Board and/or brick breaking?

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meijin2k
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Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby meijin2k » May 20th, 2022, 10:38 am

Hello all! My first post in the forum...been away from magic for a while but getting back into it.

I am working up a routine around the concept of "the power of the mind". One of the things I wanted to include is a board or brick break. Can anyone here recommend methods making either of these kinds of items easier to break? Or, in the case of bricks, how to make your own that are easy to break?

Some information that may help here....

No one will be inspecting these items, but the audience will be very close to where the break(s) are being done.

My google-fu skills are rather strong, but I am not finding much out there on either of the items. About all that is out there is to "bake" the boards to make them easier to break. Unfortunately, about the easiest boards to break are pine and those seem to have very little water content as is. I ran a few experiments with this and didn't seem much of a difference.

In the case of both boards and bricks, they talk about the use of spacers and that is not really what I am looking for here as I am looking to do only single item breaks.

I did find one company online that does props and they have a couple very realistic looking bricks. Unfortunately, in their videos, they are TOO easy to break (in my opinion).

When I find DIY videos for making your own bricks, they all seem to revolve around styrofoam bricks and that is totally out of the question.

I did find one forum for movie maker students and there was a recommendation to soak bricks in Acetic Acid (which is very highly concentrated vinegar) to make them easier to break. Does any one have any experience with this?

Overall, I would appreciate any information or help that folks could provide.

Thank you.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Richard Kaufman » May 20th, 2022, 3:25 pm

You could pre-cut the boards (except for the ends). If the audience is seated below you, cut the upper side!
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Robert77
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Robert77 » May 21st, 2022, 2:35 pm

Just really break the boards :) The alleged story on board breaking was that if you could break a 1" thick pine board with your hand, you could break relevant bones in the human body (arms, maybe ribs, etc.)

There's not really a trick but there are some rules. Buy some pine shelving, IIRC '1 inch' is the pre planed size so it's actually 3/4" thick. Avoid boards with knots. The wider the better but at least 12". Now cut it across the grain into parts about 12" long. Put the board over a gap that's fairly wide. And finally the key, when you chop/punch/elbow, do it with the grain, not cross grain. You will never see a martial artist break a board across the grain, it's very hard.

When striking, don't strike at the board, strike through it. Aim at a spot several inches behind/below the board. You can find tutorials on youtube.

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Richard Kaufman
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Richard Kaufman » May 21st, 2022, 3:53 pm

I am required to state that the information in the preceding post by Robert77 is entirely his own opinion and does not reflect the views or opinions of Genii, PEMM, or any of its entities or employees. Anything you do, you do at your own risk. I strongly suggest not hitting your hand on anything harder than a pillow.
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Smurf
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Smurf » May 21st, 2022, 10:17 pm

Use balsa wood.

Robert77
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Robert77 » May 22nd, 2022, 1:29 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:I am required to state that the information in the preceding post by Robert77 is entirely his own opinion and does not reflect the views or opinions of Genii, PEMM, or any of its entities or employees. Anything you do, you do at your own risk. I strongly suggest not hitting your hand on anything harder than a pillow.


I respect this qualification. Thank you Richard.

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jplibby
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby jplibby » August 28th, 2022, 2:19 pm

This is spot on. I've done a little board breaking. You just have to gird your loins and do it! But do be careful so you don't hurt yourself!!

Robert77 wrote:Just really break the boards :) The alleged story on board breaking was that if you could break a 1" thick pine board with your hand, you could break relevant bones in the human body (arms, maybe ribs, etc.)

There's not really a trick but there are some rules. Buy some pine shelving, IIRC '1 inch' is the pre planed size so it's actually 3/4" thick. Avoid boards with knots. The wider the better but at least 12". Now cut it across the grain into parts about 12" long. Put the board over a gap that's fairly wide. And finally the key, when you chop/punch/elbow, do it with the grain, not cross grain. You will never see a martial artist break a board across the grain, it's very hard.

When striking, don't strike at the board, strike through it. Aim at a spot several inches behind/below the board. You can find tutorials on youtube.

BarryAllen
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby BarryAllen » August 29th, 2022, 2:46 pm

Before trying anything along this theme, I'd recommend that you have Public Liability Insurance.

In today's World, there's undoubtedly 'the risk' that someone could get hit by a splinter of wood; or a shrapnel of brick.

Just be aware dear chap!

Ian Kendall
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Ian Kendall » August 29th, 2022, 2:54 pm

If you want to practice, have a look at martial arts suppliers; they used to sell snap together boards that have the same resistance as a 1" board. This way you can break it, put it back together, and then break it again. It's a metaphor for life, probably.

Also, find a martial artist and learn how to punch properly. If you get that bit wrong, you'll end up with broken metacarpals, which is not pleasant (may be speaking from experience here...)

Dave Le Fevre
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Dave Le Fevre » August 29th, 2022, 4:40 pm

Ian Kendall wrote:you'll end up with broken metacarpals, which is not pleasant
I broke a metacarpal about fifty years ago. (Nothing to do with board breaking.)

Not only was it painful, it also resulted in me being unable to do certain sleights with that hand.

Ian Kendall
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Ian Kendall » August 29th, 2022, 5:10 pm

In my youth I lost my temper and punched a door. On the follow up appointment the doctor said 'you got angry and punched a door. You're a fecking idiot. Don't do it again'.

Sage advice from the NHS, there :)

Robert77
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Robert77 » August 29th, 2022, 6:09 pm

Ian Kendall wrote:If you want to practice, have a look at martial arts suppliers; they used to sell snap together boards that have the same resistance as a 1" board. This way you can break it, put it back together, and then break it again. It's a metaphor for life, probably.

Also, find a martial artist and learn how to punch properly. If you get that bit wrong, you'll end up with broken metacarpals, which is not pleasant (may be speaking from experience here...)


The plastic boards are cheaper in the long run perhaps, but I found that the surface tended to catch/rub/skin my knuckles more than pine did. But to each their own.

Getting advice on how to punch properly IS critical. Honestly when I broke boards I usually did it with a knifehand, aka. karate chop. Even then you need to learn to keep the fingers together and hit with the correct part of the hand.

PressureFan
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby PressureFan » August 29th, 2022, 7:15 pm

Not board or brick, but it took all my nerve the first time I put my hand into a live game trap. I had a nice routine for the bar, and would follow up with my Kracko.
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Tarotist
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Re: Board and/or brick breaking?

Postby Tarotist » August 30th, 2022, 9:47 am

I think I will stick to card tricks..................


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