I bought a jumping stool from an old magic shop a few months ago. I think it was their last one.

It seemed absolutely fine when I tried it (a couple of times, when I first got it) at home. Then, about three or four months later, I finally put it into a show.

I got to the point in the routine, stepped on it and, before I could get my foot off, it suddenly snapped up and sideways into me from the side my foot wasn't on. It absolutely smashed into my shin. Very painful.

I thought the gag could still work, I thought I could save the routine... so I tried it again.

Same thing. It hurt again, and again didn't jump at all - just twisted and snapped into my already bruised shin (the one belong to the foot on the stool).

I hadn't practiced or tried it at the venue before. Just all those months ago at home. I had a fair few new bits - and scripts, and songs... I had deemed it low pirority for that show. As I thought it was going to easily work. I mean it was just a throw-a-way gag bit.

I wondered if it was the floor. At home I had carpet - here I was on a shiny wooden stage, so I thought perhaps it didn't like the surface. I tried it away from the stage, on a more carpeted surface, and it did exactly the same thing.

I managed to avoid it smashing into my shin at least, but twice was enough.

Now I'm a little scared to use it.

It feels like something has changed since I got it. Like in 3 months the ropes have got... well not looser - can't see how that would make it snap so violently... but something has happened.

The annoying thing is that I have a perfect place for it in the show. It's positioned as a great topper (get off stage to a laugh) gag. But if I'm worrying about it kicking up into my leg every time I stand on it, I'm not going to be very convincing. And if it doesn't work, it completely kills the pace of the show.

Has anyone else had this happen with a jumping stool?

Is it fixable, or have I just bought a bad one?

It seemed to work perfectly well at home, although that was some three months before I actually took it to a show. I'm assuming it must be something to do with the bungee ropes, but I don't really know. Maybe it's my technique?

Is it bad? Should I just buy a new one?

The old magic shop is, I think, struggling anyway, and it's now months since I bought it, so I don't think I can ask for a refund. Also as I only tried it a couple of times at home and then many months later at the one show, so it's probably on me anyway.

Before I spend more money on another one, though, do these things normally work reliably in your experience?

Or is the one I've got likely to be fixable?

Any advice would be very welcome. And I'm also quite happy to hear any jumping-stool war stories of your own.

Thanks.

Yikes, glad to hear it was the magic prop. From the title of the post, I thought it might be a medical problem LOL.

Yes - I can be a bit naughty with my 'click-bate' titles