I'm thinking about getting a wrist chopper to include in my "Magical Healing" act. Reading some of the earlier threads on the subject, I'm a bit concerned about the safety of any volunteers.

First of all, how much real risk is there from the type of wrist chopper that works like the old finger choppers with the L blade?

I'm wondering if the subject's arm were wrapped with a few layers of linen bandage--my "Miracle Healing Plaster"--would that help eliminate the possibilty of any scratches from the blade, if that's actually a problem at all. The bandage would "provide instant magical healing as well and hold together any loose parts that may occur during this demonstration."

The bandage could also be made with something like flexible plastic window screening between two layers for a bit of added substance.

The bandage may or may not be bloodstained to begin with.

Do you think that wrapping the arm with the bandage--just a couple of times around--would take away from the impact of the chop? It would still appear as though the blade were slicing through the arm.

I kind of like the idea of using the bandage even if there's no real safety concern with the prop, for the comical possibilities with "preventive medicine."

Discuss please.

Thanks,
Chris

Hello CJR~
Your 'medicine show' sounds interesting!

In 1946, (I was 14)I saved up my $$$ and bought from Percy Abbott, a DISECTO (($15.00--and Percy paid the postage!).

I knew the gaff (a sideshow friend had one)and I knew it would be impossible for anyone to get hurt. PLUS, it was not necessary to SLAM down the blade. I could SLOWLY bring the blade down and spectators could 'see' the blade as it passed through(?) !!!

I've done DISECTO in at least 10 or 12,000 shows. Well, I did replace the original prop, about 20 years ago.

The original instructions were to put a cigarette in the 'slot' adjacent to the wrist. (Percy was a smoker!) In a school situation, I wouldn't use cigs., so I replace the cig. with another carrot.

I present it as a 'pitch' for the 'Jim Dandy Handy Home Vegetable Slicer'. That probably wouldn't fit your routine.

The stock prop comes decorated in crazy red, black and yellow. (That's OK in my routine, but, it's easily repainted to fit.

If you have any questions, PM me

With the L gaff, there is a slight chance of a scratch, AND you must SLAM the blade down. The slow visible 'cut' with Disecto is IMHO much more effective.

These days, people are too willing to sue for the slightest scratch or ?.
Why take a chance? Even if you carry insurance, and you should, the bad publicity could hurt bookings.

I hope this has been helpful...

Dick Oslund
Sneaky, underhanded, devious and surreptitious itinerant mountebanc

PS You could still wrap the arm with a bandage. IMO, that might slow down the presentation unnecessarily.

Mr. Osland, my problem with Disecto is that I'm spinning my medicine pitch/ magic act off of a historical Rev. War presentation that I'm already doing. I'm a colonial period reenactor. I normally portray the barber/dentist/surgeon and have many authentic reproduction medical implements.

My medicine pitch is going to stretch my character into a somewhat more shady fellow, who uses magic tricks to and a bit of quackery to make some extra money on the side. Pop Hadyn's Mongolian Pop Knot routine shows my ability to make a cut rope whole, and also highlights the character's air of [somewhat bumbling] superiority. It's a demo that doesn't work quite as smoothly as it's supposed to. The wrist chopper ramps it up a notch--cutting and restoring a human. But he's trying it today for the first time and hoping that with this demo one piece doesn't come out a little too short like it did in the rope trick. . . The prop has to pass for something of the period.

Disecto just cannot be made to look 18th century enough. Even repainted it has far too modern a design. My group is not Sons of the American Revolution by any means, but I can't see a way to make Disecto look like anything that's earlier than the mid 20th century.

But thanks so much for your suggestion.

10/4! I understand completely.

BTW, it's OslUnd! (Scandinavian) In Swedish, Os is a little hill, lund is a park (grove of trees)

You did not mention that this was a historical reenactment program or act.

Even the L gaff chopper, might be a little modern. I'm not a French history expert, but it seems to me that the guillotine wasn't invented yet in the 1770's. I believe it was being used by the French monarchy, as I seem to remember that it did not function very efficiently when first used. Various blade 'shapes' were experimented with, and the king even offered a suggestion.

You didn't mention the

Mr. O,

The French guillotine does date to a bit later than the American Revolution, but there were earlier chopping devices.

And Hocus Pocus Jr. shows magicians were performing John the Baptist beheadings quite early on, though with a sword. (Also slicing a nose, jabbing a bodkin into one's head, etc.)

There's no truth to the story, though, that Myles Standish wore an Arrow-Though-the-Head at the first Thanksgiving.

