Hi, I was wondering if any of your guys could help me by giving me some tips on how to make a good looking, soft pea for use with the three shell game. I know that some people have bought them from school for scoundrels but I am low on money and plus I live in the UK so I can't get them from most of these kind of places.

Niall

From a stationey store, buy a large, soft rubber pencil eraser (in a good shade of green), and a craft knife.

Carve into cubes of the size you want, then take off the corners, then the corners, then the corners etc until you have a sphere. Careful with that craft knife!
Finish with fine glasspaper.

However, you really can't beat the School for Scoundrels Perfect Peas. I live in the UK and getting them isn't a problem. They are certainly worth the money.

Enjoy the shell game

Riley

If you get the basic Vernet set of shells, it comes with 4 peas. I it only sells for about $10 Canadian. That's about 5 Euros (?).

A piece of sponge works well. Just a household sponge cut into a ball. I prefer the rubber peas, but if I'm not mistaken Glenn Bishop who is recognized as a fine practitioner of the game uses a piece of sponge. But I may be wrong.

Vandy

Thanks for the kind words Vandy... Yes I use a sponge pea. After using several kinds of sponges I like a pea that is cut from a By gosh sponge ball.

I have used red and yellow as the color. I like to use bright color's and not green for the pea because I use a green close up mat. Because the green mat looks good with card effects.

I have colored the pea in the old days starting with a yellow sponge and using a green sharpie marker or marking pen.

My routine can be seen at my web site and it is on my Tested tricks for table side tricksters DVD-2.

I hope this helps.

Glenn, your welcome. I have viewed the video clips on your site and enjoyed them. Your very good, and so was your father. That rope tie is awesome. I have only been doing the shell game for a litte while. I prefer green just because its kind of traditional. When I practice in front a small mirror set in front of my hands I use a red pea because its easier to see if I flash at all. I haven't gotten around to actually trying sponge yet but I definately am going to give it a shot.

Vandy

Thanks Vandy... My Dad was one of the great one's and I am glad that I got some of his best stuff on video... Not all of it I am still looking for more video of my father performing on TV. Also Jack Pyle.

One thing about flashing when you do shows is to make it part of the routine.

An idea that I picked up from Whit Haydn is that the real shell guys that do this on the street will flash because they WANT the mark to THINK that they know where the pea is...

So they flash it.

A magician doesn't want to flash because they are doing for entertainment. And want to fool the audience. But I feel that flashing sometimes can add a new slant to the routine.

There are bust out bluff moves and fakes to make the routine more entertaining.

I hope this helps.

Whether rubber or sponge peas I guess it's best to try both and see what you prefer!

Glenn - many thanks for the material you sent. As I've said before, I love your shot glass finish for the shell game .. and .. even though I knew it was coming .. it STILL caught me when I saw the DVD. Sure proof of great timing and misdirection

Regards

Riley

Thanks Riley... I have gotten quite a few name magicians with it over the years.

Also the shell game and the ending was a feature at the shows I did in the Close Up Gallery at the Magic Castle...

I used the copper shells that I got from the School of scoundrels. They really dressed up the effect.

Just buy the School for Scoundrels perfect peas, and save your self much time and energy.

SAL PIACENTE has a great DVD that teaches it too. (From his web site);
In this DVD, you'll experience the Three Shell Game up close as Sal Piacente gives you a personal demonstration, teaches you the history of the game, and then takes you from the studio to the streets to put his expertise to the test. You'll learn unbeatable moves such as: The Sucker Move, The Flash Move, Under the Finger, Two Shell Game, the Finishing Move and much more.
RS

Drinking cranberry juice will help you with your pea.

If you're really on a tight budget, use a paper wad. That's what they use on the street, much of the time.

A piece of makeup sponge may work well, too. It can be colored with a green sharpie.

The 3-shell game booklet had some bits with the paper wad where you make sure the wad has a small "tail".

then you fasten a similar "tail" to the edge of a pea so it looks like it is under the shell.

sort of like the bent corner ruse of the 3-card monte

Sponge is much easier to back clip than solid rubber and pops out really well.
The peas with the vernet set are a tad hard IMO.

The SFS Perfect Peas are good but I'd prefer them to be softer. The good thing about SFS is that they have solid plastic ones which you can hand out to specs - they then cannot replicate your moves.

To follow up on Bill Palmer's suggestion...


Eating asparagus may help if you need a green pea.


Seriously, SforS peas are more than worth the money.

A rubberband works in a pinch as well. Just ball it up.

Later <><

I just bought a set of Vernet shells and I am pleased to say that the peas I got are quite descent.

I have not compared them to the perfect peas but if you cannot get them, the green, soft-rubber peas that come with the Vernet shells look pretty good.

I did notice that you get several with the Vernet set and none of them are the same size. I don't know why that is.

Frank

The Vernet gives you several size peas, so that people with different size fingers can find one that suits them. The pea should be as big as possible, but still small enough to be hidden under one finger.

The Vernet shells are often bought by young people, and this can be a great help to people with small fingers.

Otherwise it is just a matter of preference. The Vernet peas are very nice, I think. I have used them, and I especially like their new green colored ones. For an inexpensive set of shells and peas, the Vernet product can't be beat.

That's what I say whit. The green ones. Pretty decent.
Not quite as soft as the Perfect Peas from my first squeeze or two but not bad, really.

The shells themselves, of course, don't compare to SFS or LM, but for a beginner set, a good find.