Shiners
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- Posts: 38
- Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
- Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Shiners
I am looking for information about shiners. More specifically, rather pay a lot of money to a magic dealer (not to disparage magic dealers because they typically add lots of value), is there anything that you can buy in a dollar store that would make a worthwhile substitute? Also, are there any books you can recommend that talk about the use of shiners? Thanks!!
Re: Shiners
A shiner is just a mirror. If you're just using this for a card location, one of the best implementations is the clip on a watch band. If you have the right band, you can just polish it so that it's a mirror. John Cornelius lectured about this a few years back.
If your looking for a more prolonged usage (eg, in a gambling routine), then consider using a knife. A magician whose name escapes me used to take out a knife and put it on the table and say that this was to deal with any cheating. The blade thereafter acted as a shiner.
If your looking for a hand held device, go into a craft shop. You can pick up 1" mirrors that work perfectly as a hand held shiner. If you want to go a bit further with this idea, take a 10p coin and sand one side virtually flat. You've now got a decent shiner, if you use a fine enough sand paper.
Bye for now
Harold
If your looking for a more prolonged usage (eg, in a gambling routine), then consider using a knife. A magician whose name escapes me used to take out a knife and put it on the table and say that this was to deal with any cheating. The blade thereafter acted as a shiner.
If your looking for a hand held device, go into a craft shop. You can pick up 1" mirrors that work perfectly as a hand held shiner. If you want to go a bit further with this idea, take a 10p coin and sand one side virtually flat. You've now got a decent shiner, if you use a fine enough sand paper.
Bye for now
Harold
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Re: Shiners
Just in the last few days I read a great effect using a shiner.
The writer recommended using the mirror from a dentist's mirror tool, which has a small round mirror on a metal handle.
I plan to use blu-tack to hold it in place, in case a finger palm isn't sufficiently natural looking.
The writer recommended using the mirror from a dentist's mirror tool, which has a small round mirror on a metal handle.
I plan to use blu-tack to hold it in place, in case a finger palm isn't sufficiently natural looking.
Re: Shiners
Pete, you can get really cheap dental mirrors (made of plastic), but sometimes in trying to take out the mirror, you'll crack it (the glue being stronger than either the plastic or the glass). Go instead to a craft shop and get the size of mirror that you want. You can get them in various sizes ranging from 1/4" to 2". The edges of these tend to be quite sharp, so I suggest you put bandaging around the edges so that you don't cut yourself.
At Christmas, I managed to get hold of a few 1" plastic circles that were double sided mirrors. They were intended for Christmas decorations, but they make a perfect shiner as being double sided you don't have to worry about which side up.
Also, you can get very good self-adhesive mirror mylar which you can stick on to create an instant mirror. This is not your normal mylar; there is a specific "mirror finish" version that is intended for creating perfect mirrors.
Bye for now
Harold
At Christmas, I managed to get hold of a few 1" plastic circles that were double sided mirrors. They were intended for Christmas decorations, but they make a perfect shiner as being double sided you don't have to worry about which side up.
Also, you can get very good self-adhesive mirror mylar which you can stick on to create an instant mirror. This is not your normal mylar; there is a specific "mirror finish" version that is intended for creating perfect mirrors.
Bye for now
Harold
Re: Shiners
Two small books that come to mind are Rudy Hunter's called Slap A Steak On That Thing, AKA The Shiner Manual, and the Allen-Giorgio shiner manuscript.
Steven's magic sells a perfect sized shiner that I use all the time. Its easy to palm and the back is fleshed colored in case your fingers spread. It is convexed so reading the card is very easy.
Steven's magic sells a perfect sized shiner that I use all the time. Its easy to palm and the back is fleshed colored in case your fingers spread. It is convexed so reading the card is very easy.
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- Joined: May 9th, 2009, 8:33 am
Re: Shiners
Try an arts and crafts store. Last December I went to one in the Chicago area called "Hobby Lobby" looking for replacement eyes for an old card duck I bought at a SAM magic flea market. Next to the plastic eyes (clear bubbles with black discs in them that move around), the store had some small round mirrors (the size of a nickel) that make perfect shiners. 4 for $1. I'm not sure what they are supposed to be used for, but I knew they would make perfect shiners.
While walking around the store I also found some nice decorative fake fruit to use as final loads, a paper cylinder that is perfect for Ramsay's cylinder and coins, and a hand roller (apparently used for rubber stamping) that was perfect for smoothing out cards when making card gaffs.
