crystal method card

[amp]

Thanks for putting in the crystal method card.
I was wondering what maker should you use?
Thanks

[Jonathan Townsend]

maker? like a dry erase marker or sharpie - and how to clean it after?

[Richard Kaufman]

The card can be signed only once--that's why you buy a deck at a time. Use a Sharpie.
The third Steinmeyer trick requires an X pre-drawn on the card and nothing else is written on it, so the card can be used over and over for that trick (which is a great one).

[Jonathan Townsend]

no X-pert approaches? ;)

[amp]

Marker. sorry.
That's what I thought. You use the card once. However, you can use a dry erase marker and wipe it off and reuse it. To get the writing off with a Sharpie I used goop off.
Have not tried any of the effects yet. I'll let you know.

[Joe Pecore]

You can try the old white board trick too. To get permanent marker (like Sharpie) writing off a white-board, take the white board's "dry erase" marker, write over top of the permanent mark, then they will both rub right off. Whatever is in the dry erase marker penetrates into the permanent marker, lifting it right off.

[Cugel]

Whats this about crystal meth?

[Jonathan Townsend]

Whats this about crystal meth?

Clearly impertinent.

butifyouwwanttodoabouttentricksinthetimeittakestoreadthissentenceandriskyourhealthintheprocessyoucantryyourluckwiththatstuff.

[Lee]

A dry erase marker might work, and smear, and be erasable.

A "permanent" marker can be dissolved with the right solvent. Maybe acetone. An office supply will have cleaner to remove permanent marker from a whiteboard, that might work.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Rather than fuss over reusing the thing - which aside from using an X-pert system - seems impractical...

These come by the deck, right?

Anyone applied some transfer pips to the gaffus?

[Richard Kaufman]

That's an interesting idea, Jonathan--I hadn't thought of using transfer pips. It might be apparent that the pips are not all on the same layer.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Thanks - Using the gaffus to write a prediction on a card, then putting that card (minus the gaffus) into the pack which they shuffle then deal till they stop... also seems a pretty strong use of the method and a smidge of sticky.

Any thoughts on the reflection idea with a mirror?

Anyone gotten good at tracing initials onto the gaffus while supposedly adding their own to a card?

[gberard]

I'm probably a bit paranoid but it appears to me that you can tell the card looks a little different with the gaff in place,especially if another card is right next to it. I think that when using the gaff you may want to put some distance between the card and any other face up cards.

Moving a signature is pretty powerful but I think that they would really like to handle the card which they can't. It will be interesting to see what people come up with.

[gberard]

By the way Richard, thanks for including things like this in Genii. It really adds value to the magazine.

[amp]

By the way Richard, thanks for including things like this in Genii. It really adds value to the magazine.

Yes it does.

[Richard Kaufman]

You're welcome--it costs the companies involved a lot of money to do things like this and you can show your appreciation by buying something from them.
We are going to have a free DVD from Alakazam Magic in the August issue.

[Jonathan Townsend]

I'm probably a bit paranoid but it appears to me that you can tell the card looks a little different with the gaff in place,especially if another card is right next to it. I think that when using the gaff you may want to put some distance between the card and any other face up cards.

Moving a signature is pretty powerful but I think that they would really like to handle the card which they can't. It will be interesting to see what people come up with.

sensibility suggests a card marked by the performer and then initialed by a volunteer with a different marker would work out well for moving the magician's mark all over the place and finally moving the volunteer's mark to the last card used as a finale.

All about the "magic marker" and it's implied magic ink. There's probably a setup for printing a business card in there somewhere too as a kicker.

[amp]

Cool. I'll be waiting by my mail box.

[amp]

All about the "magic marker" and it's implied magic ink. There's probably a setup for printing a business card in there somewhere too as a kicker.


Good idea Jonathan

[Mike Fordice]

Crystal + pips would be great for David Regal's "The Half Deal" which is in "Close-Up & Personal" on page 97.

mike

[Brandon Hall]

I finally had a chance to play with this. I want my two hours back.
Me to my wife:
"Yeah, but how did your card get so blurry and out of focus???"

[amp]

I was thinking you do not do it in well lit room. Like thread.

[Richard Kaufman]

You do not put the transparent card on the face of the deck and hold it there and ask the spectators to stare at it and see if there's anything unusual! You do it in the course of a trick--things are moving, you're talking. You are not demonstrating the properties of the card to a laymen. It doesn't have to be done in low light.

[Brandon Hall]

I wonder if you couldn't do this better using laminating pouches

[Brandon Hall]

You do not put the transparent card on the face of the deck and hold it there and ask the spectators to stare at it and see if there's anything unusual!

Oh - That's what I did wrong. Thanks, Cheif

[Tom Cauble]

A dry erase marker might work, and smear, and be erasable.

A "permanent" marker can be dissolved with the right solvent. Maybe acetone. An office supply will have cleaner to remove permanent marker from a whiteboard, that might work.

Generally, plain rubbing alcohol will remove Sharpie ink. Don't know about this particular material, though--might want to test it on a spare first.

[Pete McCabe]

Here's an idea for a second deal demonstration:

Put the crystal card on top of the deck. Now take a post-it note and stick it onto the back of the top card of the deck, except it really goes on the crystal card.

Now if you deal a series of seconds, it looks as though you are dealing cards right out from under the post-it. This could be a good climax to a second dealing demo.

This usage address the examinability issues and might help minimize the chance that the spectator will notice any visual difference caused by the crystal card.

[amp]

Hmm.. Clever .

[Frank Yuen]

Haven't tried it but wouldn't that look the same if you just stuck the Post-it onto the regular top card? If you're thinking of an effect like Martin Lewis' Stamped Second, I don't think it will look the same because slowing down the dealing would, I believe, make the crystal card obvious.

[castawaydave]

Thanks for including the crystal card Richard; they are neat things, and it has been fun to play with one.

Originally posted by gberard:
"I'm probably a bit paranoid but it appears to me that you can tell the card looks a little different with the gaff in place."

No, not paranoid: there is a visual difference when the crystal card is in place; they definitely cast a faint "pall" or "shadow" over the face of a card/deck...(See Pete McCabe's post, he alludes to it as well...)--Further, as Brandon noted, the pips look ever so slightly out of focus.

With no side by side visual comparison, some might not notice, but some surely would.

Which leads to a question: why did they design the cards to be "smokey" or "misty" rather than "crystal-clear"?

I suppose a clear card would be shinier and more reflective, which you wouldn't want...

------------
Jonathan's idea of adding transfer pips brings up a question: say you strategically place 4 diamonds on your crystal card, which goes on top of an Ace of Diamonds thus looking like a 5D.

When you whip away the crystal card, the 5D instantly and visually changes to the AD.

The question is, how does using a crystal card improve a change one might do with a regular 5D and AD?
------------

Looking forward to people cluing me in...DC

[James Nelson]

Does anyone know where these can be bought in the states?

[Richard Kaufman]

You can purchase them on Magic Cave's website.

[James Nelson]

The description is vague ... mentions you get cards (how many?) and the instructional DVD. Then everything is in pounds?

I like this idea and have a few of my own. Was just hoping a dealer in the states had some for sale.