Are you limited to Joe Monti's presentation. Can You have your hands penetrate a chair, ring, etc; as you can with other thumb ties or does his have to be done strictly as an escape routine?

John

Are you limited to Joe Monti's presentation. Can You have your hands penetrate a chair, ring, etc; as you can with other thumb ties or does his have to be done strictly as an escape routine?

John

I have considered a thumbtie-like escape/ penetration employing four fingers of each hand, using thise inexpensive woven tubular finger traps/ cuffs made in Japan; or at least they were, I think they are still available. Thumbs could be tied as well, making it a double release. patter about being placed in finger cuffs as a prank when you were a kid. Adifferent and visual twist on the effect. One I have never actually carried to reality. Has any one else beat me to it? I did mention it on the Shadow Digest a few years ago with a possible method as well.

Kotah

You're right, it's not the same as Ryan's handling, although is could be done with zip ties.

Thumb Cuffs is a funny and fun routine, with the cuffs vanishing at the end. The only problem with them is you must know what you are doing. The Cuffs are not gimmicked in any way, they are real and if not performed properly, you will not be able to get out of them. Is it a real escape, well if you cannot get out of them, then I guess something is real about them.

They are so real, it is best to have a couple pair of exta keys with you at all times.

You prove this by opening the routine by locking a spectator in them and let him attempt to get out of them.

Thumb Cuffs are not as effective tring to do all the things like penetrations and such due to the metal cuffs.

You should see Ricky Jay do his thumb cuff routine.

Haha. Learned that the hard way.

I love this topic because The Thumb Tie routine has been a part of my act for more than 30 years. So many thanks for all your good words!!!

Its not so much of an escape but more of a Puzzle when I do it. When I first started using Zip Ties (approx 25 years ago) I never saw it done that way.For about 5 years I tried every version I could find (twist ties, pipe cleaners, tape, rope, etc)
My influence of the assistants participating came from Tony Curtis in the Great Movie Houdini (when he was put in the metal Strait jacket). Nowhere else.

I didn't want to "LOCK" into hoops, chairs or penetrate swords with my tied thumbs. Didn't fit my style. I believe that most people know about zip ties(cable ties). After 25 years and thousands of performances of the thumb tie I can tell you that I've experienced too much zip/cable tie knowledge

My routine is now available because I want to show that it is and always has been a big stage effect for me and for anyone willing to practice! It plays stronger than my strait jacket routine and.......it's different and unique to a lay audience.
Please check out http://www.thumbtie.com for a video clip, etc.
Again thank you all for your kind words. Joe Monti & Family

Click here to view attached image.

I remember that routine from Masters of Illusion, was a great performance. Couldn't resist, had to buy one.

Really looking forward to receiving the Thumbtie real soon. Looks like it packs small and plays to any size audience.

I received the Joe Monti's DVD with four thumb ties. I love the routine. Now I need to make it my own routine. A wonderful parlor or stage routine.....Great Job Joe. My wife is a nurse and she has a ton of bandage shears. I found that to be safer to use than scissors fearing that I would possibly poke the spectators and open myself to a lawsuit. It really is a matter of what floats your boat and what works for you.

Speed is what makes a thumb tie effective. If the hands are in full view, objects must pass between the hands as if the tie wasn't there. If the hands are covered, there must be economy of motion, so that it's obvious that the performer didn't merely wiggle back into them. It stuns people when performed, properly.

There are many great points made in this thread about the thumb tie, some of which could be the same or similar to a classic wrist tie.

In either the thumb tie or the wrist tie, the "big picture" for this effect, I think, is the presence, or specifically the REACTIONS OF THE ONSTAGE AUDIENCE ASSISTANTS TO THE QUICK "IN AND" OUT OF THE PERFORMER. So, Alan Munro is right, it's about speed, timing and silky smoothness of presentation.

Jay Marshall's Jaspernese Thumb Tie is a classic of magic, in my opinion, BUT.....looking at the link to Joe Monti's effect, the ending where the assistants are tied, looks FABULOUS to me...I have never seen this "twist" on either a thumb or wrist tie and I love it.

I'm going to buy the trick just for that ending, and anything else is gravy.

Thank you Pete Biro for the link!

I bought this and it is a great routine, plus so easy to do impromptu. I've already come up with about 4 different routines depending oh where and how I'm playing it. It sells very easily, and you leave them with the cable tie for a keepsake. I've had folks scratching their heads for days over this one, very simple, and easy to modify the routine to fit your needs.

I am just wondering with routine whether the two people that get tied together at the end of the routine see how they are tied together or are they actually surprised as well.

One more thing, what do you do to get the two people out of the thumb tie at the end?

thanks

So you think the spectators being tied are 'stooges' and a part of the act, is that correct?

Why do anything to get their thumbs untied? Let them go home together. Makes for a better effect. LOL

Not stooges but privy to how the effect is done...

I was thinking about doing it at weddings, so they will be going home together anyway LoL

Anyone?

Monti's thumb tie is great fun.

I enjoyed the video AND WILL take it to the real world soon. I may experiment with the thumbs tied behind the back.

Which is best ?
Kenton's Black tie
Joe monti's
Poor Boy's