Wooden Cigars

[Roberto]

Hello all!
My name is Roberto, I'm in the NYC area. Magic was a fun hobby of mine until a couple of years ago, I just stopped altogether and pursued a different art form. I still love magic and have recently picked up a deck of cards and started practicing my routines.

I was checking out a website, www.woodencigars.com, and this fella looks like he produces some really well made cigars as well as other devices. John Carney has a cigar/purse routine in his book, The Book of Secrets, and I know there are other routines out there with cigars as well. I think the idea of producing and vanishing what looks like a real (and boy do they look real!), smoked cigar for a lay audience is pretty cool. But I wanted to ask the folks on this site, what do you think of close-up magic with cigars?

Do you think that you'd have to choose your audience for cigar magic or do you think that it's novel enough for anyone to appreciate? Also, has anyone here purchased any of John's items from woodencigars.com? Your feedback will be very much appreciated.

Roberto

[Bill McFadden]

Hi Roberto,

If you're the same Roberto I last corresponded with on The Second Deal, then welcome back. If you're not that Roberto, welcome back all the same. My $.02 is as follows:

John Rogers is the only source for Leipzig cigars. Denny has the best purses for the routine.

Vernon's Leipzig book is a must study. Same for Carney. Kenner's handling is also worth checking out. Since you're in NYC, Dennis Kyriakos can show you the real work. Better still, get in the good graces of Eric DeCamps (and buy his book written by David Regal).

Did I mention I love this routine? What a fun choice for your return to magic!

[Magic Randy]

Hi Roberto,

I have his wooden cigars. They are really good. You would swear they are real (except there is no smoke). Looks like the ashes are ready to drop off.

Highly recommended...

[Roberto]

Bill my friend, yes it is I! I think I remember you from the inaugural Card Clinic, yes? Hope all is great with you and thanks for the warm welcome. Thanks for the info on cigar magic, I will definitely look into the titles you mentioned.

Randy,
Thank you for your feedback on John's cigars. I can't wait to place an order. Just would like to start off with a not so complex cigar routine that really packs a punch.

Roberto

[Cugel]

Yes they are excellent, as Randy indicates. I have a pair of weighted ones with the lit ash end. They look real and are great to manipulate. The DVD sold on the site is also a great resource.

[Magic Randy]

I agree with Cugel. You should consider the DVD on the site.

[Jim Maloney]

Might I make a suggestion? Before going out and spending nearly $120 on a set of cigars from John Rogers (which are very nice), take a trip to Home Depot, Lowes, or similar and pick up a wooden dowel (5/8" diameter should be about right). Cut it to various lengths from 3" up to 5" or so (in .25" to .5" intervals). Then play around with those to get a sense of the size that works best for your hands. You can also play around with moves and routines to decide what you like and what you don't. Shouldn't cost you any more than $5. After you have a better sense of that, then go pick up the John Rogers cigars.

-Jim

[Cugel]

Well I got the 3 & 1/2 inch lit weighted and they are perfect for me. I have largish hands.

[Dennis Kyriakos]

Hey Roberto

Sent you a PM.

Dennis

[Roberto]

Jim,
Great advice, never thought of that! I'll stop by Home Depot tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

Dennis,
Thank you sir. I sent you a reply. Looking forward to seeing you do your routine at MNM.

Roberto

[Jim Maloney]

Well I got the 3 & 1/2 inch lit weighted and they are perfect for me. I have largish hands.

My hands are pretty normal sized, but I've been using 4" ones that I made myself for practicing. That seems to work best for me.

-Jim

[Dave Mithaca]

I got a set of the 4 inch and a set of the 3 1/2 inch cigars several years ago from John Rogers. They're weighted for easy sleeving/topiting. Highly recommended.

I've never seen Eric DeCamps' routine with the cigars. I can only imagine it's as magical as everything else he does. Something to look forward to seeing someday, I hope.

There's definitely something magical about the cigars. I think that one of the strengths of this type of prop is that cigars break away from the typical cards and coins that every close up magician is known for.

Plus they are versatile: One can use sleeving, topiting, a hold out, magnets (if the cigars are the weighted type John sells), etc.

I don't think I'd recommend performing a cigar routine at a family restaurant gig, but so far my cigar routine has served me well as an extra something special that I perform at the right time, right place.

[Magic Randy]

I also got the 3 1/2 weighted cigars.

[Ray T. Stott]

I contacted him about purchasing a weighted set of Monica Lewinsky
Oval Office Magnums but they were out of stock. :)

[George Olson]

Oh Ray, weren't those the Arkansas, Cigarellos?

[Terry]

No George, the Horny Hick Hondurans. . . .

[Cugel]

Aren't the current ones of the thin-skinned variety?

[George Olson]

The problem is they're smokeless....

GO

[Terry]

The problem is they're smokeless....
GO

Watch out for the aftertaste - M.L.

[Dave Mithaca]

And that reminds me...

...of the last joke in Mike Close's wonderful book.

[Eric DeCamps]

[font:Book Antiqua][size:14pt]Hey Bill:

I'm glad to see that you still enjoy the cigar routine. I still have a blast performing it. Last week at a strolling gig the cigar routine was the highlight effect of the night. The guests at the event kept requesting it and before I left the host made a point of letting me know how that one routine was his favorite of the night.

Eric DeCamps[/size][/font]

[kyle82]

we have cigars that had a different trick.. it explodes like firecrackers but of course wont hurt someone smoking it. it's so funny but not in a sense magic. it's cool to actually shock someone with it. lol

[Bill McFadden]

we have cigars that had a different trick.. it explodes like firecrackers but of course wont hurt someone smoking it. it's so funny but not in a sense magic. it's cool to actually shock someone with it. lol

WTF???!!!

[Chris Deleo]

I use the Rogers cigars...unlit...It's a routine that truly catches people off guard....when performed well, the routine is mesmerizing and hysterical. Ive had people chase me around at events screaming, "do it again"

Good luck with it

[Mark Williams]

Might I make a suggestion? Before going out and spending nearly $120 on a set of cigars from John Rogers (which are very nice), take a trip to Home Depot, Lowes, or similar and pick up a wooden dowel (5/8" diameter should be about right). Cut it to various lengths from 3" up to 5" or so (in .25" to .5" intervals). Then play around with those to get a sense of the size that works best for your hands. You can also play around with moves and routines to decide what you like and what you don't. Shouldn't cost you any more than $5. After you have a better sense of that, then go pick up the John Rogers cigars.

-Jim

Also Drumsticks work as well(one end is already rounded). A friend of mine picked up a cheap pair at the music store, cut them to the correct size and painted them. He then used a band from a real cigar to complete the wooden cigar.

Best Magical Regards,

Mark Williams

[Chris Deleo]

your biggest obstacle is finding the right purses. These purses are like the Holy Grail. The ratio between cigar and purse size is crucial for maximum impact; too large a purse, and the effect is diminished.

Ive had to modify mine extensively to get the right look and feel.

If you find them, and you can afford it, buy a few sets.

[Magic Randy]

John Rogers also has purses for the cigars. I've not tries them but I assume they are the right size.

[Chris Deleo]

I just watched John Rogers' video clip on his site where he pulls a cigar out of an ungimmicked purse....Boy, that looked good. Really good!