I have Tim's lecture notes. I highly reccomend them! A must if you're planning on doing the blades. All can be used to cut paper or what have you. And it is a really great presentation!

D_Z

Tim, that is exactly the way I prepare the blades.

I stand by dental floss. This is my signature effect, and I've never had it break. Dental floss is nearly impossible to break ... you could rappel with the stuff.

Your wrapping method is interesting though, Tim. I'm going to give that a try ... I'll report back.

My method is not %100 safe, but it is 100% strong, and I've NEVER been injured. Each blade is tested individually, shown that it cuts paper and put cleanly in the mouth ... no hinky devices or clumsy switches.

Dulling blades is very simple, just take a sharpening steel and run the blade perpendicular to it a couple of times ... it takes a couple of seconds.

--Zack

Just tried Tim's suggestion of wrapping the blades in the thread. It works very well! Thanks Tim!

There is a slight drawback in that the blades spin around in your mouth, which presents a danger of somebody catching a glimpse of the load as its coming out. Or having the load fall out.

It's also much slower than my accordion pleat method. The big advantage of it is that they stay together in a nice package, with no chance of getting loose.

Where is a good place to buy this trick?
Thanks

Ronjo has the platform illusion as well as a cheaper vest pocket model that sell for under $10!

Why must we buy illusions? As I have always tried to do, go ungaffed! It makes life fun and interesting!

I'm wondering if anyone has bought the Automatic Razor Blades sold on Hocus-Pocus. I would be interested to get a review of it.

Thanks

Johnny

Has anyone noticed that neither threading needles nor razor blades are sideshow stunts? We eat 'em for real! <G>

Hi, Johnny.

Although I don't have "the Automatic Razor Blades sold on Hocus Pocus," based on the photo I do have a similar item called "Dave Powell's Razor Blade Illusion." It uses six rather than eight blades. I'm going to assume it works the same way since they look so much alike.

Without giving away the method, it works as easily as the hand-held system...probably more easy, although I was never caught with the wallet version. Even so, I'm going to make a small alteration to my unit (which I think is more attractice than the Hocus Pocus one).

There is a small dowel which is the basis for the gimmick. I think it will work more easily if I get a small piece of metal tubing and place it over the dowel. I think it should move even more smoothly. Right now the directions read:


A question: I've seen Marvin Roy (Mr. Electric) do this with lightbulbs. Curiously, he produces far more bulbs than he "swallows." Yet, I've never seen anyone complain. Rather, they just wonder where all those bulbs came from.

I wonder, what would people think if I produced far more blades than I swallowed?

BTW, to those of you who do this trick: remember to wash the blades after performing and dry them thoroughly. Rusty blades make this trick even more dangerous!

Where do you all find the vest pocket versions or the wallet versions of this trick? I've been looking but all I can find is the stage version??

Here are two URLs for the trick at Magic City and Hank Lee. Caveat Emptor.

Did I detect a post or two wherein the performer was using real (and sharp) blades?

ARE YOU NUTS? The audience is never going to know that the blades are not sharp, especially after you show them sharp. There are many methods of doing the dirty work, and all are effective, all are good.

Purchasing is subject to the whims of the performer: style of display, methods of getting into and out of it, cleanliness of the 'method'.

And just a word to the lurking magicians-to-be who want to impress with a dangerous trick: NEVER work with a method in which sharp blades go into the mouth. It's just not necessary. It's easier to gaff it, and your magishing can go into the acting/presentation part of the performance.

Remember, bleeding all over the Birthday Kid's carpet may be a memorable finale, but it is not a magic trick. They'll all know how you did it!

I did this many, many, many years ago and it was because of the problem of things tangling up that I stopped going through all the pain to get it set up. If you think you have a problem with a few, try 40 razor blades on a thread.

I did it to music: 39 Lashes from Jesus Christ Superstar. If you know the song you can see how it fits when I scream out FORTY as the last one comes out.

I'm never going through that again. By the way, don't be insane, dull all your blades so there's no chance of getting cut.

Greg

Do audiences still recognise razor blades as a common object?

Most people seem to use electric, disposable or cartridge razors nowadays. Does this fact detract from the impact of the effect?
Are there any alternatives? Needles were the original version, but they aren't as large and visual as razor blades.

I think most people recognize what a razor blade does and how dangerous it can be, so don't worry about it being a bit ancient of a cutting device.

Greg

If you want to think dangerous... I once thought it would be cool to use fish hooks instead. Everyone knows how dangerous those things are, and we've all seen them tied to fishing lines, so...

Greg

Houdini did the needles in side shows before 1900.

There is an ungaffed version of the razor blade trick in Swami/Mantra
but I can't make any sense of it.
does anyone know where I can learn an ungaffed version?

Thanks for your help!

Do you mean Doc Mahandra? His needle routin is reprinted in "Strange Secrets Vol. 2" availabule from Abbotts. The classic versions are in Tarbell Vol4,and "Classic Secrets of Magic" by Bruce Elliot.A safe no switch needle trick is in "The Charlatan's Handbook" by Sid Flashman,L&L.

"Classic Secrets of Magic" by Bruce Elliot

I face up- as if to make a straight line from my stomach and I find that gives me time hanging in my mouth for tangles-is that vague eneough - too vauge?

Guys2..for these last couple of days, I've been looking for god sources to learn this trick...can you guys tell me, as many source as you guys can for this trick...and also, please tell me which source you guys think is the best one.

Anyone happened to know any other good source for this kind of shocking magic, beside Andrew Wayne's Shock FX.

Thank you guys..