I am relatively new to magic and certainly new to this site. I hear lots of people talk about lots of effects, (I haven't heard of) and I am slowly working out what they all are. I am unsure, however, what the most talked about 'Crazy Mans Hand Cuffs' effect is. People have often mentioned it as a great close up/table hopping effect. This is the area of magic that interests me the most, so, I would be most grateful if someone could put me out of my misery and tell me exactly what they are? Is there anywhere you people recommend I can learn how to perform it?

Thanks

PT
:carrot:

CMH is a rubber band penetration effect. I have seen videos of the effect on web sites. A google search should turn them up.

Check Dan Harlan's rubberband videos for one source.

-Kris

Michael Ammar has a booklet entitled CRAZY MAN'S HANDCUFFS which does a very good job of explaining the effect. Basically, you have two rubber bands that are interlinked and the bands penetrate one another.

-Marty

If you want a good, quick, inexpensive, easy to carry, gets a good reaction, effect, then CMH, (or as Dan Harlan calls it - Rubber Cuffs) is one to do.

And in my opinion, having tried to learn it from something I found on a web page somewhere - was a waste of my time. I got Dan Harlans Rubber Bands I Video, and I was doing it almost immediately.

And between that tape and BandShark (another Harlan video) you can have a pretty full set of moves to do a whole rubber band routine.

I did a routine at a Coffee House last night with CMH, and a half dozen other pretty amazing band effects, and rounded it out with a few card packet effects. A few more hours with the video and I won't need the cards at all

If Dan Harlan, one of the freshest thinkers and a sweet performer, does Rubber bands, then you can pretty much figure that they are worth doing.

The videos will be a good investment. They surely were for me!

BroDavid

I second BroDavid's suggestion to learn CMH from a video rather than from the web. Also, you may come across a Michael Ammar video called "Classic Renditions" that has CMH on it. I mention it only to recommend NOT getting it, and getting one of Dan Harlan's instead. Ammar's videos are usually great, but this one only has three band effects, two of which are covered much better in the Harlan vids. Plus you have to look at Michael Ammar in swim trunks.

Boy, do I ever disagree with you.
The Ammar video Classic Renditions is an outstanding vehicle where Michael teaches three Rubber band effects and I believe John Cornelius guest spots with a coin routine.
I have no quarrel with Dan Harlan's videos but I believe the Ammar videos are a better teaching vehicle.

In any case learning rubber band tricks from a video is to me a lot easier than trying to figure them out from "written directions" I am still trying to figure out how to do Stargazer from the written directions.
Oh well back to practicing.

Bob

True, Ammar does teach the effects very well. But to me, his handling of Traveling Cash is nowhere near as good as Harlan's, because Harlan's has no funny inconsistencies.

Also, I never found his broken and restored band to be deceptive at all. Just my opinion, of course, but even the first time I saw it, I thought it was quite obvious. And you're right about the Cornelius nickel vanish; it's a killer.

But it's also available as a single effect for about $10, and unlike the rubberband effects, it's just as easy to learn from the written instructions as it is from a video. So I don't feel that the bang-for-your-buck value is very high with this tape.

I happened to get it used, and was quite happy with it for what I paid -- but if I had paid full retail for it, I would have been grumbling.

But now that I've trashed it, let me state again for the newcomers that with Ammar's videos this is definitely the exception and not the rule. His card videos are among the best investments I've made, and I've heard similar praises for his money, thread, and cups and balls videos.

(Coming soon: Michael Ammar's Easy-To-Master Finger Chopper Miracles, Volumes 1-6)

Ok, OK, you got me....

The Ammar videos are very good! I won't go so far as to say they are better than Dan Harlan's, but, if you do - I couldn't argue that, from a teaching standpoint, there may be more meat on them.

I do have a personal bias towards Dan's tapes and his style. I had the privelege of building (as in constructing - he did all the creative stuff.) some of his effects a few years ago. I like him, I respect his thinking, and find his teaching style more comfortable than Ammar's.

But that is a very personal thing. And so I should have also mentioned some other sources for tapes teaching on the subject.

BroDavid

CMH is a really great effect, but like several have said here, learn it from a video. Better yet, grab a booklet, get the general idea and then learn it from someone else. A person can teach you in a couple minutes, but it looks terrible in print.

Sable

And let's not forget the original item under discussion is an Arthur Setterinton effect and can be found in Tarbell Vol.7!

