I'm not 100% sure how this illusion works, but I am assuming based on the name that you torch a card, and then reproduce it. My question is not about method..but how to burn the card itself. Is there a way to make it burn quickly..like in a few seconds? I've come up with a couple real interesting routines I would love to present, but I'm just not sure how to burn the card quickly enough to do them. Is there a way to do it where you don't have to burn the card at all? like just use a flash pad or something?

You probably wont be able to burn teh card fast enough to be "magical" unless you happen to carry a portable crematorium around with you...

Your best bet probably is to use the flash at a magic moment like the restoration of the card.

Try looking in the Good Bad and Ugly for the Phoenix Rising, a T&R effect that is different and does use flash paper.

Or if the flash isn't that importan but you just want to play with fire, check out Torched and Restored by Brent Braun. The card is restored with teh assistance of a butane lighter that "fuses it" back together...

BroDavid

I have seen the video for the torched and restored on penguin I think (?) and I liked it very much, little cover and looked smooth, but it may not fit into an act, it is more of a stroll around thing really. My £0.02! daz

Well I do mainly stuff like that, impromptu...I table hop a little...do sidewalk stuff..etc...I didn't know penguin had a torched and restored...i will look.

Here's one of the routines I planned on doing:
(lemme be careful here not to reveal any method..)

Spectator chooses a card
They sign the card
Magician takes out butane lighter, and torches the card to ashes
The ashes are retained, and when rubbed in the hands of the magician, the signed card is brought back.

I was just asking, because I don't want to sit there for like 5 minutes waiting on a card to burn. The flash paper when restoring the card would make a pretty nifty effect..but I don't know if it would go along with the routine..thats probably better for a totally different trick.

And yeah, I love to play with fire haha.

Well, cant you get a cheap pack of cards to pratise with? I always have a cheap pack to pratise pa*m**g or throwing or burning, and it doesn't take that long to burn, but how would you get rid of the ashes, ir would make a mess of the other card?! but flash paper would give you a nice distraction for the production. daz

I have about 10 decks of 50 cent cards. I plan on practicing with those. What I think would add to the effect is if you rubbed some of the ashes on the card that will be produced, and that will give it sort of a musky look, like you put it back together from the ashes.

I do the trick, and the card never actually burns up. You just set duplicate pieces on fire for a second. If you want the details, PM me.

Thanks for the mention of Phoenix Rising, BroDavid. I am sure you would enjoy both Phoenix Rising and Torched and Restored... To me flash restorations are more practical for everyday use... Maybe that is just me?

Later,
James