The Genii Forum

I'm working on a new trick with a skull and some discs from an old hard drive but I need a gimmick that my pathetic manufacturing abilities cannot create.

Ideally, it would be two pieces of velvet ribbon, each about 38 inches long (preferably red, but black would do). In the middle of each ribbon, hidden inside is a magnet. When the two ribbons are held at one end, the middles, of course, stick together.

Ideally, the ribbon would be about 1/4 inch wide.

Alternately, it could be hollow rope, not too thick, same idea.

Any thoughts or direction would be appreciated.

There's a few effects that have been released with magnets within rope or velvet cords. If you check on some of the bigger suppliers, they have every shape and strength you could want. You'd most likely want a cylindrical shape which is common. Check supermagnetman.com or
kjmagnetics.com

One item making the rounds at conventions roughly 30 years ago consisted of a silk and two ropes - one longer than the other. The silk was tied to the center of the long rope and the ropes then sort of twirled together. When "untwirled," of course, the silk had jumped to the short rope. I assume no further explanation is necessary...

It's killing me that I can't remember the name of this thing!

There was also an effect I bought at Tannen's years ago which was a ring and short velvet rope. The rope had a magnet embedded at the midpoint. You could hold the rope in one hand between the spread fingers and toss the ring at it. With practice, the ring landed under the rope's center, attracted to the magnet, and it looked as though it was looped on the rope.

John Derris over here in the U.K. used to do this trick and sell it as well.

No, I don't remember the name.

Now where'd I leave my damn keys?

Matt Field

The trick Matt is referring to is UF Grant's and it's referenced in Tenyoism, because Tenyo put out a version of it (same apparatus). I think it's called (the Grant version) "Swing a Ring."

Is the Tenyo version still available?

I read the title as "Rope with Margaret" and thought "why is Bob sharing his kinky stuff with the forum????"

When I bought Swing-A-Ring years ago, I found one part of the instructions extremely confusing. Probably that was just me.

Dave

Yes, Bob, it is. It's sold only as a Disney-licensed item, and the ring is in the shape of Mickey's head.

There are other people making the Swing a Ring props available. Fantasma put one out, and I've seen Andy Comic branded sets. I had no idea it was a UF Grant conception.



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Didn't Nana's Necklace (by Dean Dill) use 2 velvet cords with magnets? Could be thinking of the wrong effect. But here's one at a good price.

http://www.mjmmagic.com/store/swing-a-r ... DDxfFxnezw

Thanks guys for all the tips. I've ordered a couple of the tricks from Fantasma. Eventually, the trick I'm working on will appear in Genii. You'll need a skull. I got mine in the aquarium department at Walmart. It's grayish and slightly smaller than a real skull. On the bottom there is a sticker that reads:

WMC532
Human Skull
Harome Designs LLC
Commack, NY USA 11725
Made in China

The skull is hollow--this is very important.

I like a nice skull.

Bob Farmer wrote:I'm working on a new trick with a skull and some discs from an old hard drive but I need a gimmick that my pathetic manufacturing abilities cannot create.

Ideally, it would be two pieces of velvet ribbon, each about 38 inches long (preferably red, but black would do). In the middle of each ribbon, hidden inside is a magnet. When the two ribbons are held at one end, the middles, of course, stick together.

Ideally, the ribbon would be about 1/4 inch wide.

Alternately, it could be hollow rope, not too thick, same idea.

Any thoughts or direction would be appreciated.

Bob,
I can make what you need if you chase down the velvet tubing. Do a search for it on etsy. I do not have time to fiddle with getting the velvet tubing ordered.
Jim

Thank you Jim. When I track down the velvet, I will be in touch.

I don't buy or review many tricks but let me recommend Fantasma Magic's "Ring Escape." The props are great, the booklet is good and the DVD is excellent. I thought I'd come up with a new way of using the Rope and Tape Principle (Tarbell Vol. 1, p. 321, Discoverie of Witchcraft 1584 p. 200) but these guys beat me to it.

Highly recommended and a deal. See:

http://www.fantasmamagic.com/esc

I don't know the history of the effect. It may be a U.F. Grant original. The method is very Grantian. Anybody know the full history?

Bob;
OK, no velvet tubing for you! Actually a shoe lace is a good item to use (and tubular). Yes, this item is rather cool. Thanks for the heads up.
Jim