Hi All,

I recently purchased John Archers superb routine, Collard. However, I am having a problem with the gimmick sticking. I don't want to give away the working but the gimmick is not sliding out into the hand. I have to hit the holder a couple times to get it to slide out. The strange thing is that it has no problem sliding in and out until I start writing. I think the pressure of the writing is somehow causing the gimmick to stick. Is anyone else having this problem? If so, how are you solving it? Thanks in advance for any help.

-=Chris

I use this and have not had the problem you describe- maybe some slight sanding with a small piece of sandpaper to reduce the edge contact would help?

Gravity alone should do the job, so there must be a problem with your gimmick...

I have sent you a PM with my similar experiences and my solution.

Jim

Yes your gimmick must be defective coz mine is flawless in operation

I just picked this up and also had a few questions about handling. Can the name be cleaned off the tag after each performance? I noticed in the instructions a suggestion to use black paper, but I don't really understand how that would work--do you glue a piece of paper onto the metal??? Do any of you ever have any "chatter" problems at the critical moment? And my biggest problem, the name certificate itself--since no actual example certificates were included, do you just cut printer paper to size, or do you have an actual notepad that you use? I tried to cut a piece of printer paper and attach it to the plastic with a removable glue stick. It looks pretty bad. And on top of that, the slot is at the very bottom right corner of the plastic, so does that mean that I have to right the name on the 'certificate' very small in the bottom right hand corner??? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated! -J.R.

This would be better handled in Inner Thoughts.. but I'll PM you shortly...

I do collard trick with a don wayne room service, ok it's more expensive than collard but it's works to 100%

I use a stenographer's pad -- it's perfect for this.

Any more specific discussion, though should probably be handled in "Inner Thoughts"

Hi all,

First thanks for buyng collard.
Ok I'll try to answer some questions without giving too much away though I think that it won't make sense unless you know what the heck I'm talking about anyway.


1. The disk shouldn't stick in the holder. It can now and again get attached to the carbon type paper used though this isn't usually a problem. Make sure your holder isn't bent or twisted if it has gotten too warm. If it happens in performance I make a clapping motion as I ask the audience to give the assistant a round of applause. As I do this I am holding the pad in my right hand. This will always free it up.

2. I always attach black paper to my disk as I think the writing takes better to it. I simply glue it onto a torn piece of black paper with Rubber cement (This will peel of easily later.) when it6's dry - a few minutes I trim it with a craft knife. If you don't want to use paper then fill in the disk with a permenant black marker and the writing will rub off easily. you can touch up the pen as you need to.

3. I just write the certificate by hand each time on a page of the pad. It takes 30 seconds. If you want to have it printed (Less comedic in my eyes) then just set one out the right size in a publisher programme and print it out. There is an illustration of what it should look like.
You can cut, and put the plastic holder where you like under the sheet. The bottom doesn't have to line up, nobody sees it. The slot can be where you need it.

Hope that helps, off to lecture in Hitchin now

John

Thank you for your help John, it's a great effect and I've been playing around with it a lot in the past few days trying to find the perfect handling. Please see my post that I'll put in "Inner Thoughts" about this effect.

I have had the same problem as you J. Robert.
so its not just you!!

Being unfamilisr with this effect I am a bit mystified by the name. I assume it in no wise refers to pungent greens of the same name.