Personally that is the only rubber band trick I have used. For the most part I don't think the effects are that visible except for extreme close up. Also having several rubber bands around your wrist (as I have seen with some) doesn't look too sophisticated if you are in a tuxedo.

I won't be throwing my cards away for a long time

Paul.

The Tarbell discription has a problem in it, I don't recall what it was. I'm surprised that no one recommended The Magic of Michael Ammar which has an excellent instruction not only for Crazy Mans Handcuffs but some other rubber band magic as well as a great retention of vision coin vanish, some card routines, and some great info. You'll get much more out of the book than any of the other sources mentioned (Tarbell a close second).
Steve V

Tarbell is great, 99.9%, Steve V is correct, in Tarbell the move for penetration is missing. At least in mine, but mine's old.

Paul, I "wear" my rubber bands on the same wrist as my watch. They are barely
notice-able to the casual observer.

(Of course, I never wear a tux anyhow...)

I was lucky enough to be tought by Dan Harlan himself when I first tried it!

I agree. I wear them on my watch-side wrist for my restaurant gig but, when I have corporate or formal gigs, I put them in my close-up bag and pull them out as needed.

Also, I would recommend pitching the regular brown rubberbands in favor of the dayglow "AstroBrites" found in the office supply stores here in the States. MUCH more professional-looking.

I first learned it from Micheal Ammar's text. I took me few minutes to understand what was going on. Then I saw it performed on different video tapes. Michael has some very good observations on timing, materials and angles. So I totally recommend it, but as others mentioned try learning it from a video and then go to the text for the additional material.

It is one of the most versatile tricks ever, you can always find some rubber bands and if not carry some with you. I carry two on my right hand and people almost always ask me what they are. If you don't intend to perform than it's better to carry them someplace else.

PT,
Crazy Man's Handcuffs is a great effect. You have a rubber band on one hand between the thumb and forefinger. Anonther band is on the other hand the same way and they are interlocked so the hands cannot be pulled apart. Slowly the rubber bands seem to melt thru each other and become separate. The first time I saw someone do this trick, it blew me away.

I learned this effect from a Penguin Magic download called Quantum Bandits. I don't like the patter that goes with their download but you can go there and watch a video to see the effect. Or you can "Google" Crazy Man's Handcuffs and learn more.

I have ordered the book "The Magic of Michael Ammar" which I understand also explains the trick.

It's a simple routine with a great impact. It takes a little practice but learn this trick. I think you'll really like it.

Lynn

I also learned this from the Ammar's text after seeing it performed by Copperfield on his TV special. I usually follow this up with Chris Kenner's linking band routine. A good tip I got from Shoot Ogawa is to have the spectator pinch the rubber bands where they link.

I would also recommend getting the Alliance Gold Crepe bands. They are much more flesh colored than the typical #19 band you get from Staples. You can slow down the penetration to a one-band-at-a time pace that enhances the effect tenfold.

Wayne

Having never seen the Ammar version, I can't say a thing about that, but I have Dan Harlan's video and lemme tell ya, it friggin rocks. I learned CMH (Rubber Cuffs) from there, Back Two-Gether (rejoining the bands) Soft Spot, Twice as Crazy, Crazy Link, the Twist Vanish and Snap Two. Dan presents them all as a routine and I perform them the same way, in about the same order... with different patter, natch... I don't have the same demeanor as Dan, so his patter doesn't apply so much for me.

I'd love to learn the Climbing Ring which he demonstrates, but doesn't actually teach in volume 1. If anyone has some kind of "oops this got left off the video" link or info, I'd be glad to hear about it.

Rubber band magic is awesome for kids and those who are jaded about card effects. Very visual, fun to do, and pretty rare as a focus... at least locally.

I learned CMH from a booklet my dad bought me for Christmas as a kid. I had seen David Copperfield perform it on TV and just HAD to learn it. I didn't have any video at the time, but I was still able to learn it quickly.

But what I have found with that illusion is -- to do the trick is easy, to do it WELL is hard. I've been doing it for about fifteen years and I still find there are times I don't get it quite right.

I also found another thing -- the method described says that you can do it while having a spectator hold the second rubber band. Don't ever try doing that. At least ninety percent of the people I'd give the second rubber band to would completely ignore your specific instruction to hold still. Rackin' frackin'...!