I think that the use of the Hand-washing techniques (cf. Post of C. Kam) shouldn't be used when s.o. is very suspicious about one hand. It would be very difficult to execute the move smoothly enough and naturally enough for that purpose. But this kind of move is very interesting to do casually, at some place in the routine (after a vanish...) when it is YOUR initiative to do it (not a challenge.) It is quite a surprise for the spectator, even if he wasn't burning your hands. ("Wow, it has REALLY vanished...")

In the routine, use (without overplaying it) subtleties (Kaps, Ramsay, making the coin change place...). These are powerful convincers.

Jonathan.

I am only a new user on this site but I have been actively working as a magician for a few years and I agree with KirkG that the use of certain words and phrases are a little much for a public forum but I also agree with Dan regarding the fact that no secrets are really given away.
My answer to the initial question is that there are many ways to accomplish this by using intricate coin sleights that look and work great.
Personally I do a coin thru whatever(leg, arm, hand,Card) 3 times but the 3rd time I ditch the coin and the next 30 seconds of the routine is done WITHOUT a coin so that when I show my hands empty afterward they have been watched and even held by the spectators. You have to use some acting with all the sleights. That would be a huge asset.

Just ran across this topic again, another fun way to show your hands empty is to use a H**ked coin. You can actually adhere this coin to the back of your hand very easily with minimal pain and makes for an impressive vanish and re-appearance.
Tom

You don't have to be clean to look clean...it's all in you attitude. There are multiple techniques to get rid of the coin to show your hands empty...but chances are you now need to use another move to retrieve the coin...you've just doubled your chances of getting caught! The simplest of methods will work here, ie. Ramsay subtlety or the Malini/Kaps subtlety. The most convincing of all would simply be to use a spider vanish! However...and this is only my opinion...stay away from hand washing moves...all you are doing is saying look at how clever I am. These can be cool for magicians...but from what I have seen...it creates suspect for laymen!

Mike

The three I use personally are Michael Ammar's wiped clean, the Goshman/Tenkai pinch or the spider vanish.

warren

You can use the Messiah Vanish (from Bobo's also found in RCM by Sankey) or Hypnovanish from Sankey's No Card Tricks.

Ps. What sleights does/might one use for this effect (Oz Pearlman)?

http://www.watchmagic.com/vids/Webcam%20-%20Hello%20coin.avi

Gary Kurtz has some very nice transfers...

Best, PSC

I asked a similar question a few months ago. I put the advice of Townsend, Kam, and Watkins to use and it comes down to this: It's not so much the method of concealment, it's your body language and the attitude that you project. If you believe your hands are empty so will the spectator.

Vanishing a coin creates tension.

Tension is relieved by either showing your hands completely empty with sleeves up, or reproducing the coin.

If you vanish a coin, it has to be followed by one of these two things. Why? Otherwise you are challenging the audience to guess that you are hiding the coin and challenging audience members is just mean...

:)

Making a BORROWED coin go away creates tension.

Enjoy it.

Fussing with your own coins just makes people wonder WHY you are fussing.

A good presentation framework for the coin vanishes sets up and manages the audience perception of the events. More about that was posted elsewhere.

Dan read my mind, and as his mind acts faster than mine...he suggested what I was going to.

The J.W. Grip.

Jonathan and the others are right with the advise to manage the perceptions. The fanciest grip won't help you if the spectators suspect you might be hiding something by the awkward way you are holding your hands.

I meant to add that you can manage many of the perceptions by how you use your hands. That is some of the more interesting aspects of Ramsey's work to me.

I'm also reminded of Erdnase's advice about audiences who "suspect, let alone detect" that something isn't right. Most of what was written in this thread deals with preventing your audience from detecting, but if they suspect then few techniques will help you.

The way folks abuse the Ramsay and Malini subtlties... is problematic. You are better served by learning to sleeve, cuff, use a topit, lap etc. Leave the cute or clever stuff for when it's appropriate. Ramsay DID NOT use that concealment to show an EMPTY hand. OR use the thing during the last vanish of his three or four coin sequences. Please respect his work. In fact, if you study his work, he did some impressive coin transfers while holding out a few coins.

Studying Ramsey on how to imply empty hands is interesting. Same with Kaps although harder to find the material. Start with the Malini book and its brief description.

Jonathan is right about Ramsey not use the move to show an empty hand but rather to imply an empty hand as needed. He might have at some point but I would doubt it after studying the published routines.

RE: "if the spectators suspect you might be hiding something by the awkward way you are holding your hands."

Awkward is a relative term. The JW Grip, IMO, is a bit awkward looking, but used at the correct time, for the right reasons, it looks totally natural... which is another relative term.

We create awkward, and we create natural... it all starts in the mind. Nothing looks more awkward than trying to look natural

Best,

Mike

Very insightful postings so far!

I might also suggest the Vic Trabucco Holdout available through Elmwood Magic (elmwoodmagic.com). This is a utility tool that is quite expensive. It will take rehearsal too make any method or technique look natural.

Regards,

Paul Green

I've been using aquitments, lately, that use pitching motions. I also use other aquitments. I routine them into the routines so that they occur when the spectator would notice that the hands are empty. The spectator doesn't suspect that something is in the hand, because it appears that the hands weren't purposely shown empty.

Very interesting.

Although I really enjoyed Shoot O's work at the IBM convention in KC, I thought about learning Hand Shadows. In fact for awhile after I was doing an insider joke for magicians while doing dogs playing with hand shadows, and coin vanishes.( I didn't say it was very funny.)

My latest nearly normal thought is to do some vent work with coins. You know the expression Money Talks and...

With tongue in cheek,


Enjoy the journey,

Harris

The trabucco holdout is quite simple to set up and requires little practice. the cost is relative. based on what you can accomplish with it, the cost seems quite reasonable. it is unlike anything you have seen before. the movements are very slow and natural. no sleeving or strings. just pure magic. you must wear a sports jacket or vest. it is worth the investment.

http://www.newmagicsecrets.com

check out the vanish in the air effect. it's totally awesome !!!