I'm thinking of purchasing a hot rod effect. The one I had in mind was the brass double colour change one that can be handed out for inspection if required.
My question is: can this be reset whilst moving from table to table or does it have to be reset in private?
I have asked this question on a different part of the forum but having thought about it again I think it is better suited here.

I don't own one, but have seen one in action and am familiar with the gimmick. Reset is only a few seconds, and you should be able to reset it with one hand, in your pocket to my imagining. You may need a little extra something in your pocket to assist in the reset, but it really shouldn't be a problem. Good luck, this is a strong effect.

Kevin

The double changing hot rod that I am familiar with does not have "gems" imbedded in it like the traditional hot rod. Instead, it has little stick on colored circles. I just like the "look" of the traditional hot rod better. You can easily make a duplicate hot rod that can be handed out for inspection if you want to, but I've never found it necessary.

You can also buy several hot rods, and keep them in your pocket for instant repeat performances if you like. This would easily fool anyone who happens to follow you from table to table, and it requires no reset.

I use the double color change brass hot rod. I don't use it for walkaround because to reset it requires a sort of "bang block". Going between tables or guests doesn't allow the necessary reset, "Hey why is the magician banging on the table"? It is a nice piece though.

I use it for walk around, but I reset it in my hands without the "bang block." I just hold it in the finger tips of my right hand, and clap the "heels" of my palms together and it resets.

I also have used it in walk around. It can be reset without the "bang block", but you will have to be in private to reset it. It does reset rather quick though, so your downtime is at a minimum.

The only problem with the brass two-color hot rod is that the dots are not always easy to see (at least not as easily as the gems in the regular one)

Also, it tarnishes pretty easily, so keeping it clean needs to be a priority.


I've had some fun with the original black hot rod and a ball of fimo clay with gems sticking out of it. At the end, I "squish" the hot rod in my palm into a ball and hand that out for examination at the end.

Warren:

I have and use the Brass HotRod.
You can not reset it in your pocket with one hand.

It is not hard to reset it without people knowing what you are doing. Turning your back to the next table and banging your hands tograther is not a big deal in most settings.

The blocks are seldom used by any magician.

There is no contest between using a swap out vs the Brass HotRod. Your hand is outstretched to the audience as you shake the rod a little. It NEVER disappears from their view and now the colors are the same on both sides. No swap out can come close to that. It is also VERY examinable. You will become very aware of the examinability when you try to see what end to reset from in a less than bright room.

Bob

It definitely requires some privacy to reset, some are stiffer than others. If you want them to exam it this is great!

Thank's for all the replies,i have now decided to go with the amazing jumping arrow,this is an effect I have owned for a while and already have a routine for,although I have never used it in a paid performance, I have been trying it out on a few people just lately and it seems to play well so I will try it out on saturday night and see how it goes in the real world.

Warren,

If you ever get a chance to meet Allan Hayden (for example at the Castle), get down on your knees and BEG him to teach you his routine for The Amazing Jumping Arrow. You'll never leave home without it.

Larry

The double change is my favorite hot rod. However, like others have stated, the spots are hard to see sometimes. I want to try repainting as described, but I am down to only one of these. Really do not want to mess it up!

I have always enjoyed Hot Rod and Color Changing Knives, though the double changing HR has never been in my collection. Eric Stevens put out a routine titled Color Stix, it does not use a spectator selection of a color and really is both entertaining and fun to perform.

It's funny seeing a thread brought back to life many years after I started it.....the amazing thing is that I still perform The Amazing Jumping Arrow after all these years, I even lost my original and was gutted. Lucky for me I was able to buy a second hand one off someone who only purchased it because he enjoyed the routine I did with it ha ha.

The double color change hot rod I had is in a box somewhere. I liked it and used it for small parties and one-on-one presentations. It used a bit of tape to create friction to keep the instrument closed. Tape wore out and I could reset using my thumb while holding the bulk of the rod in my fist. It was a permanent part of my walk around set. eventually the color dots wore off and were repainted using fingernail polish paint.

Eventually, I put it aside for the Ju-Ju stick (similar working but different effect). I was doing a lot of repeat parties (walk around gigs) and wanted something folks hadn't seen me do three or more times. So in came the Ju-Ju stick. I bought three and used them up. They tended to be fragile.
So...The Ju-Ju stick got put aside for the Amazing Jumping Arrow.

Close to 15 years later I still carry the Amazing Jumping Arrow with me almost daily. It is indestructible, with nothing else added or needed.

I haven't seen a Double Color Change Hot Rod or Ju-Ju stick in a decade (or more) but then I'm not looking that hard. The Amazing Jumping Arrow is still easily found at Meir Yedid's magic site.
https://www.mymagic.com/p/close-up-magic......-k-young

I have a 4 color change brass hot rod, definitely not easily resettable between table if handing out for examination