Greetings,

To begin, I am just starting to get into mentalism so forgive me for asking dumb or elementary questions. Most of my experience has been with cards and close-up and I am looking to move to something a little more "serious" (at least that is how I view mentalism).

On the advice of many I have started my journey with Corinda's "13 Steps to Mentalism". Additionally, I have "Explicit Content", "7 Deceptions" and "Building Blocks" (while the latter three are interesting reads it will be a while before I am ready to really absorb it all).

Anyway, in 13 Steps, Corinda references two devices that I cannot seem to find for sale anywhere. First is his Pencil Billet and the Second is his Knife Billet. Both of these tools intrigue me and I would love to get my hands on them to test them out. Does anyone here know where I can purchase these?

Some have told me that billets are out of date and not used much anymore. However, that does not concern me. I would still like to obtain these gaffs.

Also, any other advice on studying mentalism would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,

Conlaw

Billets are still used today and sometimes used to great effect.

In answer to your other remark about the Billet pencil and Billet Knife, I have never seen them listed for sale. If you would like to experiment with the knife, Corinda does show a way to make your own rough type.

In the mean time, I would suggest picking up The Jinx if you can. The material is very good. Good luck and welcome to the other side.

Annamens Practical Mental Effects has a billet index on page 79.
Richard Busch "Peak Performances"book is a must have and "Peak Encores".

During the last few years, I guess I have seen a used billet knife for sale just once.
I also heard that El Duco of Sweden had a few in stock a couple of years ago, but I don't think he has any longer

Before you struggle along to finding one, you should consider whether the state the spectactor find the billet in the envelope is innoscent enough, - or whether just that makes them think.

Sven

Hi, conlaw.

your post sprung to my mind a conversation I was having with Pete at Alakazam, I cannot remember if he had a billet knife or was getting one, but I am almost convinced he tried to sell it to me, about three weeks ago.
Give them a ring, it will not be on there web site.
All the best and enjoy the ride.
Glenn.

by the way I am intrigued about your name "conlaw" is this your real name or are you a constitutional lawyer ?...
Glenn.

Took me 3 years to find the knife I have -- so next one I make. I do not know if too many people will go for a pencil or BP pen making the opening,

Think of this, hoiwever -- hmmmm== no check out the members stuff below....post the solution I've used there/

Thanks a lot for all of the replys.

Glenn, I am not a Constitutional lawyer. Although I am graduating from law school in June. The name was derived from my Constitutional law class.

Long story short, I had my laptop in class and was signing up for some website. I needed a a username so I just typed in Conlaw. Now I use it for everything so that I can remember my username when I return to websites.

Thaks again,

Conlaw

<snip>
Think of this, hoiwever -- hmmmm== no check out the members stuff below....post the solution I've used there/
</snip>

Eh?

I too was an avid seeker of the Corinda Billet Pencil when I read of it. What could be more natural and unremarkable than a common pencil used to slit open a sealed envelope! The possibilities are endless.

But something bothered me about it, and I didn't realize what until Sven pointed out the weakness in his posting on May 1st. And that's the condition of the billet when the spectator finally sees it. In the case of the Billet Pencil, the billet is necessarily rolled up tighter than a slip in an old-fashioned punchboard, and what unsuspicious reason could possibly account for its being found in this unlikely condition?

What we need is an equally innocuous something-or-other that we would logically have at hand, and that would deliver the billet in a more natural and less thought-provoking form.

Suggestions?

Like all things in magic, the rolled up billet is only as suspicious as you make it. Sure it could be really suspicious with the audience scratching their had as to why. Lets face it though, if you pull an accurate prediction of something from today out of an envelope that has been sealed for a week there is going to be a bit of suspicion no matter what condition the billet is in.

There are many ways to cover the fact that the billet is rolled. One, off the top of my head, is to show that it is rolled so that nobody could see the prediction through the envelope if they held it up to a light. Of course, there are many more covers limited only by ones imagination.

It may well turn out that the billet pencil (or billet knife) is too suspicious or unworkable but I am not going to eliminate it as a possible method until I least try it myself.

Conlaw

A very good collection of mentalism can be found in Max Maven's Videomind series 1-3, Larry Becker Mental Masterpieces and Standing ovation. All on DVD and Video

Just a thought from a fellow Newbie, I'd skip the billet pencil, opener etc and think about adapting the envelope. Figure out a way to get two predictions in there by working with a false flap. There is a trick where you come up with a sports prediction for an event with two outcomes. Fulves in his large format book has a nice trick for handling a sports event with two results. It's also I think in Scarne's collection of tricks. If that's not you style have an confederate set off a really large explosion and while everyone's attention is turned you switch envelopes.

A search on the Café Quicksearch led me to this:

http://www.magicinc.net/index.asp?PageAc......dID=1052

At only $10.00, it sounds like it would be worth purchasing.

WN