A wrist chopper is certainly NOT a period prop, but if I'm going to use an anachronistic piece, I at least want it to look like something one might actually see in the 18th century vs. the "modern art" look of even the simplest Disecto.

Hello Chris

There's a large version of Wild Magic's Blade Runner apparatus (which is a small version of the original Japanese-made prop). I recall a member here on the Café was offering a good version of the larger model for sale on a limited production basis. It's just two hinged boards with a hole in the center of each and a large knife/blade.

This might be just what you're looking for: no gimmicks, very safe, no reset, easy-to-do and you can customize the appearance to meet your needs...

Julie

Julie

Thanks for reminding me of that. It's Jimmy Fingers' Choppo, I think. That does look very good. Have to figure out if I can invest $500 in one, though.

Chris

The Grant one is worth looking for. The hand drops into a bag. Great illusion of that, and no chance for scratching.

I like the bandage idea. With a small packet of stage blood, or even a Ketchup packet, hidden in the bandage, you could start with a clean bandage and have a bloody one after blade goes down.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with Pete Biro's idea of the French Arm Chopper made by Mak. I'll have to repaint it. This will follow Mongolian Pop Knot so I can have a bit about "Let's hope this time something doesn't come out too short like it did with the rope." I'll also inform the volunteer that John Hancock, after he signed the Declaration, went into insurance and it might be a good time to look into getting a policy.

And, of course, there can be plenty of business about the device having been created by the French. . .

Good plan

The l type chopper can jam and hurt a child. The jimmy fingers or some of the wooden disecto type props should work

The chopper arrived by UPS yesterday afternoon. It's very nicely made, but has a green/black textured finish and the yellow "bamboo" detailing, which turns out not to be stenciled, but applied in vinyl.

So now I'm nervous. I have this nice, brand new prop, which must be "reworked" to fit the period of my presentation. I'm pretty sure the vinyl will peel off quite easily and the painting isn't really a problem. I have a design in mind for the detail around the outside of the moving section.I also need to make the front bag a bit bigger. Not a major project by any means. But I'm afraid to jump right in with the refinishing. It's all shiny and new!!

I think I'm going to let it sit over there for a couple of days while I work up the courage to take action.

Yeah, I have the same inhibitions about a card duck I have. I see the paint is vinyl like and ready to tear and peel. I just hate to screw anything up on it even just a little. But..the stupid wing design and eyes have to go. I want to cut the feeder and make it so I can take it on and off. that's why I usually get a used one and fix it up. I want a French Arm Chopper as well, saw one on you know where the other day but someone wanted it a little more than I did. Give an update on how hard and complete the strip job is. Good Luck.

Cardstuntman, I'll post updates in my chopper thread in the Workshop section.

Consider the possibilty of chopping your own hand - do all the bits of business that come before the arming of the blade, untill the point when the child "unexpectedly" removes her hand at the count of 3. That is the best moment of the routine, of course. After that, arm the blade and instead of having the child replace her hand in the hole, put your own wrist and let her place the carrot in the lower hole.
Depending on the personality of your volunteer, he-she will be delighted to help push the blade down on the magician, and you can have all kids join in "against" the magician, who by now is afraid of his own guillotine. This plays very well.
This way you have no chance of a scratch and still perform a great routine.

Rolf Reiner
excellent advice
I did a remarkably similar presentation for yrs with the same prop (french arm chopper in my day)
it played very sucsessfully

Not sure what you intend, but if it involves making fun of the French, your reasons would have to be very sound, like being obviously tied into your period character and historical reinactment. Otherwise, I'd steer around that.

On the other hand (no chopper puns intended), the mention of insurance opens up a whole new world for a gag writer. Imagine if you "just happened to have" a copy of that early guillotine insurance policy.

Food for thought...

I can understand... I had the same feelings the first time I took a razor knife to an expensive suit to install a Topit.

But, I came to realize something, and so can you...

You only need three things if you intend to designate something for your show:

1) You first need the understanding that all these things are intended to become magic props, etc. for YOUR show, regardless of what they are currently. As such, they should conform as closely as possible to the framework of that show.

2) You need the ability to do the work desired, if alterations are necessary.

3) Finally, you need to have confidence in those abilities.

A brand new MAK prop, in spite of how shiny it might be, is hardly going to be worth as much in original condition as it will be in terms of its value in your show, if you alter it to better fit what you envision.

I'm looking forward to seeing your work in The Workshop.