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Bradley Morgan Special user 702 Posts |
Hello all
Here is an idea, What about using washers in place of coins. Like nuts, bolts and washers.You could do everything like normal coins but with washers. One thing i do like about it is that people might not think that they could possibly be gimmicked. What about a shell for the washers too. You could do all the stuff you do with coins but with washers. You could do a washer on string tricks, shadow washers( like shadow coins). It could be cool. Just an idea. What do you think? Brad
"I do not know with what weapons World War 3 will be fought, but World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones." - Einstein
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Jon Gallagher Veteran user Elmwood, Illinois 395 Posts |
Washers wouldn't work for me, but keep thinking.
What lay person thinks that a coin is gimmicked? I think I'd be a lot more suspicious of washers than coins. Coins can be borrowed for effects. In all the people from whom I've asked to borrow a coin, I don't recall seeing a single washer in anyone's pocket. There's always a way to ring in the gaff if you need to. I'm sure there's a spot for washers, but if I'm going to spend money on a gaff, it's going to be a coin gaff. |
Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
It could make for some good lines. You could wipe off one of the the washers with a hand towel or hanky. Hold up the washer and say, "Washer." Hold up the cloth and say, "Dryer!"
OK, maybe not GOOD lines....
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
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Bradley Morgan Special user 702 Posts |
Ya that is true, but i don't find to many people have half dollars or dollar coins with them anyway. I think it would be no more suspicious than pulling out a coin out of your pocket. But it would be a good pich idea if you have to work for a company that sells washers and bolts. Ok it mite be hard to find that job. I like the washer joke Mr.Scott.
Just an idea, it might work for someone out in the world. Brad
"I do not know with what weapons World War 3 will be fought, but World War 4 will be fought with sticks and stones." - Einstein
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Tony Veteran user Los Angeles 303 Posts |
Actually washers were suggested by Curtis Kam on his Tiananmen Square routine instead of various sized Chinese coins in his POS2 DVD.
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Poof-Daddy Inner circle Considering Stopping At Exactly 5313 Posts |
washers would also work with some ring and string routines. I think people don't think coins are "gaffed" (as if they would know what that meant) because most people still believe that it is a federal offense to deface money in any way. (It is ok for "entertainment" purposes.)
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what Special user Lehi, UT, USA 643 Posts |
You could mix in some coins. It might be complelling to transform a washer into a valuable coin after an effect or two.
Magic is fun!!!
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Kainoa Elite user NewArk, Delaware 424 Posts |
I've been doing a great routine with washers, though I don't know whose it is, so I can't site it.
Curtis Kam does, however, so everyone bug him (its different from the Tianamen Square bit). It's a killer routine and its fun for both magicians and laypeople. |
Isramagia Regular user Bayamon, Puerto Rico 114 Posts |
I think washers are a good idea. Imagine silver plating washers. It would make a good spellbound routine. I guess there are alot of possibilities but I would never give up silver coins if just for their beauty.
Izzy
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magicgirl New user 63 Posts |
I just attended a lecture by Shawn Farquhar where he demonstrated a marketed effect he has called MatriXpress that utilizes washers and a Raven-like device for a pretty cool Matrix routine.
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James Harrison Special user Ontario, Canada 762 Posts |
Yeah, Shawn was really good at Magifest. Though since he is Canadian, and our money has magnetic qualities, I think he would do it with our twoonies. (Two dollars coins)
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Elwood Loyal user 287 Posts |
Jay Sankey's Holy Moly
Two washers are shown, and placed into a spectator's hands. Spec chooses left or right. A washer is removed, and right before their eyes the hole is removed. When they open their hand, they find the washer they still hold onto has TWO holes!!! Believe me, with the right handling this is an absolute KILLER! |
Curtis Kam V.I.P. same as you, plus 3 and enough to make 3498 Posts |
I used washers to work out the Tiannamen Square routine on P2 before I had the Magicsmith coins. They were presented as a "melding" of the silver dollars and the Chinese coins with holes in their centers. (The offspring?)
Back in the day, Johnson's first C/S/B set came with a Brass washer with two tiny "chinese" characters inscribed on each side. John Mendoza used to describe the coin as "a washer carefully disguised as a Chinese Coin". Which got a good laugh, making it more valuable than an authentic coin. The Routine Kainoa's talking about is my handling of the "Two in the hand" routine done with hardware (nuts, a bolt, and a big washer) and popularly sold by Doc Eason. My final line for this was, "No, I think I screwed this up. It's too bad, you could have won the washer." Harry Monti uses Nuts (as in "nuts and bolts") in a similar routine, but based on the Vernon dice routine. Harry tells the audience, "I had a little car trouble on the way here...(settng out the nuts in a row) and this is all that's left." Washers, and indeed, the entire hardware department, have great potential. People may not have them in their pockets, but they all know what they are, and all associate them with all sorts of things. How's about a color changing hank routine done as the hank is pushed through the washer? Washer on Rod works like Ring on wand, and washer and rope routines abound. Washer manners, kids.
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Dan Watkins Inner circle PA 3028 Posts |
Washers are a good substitute for coins.
I went to a trade show and forgot to bring my coins. (Stupid me, at a trade show I am always asked to perform). I took a tour of a customer's mainteance shop where he had a hardware rack. I asked him if I could grab a few washers. I did washer magic instead of coin magic that day. It worked fine. I do use washers still. Troy Hooser's Charming Chinese Challenge coins are simply washers painted to look like Chinese coins. They have to be the cheapest Chinese coins I have ever seen, but they work well for the routine because they are smooth and stack small (but they aren't too thin), which works well for two of the phases. Dan |
Tony Veteran user Los Angeles 303 Posts |
Very interesting. Since I haven't seen the video, I had thought that Troy Hooser was using the half dollar sized Chinese coins by Johnson (which seems like the coins on his book).
BTW there is a routine in Bobo's which can use washers or a German coin with a hole and a gimmicked washer/coin with hole. |
John McCormack Regular user 130 Posts |
To me the best magic is UNDERSTANDABLE.
Coins are much more understandable and every layman has touched a coin or even played around with one at some point. I don't use gaffs in anything I do (personal preference and other reasons) and I also don't use an Okito box of any kind, don't get me wrong they are fabulous but introducing a funny looking prop that the audience doesn't understand isn't real magic (even though I present myself as a sleight-of-hand artist). Even though they aren't gimmicked you try and convince them otherwise, sure they can examine it but they most probably think the reason they can is because they won't be able to find the secret something. So I think I prefer coins over washers, why introduce something less understandable when coins are so available and understandable? And besides, washers are ugly looking things. If they want to see someone play with washes they'll go to there mechanic. I don't want to go into detail on my thoughts so if you have a minute go to The Collected Wisdom of Magictalk, and read an essay entitled "Adapt, Improvise and Overcome" by Kep. He gives many good examples and something to think about. That's just my opinion and I don't want to introduce any funny looking made-for-the-job props. Take it easy, John. |
Dan Watkins Inner circle PA 3028 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-02-04 18:35, Tony wrote: The Johnson coins are not flat so they don't slide as well as the cheap washer looking things. I got my set from Troy at a lecture, the set he sold is the same as what he uses. |
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