OK, I have the Raven and to be honest, I'm disappointed. I hear good things about the Pk Pro kit and it is available in the UK which is good! I do however want to know everything you can do with it, WITH UK COINS!!! It's really anoying when I get foreign shells.

So, if anyone in the UK has it and would like to say if it is good or not and what you can do with it, it would make me very happy.

I don't want to spend £70 on a disappointment

Just curious, do you have the Raven video as well? If not, then you should get it, as it'll greatly improve the usability of Raven.

For the Pro PK Kit, what kind of magic you want to do with it? As indicated by it's name, it's mainly for PK type magic, like to
"mentally" move a fork, vanishing or transforming small object, flip a coin (need to buy a special coin called x-flip) on spectator's hand etc, etc. Or to mentally switch on/off electric device.

Hope this helps.

I like the watch stopping idea, no, I don't have the video but I also want the moving stuff and maybe a better disappearance

I knew you could stop watches, but what else can you stop? Any bigger things?

I wouldn't suggest the PK kit for disappearances. The Raven is much better for that, IMO. The Raven vanishes things as you pass your palm over them, while the PK kit does so while you pass your wrist over them. I find that awkward to do a vanish. You vanish with the palm of your hand and not with the wrist. But it surely is great for moving things around.

As for what else it can do; Anything you can do with a "you know what". The Raven has got one of those too.

Ivan

But how do you stop a watch with a Raven?

I think you cannot stop a watch by using Raven. IIRC as Raven is not powerful enough to do so, you'll need Bat or M5.

I can't decide between the Bat and the M5. What are the things I should consider when deciding? Apart from the price!

Thanks
Graham

I have neither Bat nor Raven, but the equivalent of M5. I purchased the component parts and made my own.

I noticed quite quickly that it turns off my cell phone if it comes in contact with it. I have one of those small Nokia models. It does NOT turn off every cell phone I've put it in contact with, however.

I have affected compasses from a respectable distance. I was in a shop once, with the "M5" in my jeans pocket. When I approached a display case that had compasses in it, they moved. I could apparently use my bare arms and hands to move the needles, when, in reality, I was twisting my body slightly. It freaked the shopkepper out! I told her not to worry, that I had had this "malady" since I was a kid, and could not, for that same reason, wear watches, since they always lost time and eventually quit when I wore them. She told me she had a friend who had the same "problem" with watches. It was a great conversation... all because I had failed to remove a prop from my pocket that morning.

That's cool!

jdclarkson, is your "M5" using the same material as the M5 ?

Stick Man, the difference between Bat and M5, besides the price, is only the power. M5 is much powerful than Bat, that's why we can use it to do PK magic, let's say. Bat cannot flip a coin over spectator's hand. The x-flip coin effect is very visual, and I'm sure you'll get good reactions with it.

And I think the M5 may damage electric devices, such as mobile phones, and also it surely can perform "Stop Watch" effect, but don't ever try to do it with expensive watches, too risky. Furthermore, Bat is not that convenient carrying around, not to say a M5!

Is there the danger that an M5 or a similar gimmick, could stop a pacemaker? I would hate that.

PS: what do you do if you break a spectator's watch?

Hi all,

I use a lot of different magnets in creating a few of the items we produce here at Arlen Studio. I need to caution you all about the use of powerful magnets. Recently, I was shocked to see a rather large pair of scissors I use in the shop fly across the table and slap my hand. No, I do not have poltergeists running around the studio. At least I do not think so. I happened to be holding a stack of earth magnets I use in creating one of our table tops. It was the flat end fortunately but it still hurt! We all need to remember that these magnets can be hazardous.

A very strong magnet can cause a pacemaker to malfunction. If you are working with magnets around ex-acto knives, that is a bad thing as well. The watch stop effect with a magnet is in my opinion very unwise. Parts in watches are small and delicate. The force of a powerful magnet in close contact can cause a rocker arm to bend slightly, rendering the watch useless from then on. Definitely not a trick to do using someone's Rolex. Large powerful magnets need to be treated like loaded weapons. In some cases, they can be life threatening. Most especially when there are sharp metal objects around.

Magnets are cool and fun, just use caution when using them. Remember, card tricks are hard to do with just three fingers!

Niva, some handling would make spectators don't aware you're vanishing with wrist, they'll still think you're using your palm.
But, that's true, Bat/M5 is not as clean as Raven to vanish small object.

Keith,

Cart tricks are also hard to do three fingers (you may have had to read Harlan Ellison's "What About Us Grils?" to find this funny).

Bill

I have The Bat for about eight months and I have to say that I'm quite happy with it. In my opinion The Bat is equally impressive as M5. I can stop watches, make a match stick stand up, move things with my mind and more using The Bat.

The only difference is that M5 is twice stronger than The Bat... but I find this unnecessary with most tricks, especially stoping watches and moving objects.

It also depends how you present each trick and your deception skill. If you really wanna play it safe and not get busted alot then get M5. But if you wanna save A LOT of money and get the same reactions that M5 gets... go buy The Bat.

Bat is twice as strong as Raven, but M5 seems more than twice as strong as Bat, as I far as I know.

I suspect it is. It is made of nickel plated Neodymium Iron Boron and measures 1.5" x 1.5" 0.375". I believe (but am not sure) that the power is rated N35. It will lift 100 pounds. The M5, in comparison, has a power rated at about N38, but measures 2" x 2" x 1" and is, therefore, considerably bulkier; the M5, however, would be, I think, about 10 - 15% more powerful. The one I have cost me $15.00, compared to M5's price tag of $90.00 (I've seen others on ebay for about $45.00) The one I use straps to my wrist (after I have secured it in a nice velveteen sack to muffle sound). It is the most powerful one that this company will sell unless you sign waivers and are using the product for some legitimate industrial or research purpose. The one I use has been strong enough to do everything I have wanted it to do, at a price that keeps me happy.

I ratify several other posts here: BE CAREFUL with these things! I've gotten pinched meanly when two of them have slapped together. Morever, yes, you can definitely damage devices. I am not sure it will harm a cell phone (mine is none the worse for wear), but it could bend delicate mechanical items, and is dangerous to people who wear pace-makers.

It does a great job of flipping one of the specially made Johnson Product quarters. I have noticed that other brands of these "special" quarters are not attracted strongly enough to flip well.

Good one Bill! I have read it, actually listened to it on cassette.

Have done and have replied (twice). One additonal caveat:

A magnet's force diminishes as you get further away from it (duh!) The rule is that its force is inversely proportional to the CUBE of the distance from the magnet. (in my e-mail, I said "square" of the distance). That means that the M5, because it is thicker, will have a stronger force at a greater distance. That is, it will move things from a greater distance. So, the one I use has to be closer. There are thicker ones available, though, for about $40.00.

Has anyone here done any experimenting with a magnet in a TT?