Just Chance Money Effect

Your doorway to those rare collectibles that everyone is searching for: books, props, posters, cards, and paper ephemera are all here for you to buy and sell.
Guest

Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Guest » February 20th, 2002, 9:03 pm

Does anyone know of, or know where i can get, the effect where you have a bill locked in between two pieces of plexi-glass, and one key fits? Its something to do with simply shifting the apparatus from one side to the other, and it trips the lock. Sorry if this is confusing. I'd like to get one.

Jeff Haas
Posts: 957
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Jeff Haas » February 21st, 2002, 12:11 am

John,

You're looking for a Spirit Lock and some kind of holder for the money. You can either get one of the versions available from dealers (there's a British version with a plastic holder and a Japanese version with a wooden holder.)

A Spirit Lock works like you described: tip it one way, it opens with any key; tip it the other way, no key opens it. The advantage of using a holder is that the lock is on the other end, and you don't touch the lock and apparently have no control over it. (Heh heh heh.)

The locks supplied with the versions I mentioned are small and somewhat lightweight, and not too visible for a larger group.

Or you can do what I did: buy a Spirit Lock and then go to Tap Plastics and get the holder made to your specs. Take a look at "Three Key Monte" (available at your local dealer) to see a Spirit Lock made out of a Master padlock. It's well-made and very convincing.

Jeff

Guest

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Guest » February 21st, 2002, 7:41 am

Ed Fowler sells a nicely made one in the US, Repro magic in britain sells a really nicely made brass one ( www.repromagic.co.uk/ ) and it is called PentaLock (It is the one I currently use when working in comedy clubs).

It has some advantages over Key-rect but Key-rect also has some advantages over a gravity lock like this one. The cheif one being that you can fail with it if you are not careful and the only way to avoid failure is to hold the lock in the correct position yourself while the participant trys the key. With Key-rect, you do not have to hold the lock while the participant opens the lock.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
http://www.mindguy.com

Guest

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Guest » February 21st, 2002, 10:22 am

Thank you, Jeff. Thank you, Paul. Magicians are nice people!

Guest

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Guest » February 21st, 2002, 6:07 pm

This effect also sounds like the old "Treasury Transpo" - where a bill is secured between two pieces of plexiglass and locked together. The spectator signs the bill in the plexiglass holder, the magician signs a similar bill and keeps it. Performer gives the holder to the spectator who sees that his signed bill is gone and has been replaced by the magician's signed bill. The spectator's bill is found with the magician! It's a nice trick and uses the "Out to Lunch " principle. No trick lock, tho...

User avatar
Pete Biro
Posts: 7124
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Hollyweird
Contact:

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Pete Biro » February 21st, 2002, 6:44 pm

I have just produced "The Bogus Belt" a comedy 7-Keys type effect with a replica of an ancient Chastity Belt. This was a Ken Brooke iterm, and Joe Stevens is the authorized dealer.

It features 2-or-3 ways to unlock a lock whilst the spectator's cannot... and the lock is ungaffed. Just a medium amount of sleight of hand skill is needed, and the misdirection covers it all.

For the Bill Trick mentioned, just put your thinnking cap on to come up with a modus operandi.

Think about a group of keys that do not wor, with 2 that do... use a handkerchief to "mix" the keys, or my favorite, a glass tumbler... using the miser's dream principle to switch...

:D :D
Stay tooned.

Guest

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Guest » February 21st, 2002, 9:06 pm

Bank Nite Baffler in Larry Becker's "Stunners" is along those lines Pete and as usual, damn clever and practical.
PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
http://www.mindguy.com

Paul Green
Posts: 302
Joined: March 15th, 2008, 8:29 pm
Location: California

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Paul Green » February 22nd, 2002, 6:07 pm

Danny Archer also has a very clever and inexpensive version of the "lock and keys." I am sure it appears in his lecture notes. Worthy of your looking into.

Regards,
Paul Green

Guest

Re: Just Chance Money Effect

Postby Guest » February 26th, 2002, 11:19 pm

Thanks for your help everyone!


Return to “Collector's Marketplace”