X-Link

[Guest]

Has anyone seen this...X-Link? http://www.precisionmagic.com/x-link.htm
If you have seen this what do you think?

[Guest]

The new bracelets look very "real" and contemporary as bead bracelets seem popular again.

I can see the potential for our female artists and others out to push gender issues.

[Hank Miller]

The video is the worst. Editing is terrible. It cuts from linked to unlinked. I would not purchase it!

[Guest]

The Braclets are made from Hematite (Said to have Magic Properties) and are strung on heavy rubberbands. Your right Jonathan they are very contemporary to look at, and would fit any gender in todays culture..very modern.

What I like best about X-Link is the idea that you can use ordinary objects to do a linking effect.

Also, the way Magicians are using stooges now, would lend itself to planting...then borrowing objects like a watch, necklace, or even a ring to be linked... is very powerful stuff.

Finally... Hank...buddy... come on, their are about a million misleading and down right crappy demos out there and this one certainly isn't the worst I have ever seen. Not to mention this is kind of a odd idea...that deserves a fair and balanced approach. But everyone is intitled to their own oppinion. I did ask for it! Ha!

[Guest]

The Braclets are made from Hematite (Said to have Magic Properties)

I understand that hematite can do a invisible pass, and a fair-to-middlin center deal . . . .

[Guest]

Bill I think your right about that... not to mention it is being used by several Evangelist Types to heal certain rumatoid disfunctions.

[Guest]

The demo vid is far from the worst I've seen. Basing the value of a product based on a short demo isn't appropiate IMO.

As far as the product itself, distancing my mind from the quality of the demo, it took me a bit to figure out what it was I was looking at. The attributes weren't what I was expecting. The trick is 'puzzling'. It seems that the flexible nature of the bracelets seem to impede the clarity of the effect.

How to make the routine entertaining?

How would this routine look with just TWO linking/unlinking bands?

[Guest]

Hank just because the customer is always right and Audioslave seems to agree with you...I put up a new demo. I hope it is more to the point and more to your liking. Let me know what you guys think.

[Guest]

I don't want this thread to degenerate into a 'demo' thread... but isn't the new demo the same as the previous, but with some VFX?

And, to clarify, I'm not always right.

I can appreciate you soliciting open opinion on your product. I'd like to offer objective opinion, if you'd like to discuss offline.

[Guest]

I enjoyed a chat today with Audioslave and he has many good ideas. And it is the same demo only cleaned up a little. Thanks for your advice.

[Guest]

If anyone has any great ideas for uses of this prop...Let me know, as I am interested in new moves and any other ideas that may come.

[Guest]

"If anyone has any great ideas for uses of this prop...Let me know, as I am interested in new moves and any other ideas that may come."

Ok, maybe I should have worded the above differently. If anyone has any thoughts what ever they may be, feel free to jump right in and say something.

[Guest]

Hemitite can also make a person "Invulnerable", so maybe all the guys who have "spiked" themselves with some crazy Roulette routine should get them to wear.

Anyway, they may be "en vogue", but each has multiple "links" or connections. This screams out to me, much more than a solid ring. I'll stick with the real deal.

[Guest]

Anyway, they may be "en vogue", but each has multiple "links" or connections. This screams out to me, much more than a solid ring. I'll stick with the real deal.

What is the real deal?

Mr. Mann has been kind enough to send me the product for evaluation and have been experimenting with them for several weeks now. ((I've not been compensated in any form, and am an impartial party)) My conclusion is that this item is only limited by your imagination.

The quality and workmanship is astonishingly good. The design is simple but elegant. They are very clean and streamline. Appropriate for men and women. The best thing about them is that they can be worn as 'jewelry', and never even be used as a magic prop. While not burdensome, they have a good weight to them that feels solid.

Magicians are the only ones that will focus on methodology. Lay audiences that are looking for method will be looking in the wrong place, effectively scrambling their brains further.

The bracelets do not look unusual nor out of place. A magician pulling out 10" metal rings or even the close-up version of McAbee Rings scream gimmick.

I've been using only two of the three bracelets, as it fits my style. While traditional linking ring 'moves' may be applied to this, it does not need to be performed in the traditional boring fashion. I envision more of a comedy routine where the rings have a mind of their own leading to my frustration- linking themselves to watches, belt loops, etc.

My fear of having the bracelets breakdown under normal wear have not been realized. Getting them wet while washing my hands have not affected the integrity. However, because I'm hairy enough to make Sasquatch jealous, occasionally they do provide some discomfort by snagging. But this is the only (minor) downside.

Mr. Mann is a creative genius that is very kind and an individual with high integrity.

Hope this provides some unbiased insight into the product.

[Harvey Rosenthal]

I do a linking and unlinking rubber band routine with two different color ungimmicked rubber bands that blows both magicians and laymen away. There are many terrific handlings that were published in Steve Beam's wonderful Trap Door magazine. Some other fine handlings have been published elsewhere all using two regular rubber bands. People are so amazed at the routine I do because they can examine the bands before and after the routine and the bands cost less than a penny. The audience feels they are seeing real magic because they know I am using household items they see every day.

I read the evaluation of the X-Link and no matter how nicely made the props are and how good the routine is, it seems ridiculous to me to spend approximately $50 for that trick which in my view is not nearly as strong as a good linking and unlinking routine with regular rubber bands. The props to my eyes look like cheap costume jewlery. Honesty, I wouldn't do this trick even if it was given to me as a gift. :(

[Tom Stone]

I think it would be better to take advantage of the appearance of the bands, and do a kind of puzzle-tutorial intro.

Like, showing how to press the joint of one band into the joint of the other, so they stick together and appear linked.

And when the spectators are convinced that it's just a small puzzle, link the bands for real, while still talking about it as if it was a fake link.

Still.. I think I stick to Moden's "Ebony & Ivory".

[Guest]

Wow. The video isn't very good but what I really enjoyed was the notice that my media player database had been corrupted by viewing the X-Link video.

And then when I tried to close the tab to your site it crashed Internet Explorer. Given how stable my system has been for the last few years that's impressive.

[Guest]

Bill Duncan,
I am sorry that something crashed your computer. I am not sure what caused the crash, I checked my site and found nothing.

As to the rest of the posts above... I get it now...no matter how nicely made the props are and how good the routine is, you wouldn't do this trick even if it was given to you as a gift.

I guess I better think twice before posting another effect on the Genii Forum!

Thanks to all for their comments as they really have been taken by me, in the spirit that they were given.

[Guest]

David,
I wasn't saying the effect was bad. The video was so full of clever editing that I couldn't get a real idea what the effect looked like.

I don't wear any jewelry so I'm not the target audience but I would think a simple visual showing what the audience sees would sell a good effect.

[Guest]

....trick which in my view is not nearly as strong as a good linking and unlinking routine with regular rubber bands.

To each their own. It's just that simple.

I think most are overlooking many things. These are not 'cheap costume jewelery'. To make speculative opinions without ever having used these items are very myopic and inappropriate. Compliments have been given to me while wearing them.

To have a justified and logic 'prop' to accomplish magical effects is a subtantial improvement in magic. Few are willing to elevate magic in this respect.