The Genii Forum

Hello, everyone!

I'm pretty new to magic and really want to buy a good wallet. There are many choices obviously. I had hoped to try some out at Magifest but very little was there.

I would like it to be a hip type everyday wallet. I'd like it for CTW, peek, switch, index... I know that sounds like a lot to ask out of a single wallet but I do see some out there.

I'm looking at Espionage and Infinity. I have no idea what the difference is between Infinity and Infinity Kensington other than color.

Any advice? I don't want to be unhappy and end up buying a 2nd wallet.

Thanks

Contact Tony Miller.

I met him at Magifest. I did not see a wallet that fit what I'm looking for. But he definitely makes some very nice wallets. His index gimmicks are awesome. Being a novice I may have missed something.

Wouldn't it be great if we could walk in somewhere and check out a dozen high quality wallets? It's hard to do this just reading on the internet.

Thanks for coming back to me.

You want a wallet but have not specified its function. Are you looking for a peek wallet? Card to Wallet? A wallet with various pockets/outs for a mentalism effect?

A Himber wallet? You can get this now in a hip pocket design.

Actually, I said:

"I would like it to be a hip type everyday wallet. I'd like it for CTW, peek, switch, index... I know that sounds like a lot to ask out of a single wallet but I do see some out there."

Add "outs" to that.

I have seen a lot of wallets but mostly online. Hip pocket Himbers, Pimpernel, Infinity, Espionage, Real Man's, etc.

I'm leaning toward the Infinity or Espionage. I jsut don't want to be disappointed.

You sound like an amateur magician (like me), so I recommend:

1) Get a wallet that will be your everyday wallet.

2) I would recommend getting a wallet that does one thing very well. If you do three different tricks and they all involve your wallet, people are going to be suspicious.

2a) For Card to Wallet, I recommend Steve Draun's Real Man's Wallet. Good quality, inexpensive ($40), and lots of pros use it.

2b) I don't use a peek wallet so I can't comment. But I can say that if someone writes something on a paper and you put it in a wallet, if the audience ever sees you looking at the wallet, they'll assume you can just read the paper through the wallet somehow.

2c) Jerry O'Connell makes a Shogun wallet which is useable as an everyday wallet but functions as a Himber. There's nothing else like it that I know of (if there is, let me know). If you are looking for a wallet that you can use to create something new and different, I recommend that one. That's what's in my pocket right now.

If you live anywhere near The Magic Apple in Studio City (LA suburb), you can actually touch a few different wallets in person. If you don't, just get a Real Man's Wallet and start with that. You can't go wrong. (BTW, instead of doing card to wallet, borrow a driver's license and make that travel to your wallet, or transpose with your license in your wallet. That you can do anytime, anywhere, and it's not a card trick.

Pete, the Shogun Wallet you mention is also a Himber or is it just a shogun Wallet (i.e., two-way out)?

Is anyone familiar with the Leathercraft brand 5” by 3 1/2” Himber Wallet? If so, can you please evaluate it as far as quality, looks, and ability to be convincing as nothing more than a regular wallet?

I only have use for a standard back pocket size wallet.

Gomez wrote:I just don't want to be disappointed.

Taking risks and disappointments are part of the game when purchasing magic. That will be one way you learn and grow, among others. Get used to the pain.

Tony Miller is the man:

http://www.rfaproductions.com/

I.M. Magician wrote:Is anyone familiar with the Leathercraft brand 5” by 3 1/2” Himber Wallet? If so, can you please evaluate it as far as quality, looks, and ability to be convincing as nothing more than a regular wallet?

I only have use for a standard back pocket size wallet.

I bought a couple when exploring. As a background item which is only shown for a moment in routine it's okay. If you want wallets to mangle when designing or practicing tricks - they work. It's not the same materials as the Jerry O'Connell wallets or older Ton Onosaka pocket himbers.

Leonard Hevia wrote:

Gomez wrote:I just don't want to be disappointed.

Taking risks and disappointments are part of the game when purchasing magic. That will be one way you learn and grow, among others. Get used to the pain.

Sadly, the best people to mitigate the pain (i.e., knowledgeable, honest local magic shop owners) are now vanishing at an alarming rate.

Gomez: what city do you live in? Maybe we could recommend a good dealer that is within a road trip for you. Would be a small price (and a fun price) to pay to avoid wasting your money.

I'm in SE Michigan. Wunderground Magic is about an hour away. I'll be there on the 5th for a lesson. Looking online they really don't have much in the way of the higher quality wallets. I'm just going to have to take a chance on something, probably the Infinity. Penguin has the Kensington Edition on sale but it's still not clear to me what the difference is besides color.

Reading reviews has only sewn doubts. One guy loves it, the next says the card gets stuck doing CTW.

Thanks everyone for trying to help.

Gomez,

You said you are pretty new to magic. All the tricks you are describing are very difficult. Some are difficult technically, and some require excellent audience management and presentation skills. You might be better off saving your money until you have more experience and know more precisely what you want to do with the wallet.

I'd suggest you learn a good card to pocket routine, and perform it for a few months before you spend money on a wallet.

That's very good advice, Pete. Maybe if I really want a wallet a Real Man's wallet may be the way to go while I'm learning. Everyone seems to like it and it's only $40.

Thanks

There's no "rule" against having several wallets.

Gomez wrote:.... I'd like it for CTW, peek, switch, index...

Getting one function working for practical routines is not so easy. There are some nice dual function wallets BUT loaded indices are not so easy to handle when also doing a card to wallet. You could get away with an index and a peek - since you are supposed to have a pile of cards in there and they are writing on one of them (circle a word on the card...). The switch function usually means you have moving parts aside from the index or peek. Mechanical wear/reliability become an issue. Add the card to wallet activities of cards moving secretly and you have more of an engineering challenge.

I agree with JT. I'd rather have a tool that does a couple of things REALLY well than an alleged swiss army knife that represents a pile of compromises.

I think this is especially true for an EDC wallet, which you expect to be comfortable, attractive, and practical as well.

One more question: what kind of clothes do you wear on a daily basis? Do you have to wear business dress to work or more casual. That will also affect what's going to look "normal" on you.

Well, I work at home. In the winter I'm in jeans and hoodies and in the summer shorts and t-shirts!

I do dress a bit better when we go out. My wife makes me!

I am thinking that I'm going to want to wear a sport coat or jacket. You can stash a lot more things.

Yeah, I think all of you are right about keeping it simple. Maybe the Real Man's wallet (Steve Draun) would be a good start for me. I certainly want something that can be my every day wallet. Penguin's selling it for $30 now. I'm not out a lot of dough if I don't like it.

Thanks to all of you.