Hello all! For Xmas I got the Teach-In DVD by Steven's Magic Emporium on the Himber Ring. The final presentation/explanation is done by Johnathan Pendragon and in the beginning he talks about 3 rings and one is the Himber which he gets from a spec but that he'll "talk more about that later" and then no more is said about it for the rest of the explanation. So, what are your thoughts? Stooge or just "ringing" in the Himber later (no pun intended)? Also, does anyone know where I might footage of David Copperfield performing the Himber Ring routine? I saw it once live in Hawaii but it was 10 years ago and my memory is faded from what I actually saw and what I think I saw. Thanks for your input forum!

JP uses a stooge. I don't know why as it is so ezee to switch rings. Check out the ring set on hocus pocus under Porper products.

WOW it does sound great PETE but there is now way I can afford that right now. I think I am forced to stick with the less expensive one.

A good routine can be done with a cheap ring with a key slit cut into it.

Tuffnavyrn--
What do you remember about DC's routine? About 5 or 6 years ago, I saw him do a linking finger rings routine with 3 borrowed rings. I'm not sure if it is the same routine you may have seen. It's the only one I've seen him do. I don't remember much, but I do seem to remember something from it that still remains a complete mystery to me. He held the 3 linked rings from his fingertips, dangling like a chain. He took the TOP ring and pulled it down to the bottom of the chain, THROUGH the other two! I am still amazed by that. Maybe I don't remember it correctly, but that image sure is vivid to me. It would be really nice to find footage of that routine.
Brandon

Glad I am not the only one who was frustrated by Pendragon's lack of explanation! I was so excited to see him do it close-up. I couldn't figure out how he could fool all 3. I have since learned that the trick usually employs a confederate, which really ruins it for me. Plus the ring that came with that Stevens video is quite cheap and loosened quickly and now rattles and wobles when locked.

I love the idea of using a borrowed ring, so I have gotten El Duco's Wedding Bell and am working on it.
It is a different effect, and perhaps not as stunning, but at least I don't have to have a stooge involved!

You do not need a stooge to do the linking finger rings. Just audience management and a modicum of skill.

I have seen Kreskin do the routine with NO SKILL literally hiding the rings in his fists... making the switches clumsily, but the audience DOES NOT KNOW of these methods... you are TRYING to link them so all you need is pretend acting.

And he got a standing ovation when finished in front of a 3,000 size audience.

Believe me, this is one of the strongest tricks EVER.

(Blatant Plug: go to http://www.porperoriginals.com or http://www.hocus-pocus.com or http://www.stevensmagic.com and take a look at the Ghostly Finger Rings).

Pete's right about not needing a stooge and about audience management. You can show the spectators all three rings linked without any switching. Steve Spill used to, and may still, perform an incredible linking finger ring routine that fooled me (and the audience) badly, even after I saw him perform it dozens of times. I kept looking for the switch at the point where he showed the three spectators their rings linked and I never caught it...because there was no switch, just brilliant psychology!

Harry Anderson's Wise Guy describes his method without the use of a stooge. Just some "wonder words" with great audience management.

Thank you all for your input....off to the lab to practice! Oh and Brandon I do recall DC making one of the rings to penetrate from top to bottom while all still linked properly. I also recall he clearly had no ring on his finger or in hand when we went to the audience for the rings. Stooge or not DC always has a little something extra that nobody else does that allows him to pull off some insane stuff. I figured he had a stooge and that's really what prompted this string to begin with. Again...thanks to you all for the input!

If you know how to do the regular linking rings... the move of one from top to bottom is easy, and I would say it would be almost the same move with finger rings. Nothing hard at all.

I have Richard Osterlind's LFR routine on his video Mind Mysteries. However I have not checked out any other routine. Could someone compare, contrast Mr. Osterlind's routine with others? Any reply is appreciated.
Alex Linian

Get the Greater Magic Video on the Linking Finger Rings from http://www.stevensmagic.com and see half a dozen different routines... then buy the Ghostly Finger rings from Stevens or Hocus pocus for the ULTIMATE VERSION.

I love Pete's plug for Ghostly Finger Rings. I recall these are a tad in the high price range. Any idea how many units have sold? Just curious....I'd love to own them but I'll need to save a bit.

LOL, I saw him do it a show too. No camera or anything. There was no way more than half the audience really saw much of anything. Of course you know what he does at the start of that routine. Later he was walking, turning his back without holding the rings high in the air or anything, he could have switched them for an elephant. LOL! Of course, he is a "true/pure" mentalist so he knows what's really what, and gets the applause.

s

We sold out our first run and are down to the last few of the second run.

1st only JP routine uses a stooge of all the routines I have collected. 2nd If you have seen the Billy McComb version, he explains how to handle and open a Himber Ring. Only open with the knuckle! 3rd The ring can be adjusted being you have stretched it. There are some good routine with this including Harry Anderson's.

If you don't like the quality of the costume jewelery, I have a 10 K solid gold Himber wedding band ring I will sell you for $1000.00. I will be expecting your PM.