into pad in TT will extinguish it and won't have enough time to damage silicone pad

I e always just used a bit of tissue that has been dampened. It has to be replaced but it works great and can be thrown away

Thumbtips and tin foil? Amateur hour. The real trick is to vanish one of those new electronic cigarettes with a TT.

Now that I want to see

I used to use a tiny bit of magician's rope, it gave a nice smoldering effect.

Funnily enough, I've just never bothered. I used to do it LOTS but hardly anyone smokes now, so the opportunities are far fewer. I'd use a Vernet tip and yes, it would get a bit discoloured after a while but I'd put a bunch of them in a jeans pocket in the washing machine and they'd come out...well, not perfect but improved. And as we all know (!) a perfect colour match isn't crucial.

I've not done this in years, but back when I did I used Ross Ws approach. Yes it's hot but there is also a time factor. If you are that bothered we used to extinguish the cigarette on our tongues first (bit of a blockhead thing). Tastes foul but, actually, no, don't do it. I must've been mad.