Mikame have an item where you write the word 'rope' on a small blank blackboard, and this changes to a real rope. This seems to be a neat opener, though not cheap. Anyone who does this, can you comment whether it works as smoothly as the ads claim?

Hi Kris, I saw the thing and I do not like it. The marketing is a bit misleading.

For the price, I would get something else. Frankly, I am a fan of Mikame, I collect most of his stuff, but I will give the blackboard a miss.

You can PM me to find out more. That's all I am going to reveal here!

I agree with Jimmy Lee. It's too expensive for me. I would rather spend my money elsewhere.

As a stand-alone effect it probably is pretty weak. I use mine in a routine and it never fails to illicit gasps of surprise from the audience. I think the secret is that some time must pass between when you write the word and when you produce the rope. I also eliminated the need for the newspaper by having a cloth bag made for it as it is more logical to set the board down on the bag it came out of instead of introducing a sheet of newspaper for no real good reason.

Good point Payne.
I do own this and agree with what you are saying.
Just reading this now makes me want to go dig it up and perform with it.
Thanx.

I have seen this one, but I feel the method is not so impresive.

About this item, does anyone know if there is a version in Portuguese?? Because I know of a dealer here in Portugal that sells the trick both in english and in portuguese and I suspect that the portuguese on might be a rip off.

PM me please
Thanks

I agree indo...but how else would one accomplish that same effect?

I agree with Desmanthus who agrees with Jimmy Lee. Anybody want to agree with me?

How long is the rope after you remove it from the board?

That's a great question actually as it can determine what effects the rope can be used for afterwards, which would make the effect a superbg intro.

Yes... I will agree with you Royal.

When I worked at the magic store we had a Mikame case.

I sold just about every trick, except for that one.

Nobody wanted it, and I can't say I blame them.

Now Mikame chop cup... that gobblet thing... excellant!!

But you know...
Mikame is really for collecting.
Not all, but most, are not something that you would do in a show.
It's something nice to have on shelves and when friends come over you show them.
I used to have Coin Castle.
Great trick...
Tried several times to make it work in kids shows and adult shows, and it just never played.

Randi

In my travels I have found the blackboard to be both a highly visual and surprising
effect. I write the word ROPE on one side and then ROPE on the other side in the
Language of the country I am in. When the board is flipped back to English and the rope
is pulled off the board the response always great. It then is a natural progression to a
trick with that piece of rope. If English is spoken, I write TRICK on the other side.

To eliminate the newspaper, I use a side table with a felt top.

I have one for sale.... I am going to post it in a week or so.....I like the trick ...but never use it ...I saw it performed on a TV Magic Special in Japan ..... I

I got rid of the newspaper by making a bag with a bust pattern to take the Black Boardout of. It is then quite natural to momentarily set the board down on top of its carrying case to ditch the you know what. As I said I always get gasps of amazement when I do this effect in my show.