I was suprised to find lots of stuff, that with a little imagination, could have a magic related use.
Oliver
While walking around the store I also found some nice decorative fake fruit to use as final loads, a paper cylinder that is perfect for Ramsay's cylinder and coins, and a hand roller (apparently used for rubber stamping) that was perfect for smoothing out cards when making card gaffs.
I was suprised to find lots of stuff, that with a little imagination, could have a magic related use.
Oliver
Re: Shiners
You can make a great little shiner out of the head of a chrome, round head upholstery tack. Remove the pointed shaft, and use magician's wax to stick it to one of your thumb nails.
If a spectator is holding a card (for example) in front of their face, back out, you can reach and touch their forehead as you ask them to concentrate. You can get a good quick view of the card in the little shiner. A similiar move can be done with something they've written on a slate.
Jim Riser does make a shiner from a coin. You'll find it in the gambling section of his web site.
If a spectator is holding a card (for example) in front of their face, back out, you can reach and touch their forehead as you ask them to concentrate. You can get a good quick view of the card in the little shiner. A similiar move can be done with something they've written on a slate.
Jim Riser does make a shiner from a coin. You'll find it in the gambling section of his web site.
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- Location: Huntsville, AL
Re: Shiners
Dennis mentions an upholstery tack. If smoking is allowed in your area, you won't have to remove the pointed shaft. Stick it into the end of a cigarette or cigar that resides in the ashtray (Not my idea; read it somewhere before). You could attach the head of the tack to the bottom of a lighter, matchbox, even your deck of cards laying on the table. However, angles are so important. So is your eyesight. Nothing gives you away so much as having to look twice...sometimes thrice (thrice?)...just to be sure!
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- Joined: February 7th, 2008, 12:00 pm
- Location: San Francisco
Re: Shiners
Bed Bath and Beyond sells little two-packs of lipstick mirrors. These are designed to fit on the end of a lipstick tube. They are not convex, so they are a little knacky, but I've used them to good effect. They come with sticky tape already on their backs. Less than $3.
Jim
Jim
Re: Shiners
OK, cheap shiner seekers. I will make up to 15 (no more before I hit the road for two monnths) 5/8" diameter convex metal shiners with a 1/2" tack pooint on the back for sticking where you need it for $7.50 each postpaid.
The hitch...I need payment no later than June 5th. If interested, contact me directly - this not a "for sale" area of the forum and I do not want to violate any forum rules. Consider this a service offering :p
On a first come basis.
The hitch...I need payment no later than June 5th. If interested, contact me directly - this not a "for sale" area of the forum and I do not want to violate any forum rules. Consider this a service offering :p
On a first come basis.
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- Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
- Location: Washington, DC
Re: Shiners
For entertainment or lecture/demo purposes only, of course! As Jim notes elsewhere, using one in a real card game could be hazardous to your health.
And while we're on the subject of Mr. Riser and shiners, you may want to check out the shiner he makes from a Sacagawea coin. Very clever ;)
And while we're on the subject of Mr. Riser and shiners, you may want to check out the shiner he makes from a Sacagawea coin. Very clever ;)
Re: Shiners
Right, Michael -
If someone were to use one of my holdouts, shiners, and card punches in a real card game, this individual might well win a set of "concrete overshoes" and a piece of real estate at the bottom of a local river :D
But, such goodies can help present apparent miracles in the hands of the right entertainer. The "trick" is to think beyond gambling and gambling demonstrations and realize that you have at your command a "third eye", an extended sense of touch, and a "helping hand" at your disposal. This can open up a whole new world of magical possibilities.
If someone were to use one of my holdouts, shiners, and card punches in a real card game, this individual might well win a set of "concrete overshoes" and a piece of real estate at the bottom of a local river :D
But, such goodies can help present apparent miracles in the hands of the right entertainer. The "trick" is to think beyond gambling and gambling demonstrations and realize that you have at your command a "third eye", an extended sense of touch, and a "helping hand" at your disposal. This can open up a whole new world of magical possibilities.
Re: Shiners
Too late now. All shiners are spoken for. BTW - I am also enclosing FREE a 7/8" shiner as shown at:
http://jamesriser.com/Magic/ShinersSm/InUse.html
This should be enough to get you started playing with shiners.
Jim :D
http://jamesriser.com/Magic/ShinersSm/InUse.html
This should be enough to get you started playing with shiners.
Jim :D