Friends, this is the best place to ask. I'm a big fan of the torn and repaired cigarette paper trick. Over the years I have collected a huge collection of material from books and DVDs. But I've never seen this version. Do you think this was published or is this the author's version? This is the most brilliant version I've ever seen before.
I'm looking for the original source - I think professionals like you should know something) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fSRkodoXs
Thanks for any thoughts!

Looks like Martin Lewis' version using flash paper rather than a switch. It is a very clever way to ditch the torn pieces. To test my theory I walked through Martin's methodology and did use a rectangle of flash paper as the piece to be torn and it looks exactly the same. I suspect that any of the commonpace methodologies would work as well replacing the initial paper with flash paper.

Nice routine he has there.

Yes, it seems to be on point! The last theatrical gesture is exactly the same as Martin's.
Harry, two quick questions: flash and cigarette paper are almost identical. If you show it from a distance of two or three steps? I don’t think the audience will notice the difference? I don’t have flash paper on hand. I remember is very similar.
Martin uses square like many others. I think you folded it diagonally?

I'll play with this idea one of these days. Whoever came up with the idea of ??getting rid of pieces this way is a genius! I'm not sure if this has been published, but it was still interesting to sift through the roots.

The smaller pads of flash paper was cut almost identical to cigarette paper. Both are rectangles.

The first use of flash paper I saw in use as a switch for a torn and restored rectangle of paper was in the 1960s or early 70s. The whole paper was wadded up into a small ball and tuck on a hat pin near the base of the pin. The whole piece could be hidden by the fingers holding the pin. The torn pieces were wadded into a ball and put on the tip of the pin. It was held to a candle flame and flashed. Hands exchanged and the hidden restored piece of paper revealed. The rest was theater.

I am sure that others have used this idea in some way or another.

Martin seems to insist on a certain brand. Could you recommend something from your experience. Please provide a link to the appropriate size and quality. I don't live in the US, so the paper is different (thickness, size and quality from local manufacturers). I'll order it.THX

I never tire of repeating to myself, sometimes magic consists of many little things.

Martin recommended Club Modiano rolling papers. They are about 76mm by about 47 to 50 mm, gum less (no glue), ultra thin, rice paper, and easy to tear straight. They were made in Italy, Spain, and other European countries. The boxes I have on hand were made in Spain.

Honestly just about any thin, tissue paper will do. I've used several brands of commercial rolling papers and they all worked. I have even bought the tissue paper that one puts into boxes to wrap clothing and cut my own rectangles and found they worked OK.

I recommend you try several brands of Single Wide rolling papers and find the one that suits you best. The traits you are looking for would be the ease of making a straight tear, and the ability to compress into a small, easily hidden ball.

Back in the day the Club Modiano paper was one of the thinest rice papers available. It was preferred for this routine because the exchange pellet could be rolled very small and thus easily concealed and it was very easy to tear straight.

The modern manufacture of the Club papers are not as thin. That said it is still thin tissue/rolling paper.

Fun routine! Scott Alexander also released a cute routine I believe he called the Mexican Paper Tear.

Dan.

Dan's right Scott Alexander put his own twist on the paper tear. You'll be hard pressed to find it since his passing. Scott sort of took a page out of Geaton Bloom's book and used the same type of feke for the Cigarette paper tear that Geaton uses for his Gypsy thread. The goal was to make displays cleaner and easier. It is arguable that Scott's methodology is cleaner. I liked his thinking and used his method for about a year then went back to using Martin Lewis' handling.

If you can find the instructional DVD on the secondary market I recommend getting it. The feke can be found easily.

Great routine. Scott Alexander's routine can be found in his book "52".

John Bannon describe a similar method, trick is called Shriek Of The Mutilated.
I did it a lot (a long time ago) and always got great reaction !

Nicolas