Hi all,

I have a steel vanishing cane. What is the way to use it so it won't cut your fingers or close very fast and hard on your hand?
Right now - every time I remove the knob and release the end - it comes running 180 MPH straight at my hand and BOOM!... (and after.. ouch!)

Anyone could help on this?

My advice is to sell it and get a plasic one...I have the same problem, pretty sure theres no way to fix it.

Simchamagic,

Sadly magicians are always eager to try out their "new toys" when they get them without reading the small print so let me help you. Firstly before you ever use a metal vanishing cane you must first grow an extra finger, as it grows put a thumb tip over it so that it moulds into the correct shape.

Once you have grown an extra finger then you can use a metal cane as when it vanishes the audience won't notice that it chops one of your fingers off as you still have five, easy see !!!

Alternatively if you find that it is only cutting your finger a little bit try vanishing the cane into two red silks. This way the blood won't show.

Alternatively , and this is the way that I have used for more years than I can remember is to use the good old and very reliable ( if looked after properly ) Fantasio canes which also come in many colours. You really can't beat them, and they are quiet too.

By the way I think you are telling a few fibs when you say that you only shout ouch, as when I tried one, years ago, it was a lot stronger than that lol !. I think it was something like " Oh dear silly me look what has happned. I must try holding it differently. Now where did I put that bandage ?"

Good luck anyway and fingers crossed or maybe not if you have had another go with it.

Stuart Brown
British Magical Champion
Of Stage Manipulation 2007

Baloney, the secret to using a metal cane is to thumb clip it on the inside of your hand. This way it hits the tougher part of your hand and collapses into your hand where it is hidden. Practice with a silk in it as it smooths the vanish out until you get used to it.

Richard

...or wrap it in newspaper, ala Jay Marshall and others, and you can easily control a "safe" s-l-o-w vanish.

Julie

Or since you have a cane which usually means formal dress, wear gloves...

Richard said it right. The idea is to let the cane hit the flesh of the palm and not the fingers. Metal cane will be fast and I very much like the speed because it makes the transformation very magical. Play around with the grip so that the cane lands on the area around the palm.

Guys, I am sorry was tired and did not think through the post above clearly. I have not used a cane in this manner in a few years so I had to think of it. There is a demo on my website. Look for 12 bloom cane to bouquet.

The cane is gripped with the little fingers so it collapses into the inside of the hand. The cane is kind of tipped out away from the hand until it vanishes completely. This part of the hand is tougher than other areas.

I hope this clears it up.

Richard

Richard,

That's the way I do it since years and I never had a problem.

I've tried the Fantasio's vanishing Cane a few times, but for me it is too slow, while collapsing and gives away the secret in my opinion.

Oliver.

I clip the ferrule between 2nd and third fingers. Let it fly (faster the better). The cane will hit flat against the flat fingers, so no cuts. It should have some power on it when it hits. Only when it's closed do the fingers bend and the cane comes into the hand. I know people who thumb clip them, but there's too much flesh there for my liking.

Plastic canes really can't compare to a good metal one. At least if you produce an appearing metal cane horizontally it's straight (we've all seen that dodgy flimsy curved cane!).

And actually gloves are a good idea at first to build up your confidence.

Paul