The Genii Forum

I have just received my copy of Genii for February,Imagin my suprise upon reading Bold finger which is a Peter Kane creation from his small booklet Kane's one card wonders published in 1992.He did'nt use the knife penitration in the book but used it to seperate the end of the finger then replace, however in his lecture's he did use the knife penitration & also sold a commercial version through International Magic
London. I did a tribute to Peter shortly after his death @ FFFF using three effects of Peter's one was the one in question & using the knife.
Also a performer in Canada,Matthew Johnson Who
learned the effect from peter @ one of his lecture's & use's his own routine but give's Peter the credit for the original I dont know Matthew I just saw him lectute in the UK in
Sheffield. I have a DVD of Peter teaching me the original Shortly before his death, as one of his closest friends in Magic I felt the need to put the record strait.

Hi Kevin,

I wasnt aware of Peter Kanes severed finger trick, and evidently neither was Richard. Well make the appropriate crediting amendments in the next possible issue.

Hey Kevin,
I just got my February Genii in the mail today and noticed "Boldfinger".

Yes, Matthew Johnson has the same routine, "Knife Through Finger", on one of his videos as well as some of his notes.

The only major difference between Matthew's routine versus Duc's, is the knife coming from under the finger rather than from above.

Although contrary to your post, he most certainly DOES claim originality to the knife idea. However he credits Peter for the idea of a "gag" to make it appear as though you pull half your finger off, similar to the old thumb thing.

To quote Matthew from his instructions:

"Peter Kane didn't invent the Knife Through Finger. I did."

I'm far more inclined to believe Peter on this one.

Tyler Wilson

First, I should point out that Duc gave me the routine at Ron's Day in 1998 or 1999. Can't recall which.
However, Kevin has faxed me the pertinent pages from Peter Kane's booklet and in fact, except for the knife, it is virtually identical, so we will run a note in Genii Speaks in March.
I have a hard time believing that Peter Kane would swipe a trick.

Memory can be very frustrating at times. Although no knife was involved, the basic idea of using a card or bill to enhance the removal of a finger illusion has been around for awhile. In my mind's eye (faulty these days), it was an Earl Oakes drawing, which means either Genii or an older issue of MAGIC. Someone may remember this. Roc?

Im happy with the response,Peter did use the knife idea cirtainly For ten years that I know of & alway's avioded using other people's material as much as possible. Just as an aside, If some one showed him their own routine of one of his trick's, In private he usualy said don't they know i tried all those methods & dump'ed them in favor of the one I published (He was that good) Kevin

Also very similar is Lee Asher's Finger Box of Death. He uses a playing card in a much different and creative way to turn his finger at a right angle.

I remember a routine published by Ben Harris that used the same finger placement using a ring. You would pop the ring off when you apparently pulled your finger apart.

The basic finger placement is very old and I don't know where to start looking. It probably dates back to the old pulling your thumb off gag.

Later,

Kranzo

Some years ago @ a British I B M convention I discused this with Lee & he told me he had been
show'n the original routine by some one who had'nt give any credits, but had since been told about Peter's effect, Peter was in the same bar @
the time & I introduced them to each other, Lee said had he know'n he would have credited him.

I remember Duc doing this at FFFF several years ago (maybe 8-10 years, I don't remember for sure). It was one of the "have you seen that" things of the convention that year.

Joe Rindfleisch uses the same basic principle from Peter Kane's Finga Flinga in one phase of a zig-zag finger effect called Illusion Card in "Semi-Automatic Card Tricks 2".

For those of you interested in the commercial prop Peter put out in the early 1990's it was called "Finger Impaler" and it is a scary looking thingie that will generate some gasps from your close-up audience. I can email a photo if anyone is interested. (Gamolo@aol.com)

Here is the way the apparatus application is presented:
The performer shows a small solid blade and passes it for examination if desired. It is then set on the table on the brass round knurled base so the blade points straight up. Next, the performer takes a playing card and wraps it around his middle finger (okay, no tasteless jokes here.) He then holds his hand directly above the point of the blade. Suddenly, he slams his hand straight down onto the blade, impaling his finger! The blade is seen to visibly rip right through the card, yet the entire length of his finger remains in full view.

After a brief pause to let the audience catch its breath, the magician pulls his hand straight up off the blade. The card is removed and even though it now has a giant hole through it (where the blade pierced it), his finger is completely unharmed.

This is a shocker for the close-up table. It included a beautiful little brass blade and cards (which, of course, were not gimmicked).

Peter Kane's Finger Impaler seems to be back on the market:
http://www.magicbox.uk.com/exec.php/pro ... ail/00117/

This was being demo'ed at Blackpool.

Matt Field