I do several rope tricks in my routine. I have always used white rope - what are the thoughts on a different color? I saw a few colored ropes the other day at a new magic store in my area. RED / Yellow????
JCPENNY
Simply Magic

Well, that depends on what you are wearing. White rope looks good against a black tux. But then so would red or yellow. But, will the audience think the rope is not real if it is not white. People are conditioned to certain things. Rope is white, swords are silver, etc.

I bought a heavy blue rope and I believe it works out just as well when I do my routines. I don't get comments afterward about the rope being fake. I would say it is a preference thing.

Martin

I am looking at RED as my favorite color. Will give it a try - the kids will let me know one way or the other.

Real cotton white rope works great under black light.

I did use green rope for a while long ago when the music I used was "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Seven minutes of that song is a lifetime supply! Odd thing is that the audience would always move with it. They seemed to have fun.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I use kids coloured skipping ropes. Had some very cool, multicoloured tie-dyed style ropes this summer. You can find some really cool ropes, different materials, depending on what suits you best. Look around.

I have used nothing but Yellow rope for my entire rope carreer. I like it because Yellow is the most visible color, and when performing for children I tell them it's a big piece of spaghetti. The neat thing about yellow rope is that it's very eye catching. White rope is just rope. Yellow rope is interesting. (And since it's not gaffed, there is no problem because they can look at it all they want). It also doesn't show dirt as much as white rope does.

If the rope is examined, then go for color. If you are doing a solo routine I would go with white because people will just see it as rope.
Does colored rope have a matching core, or does white show when you cut into it?
-MATT KAP

I have colored rope in 100 foot hanks purchased from K-Mart for $9.99 per hank. I bought 300 ft. There were several colors( pink, purple , yellow etc.). I bought red, green and blue. It is woven nylon on the outside and the core is white. It is very easy to core and works very well cored. With the core left in, it is fairly stiff ( too stiff for my use). It is the same rope sold by some dealers at a much higher price.
I recently got the Sandsational routine and The Mongolian Pop Knot both of which use up rope. I feel both routines are worth the use of rope and am glad I found the inexpensive rope source.

Magicians' rope should be no real secret. It was originally cotton clothesline. The main thing is it should be braided rather than twisted. I get mine at WalMart or Big Lots for about $.03/foot. I give it away to the audience so we go through miles of the stuff.

The only time I ever core the rope is for the rope to silk trick.

Colors can be nice but make sure they add to the show rather than take from it.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I have been using some purple, and orange rope for my kid shows, it goes over quite well. I get my 1/4" colored rope from Neal Prete at ntprete@sbcglobal.net he sells about 10 or more different brightly colored ropes, and you can get it in 50 foot hanks.
GOOD STUFF
Al Angello

For my Sefalaljia Routine (Wizards Journal #10 on my site) I use red and white ropes for linking. I dye the red ropes myself using RIT liquid dye (I prefer Scarlet to Bright Red) by boiling the ropes in it on the stove. First I whip the ends of the white magician's rope with white cotton thread, and then dump it into the boiling dye. After the recommended time (on the bottle) I wash the ropes down with cold water and hang them up to dry. After a day or so of drying, they are ready for use and the color doesn't come off on your hands if you follow the dye directions.

So, if you hanker for a change of color, don't go hunting for ropes- just go to the drug store or supermarket and get dye.

WilliamsMagic.com sells a 1/2" diameter soft cotton rope - like cored clothesline - in various colors for 10 bucks for 50 feet.

Ed

Ed
I took a look at that web site Williamsmagic.com, and I believe you made a small error. The colored rope you refered to is actually 1/4" unless I missed something.
Al Angello

Al - I think I did goof. But it's not the 1/4-inch clothesline rope. It looks like the same stuff Brad Burt sells, which his description says is 3/8 inch. It's about the diamater of my little finger, which is 1/2 inch on the ruler. Williams has more colors. (They don't open until noon today; if I can contact them and get the proper information, I'll post back.)

Ed

I've always used red rope in all my routines. I get it from Bob Little in 25-30ft. hanks. It's really soft and strong, and perfect for all routines. He has it in blue and yellow to I believe.

Colored rope is okay and yes you do have to mess with the contrast it will have on your cloths. I have always performed with Red and White Ropes.

The cheapest rope I have found is $3.50 for 25 feet. wonderwarehouse.com

I have been practicing effects with white clothesline from homedepot, but prefer the weight and size of the wonderwarehouse rope. Only problem is a lot of red rope I have bought is a type of nylon/polyester blend, not cotton. Its very flat and shiny.

Kenton Knepper addresses the issue the color of the rope in Wonder Words. In a discussion on making every aspect of your presentation "tell" a consistent message, he gives some examples.

If you are doing a rope thru the body effect, red rope would be consistent with that, but if you are doing a cut and restored effect, a red or blue rope would subconsciously communicated to the audience that the rope is gimmicked (since it is not common). Hence, white rope would be better suited for a C&R effect.

He continues on saying that if the color is otherwise important, be sure to let the spectators inspect it, to dispel the implication of it being gimmicked.

If you use a color changing rope trick or something like chameleon knot, anywhere in the routine prior to doing a rope trick with colored rope, does that in effect tell the audience that all colored rope is "special?"