I had taken for granted that the SG should best be used when holding/displaying something else like a purseframe other small object, so the Garrett/Fantasio idea of displaying an invisible "whatever" is really appealing.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a dealer that stocks a good SG?

Denny & Lee Magic Studio
http://www.dennymagic.com/

Just curious...I haven't actually tried it but how can you get away hiding an egg with the Sanada gimmick? It doesn't bend or collapse as a silk or sponge ball would? I have trouble enough looking natural with a spongeball.-

Sponge egg...

I sell SGs as well. $7 each + $1 postage.

Or egg skin...
tr

These Sanada gimmicks go for around $8-$12 correct?

Yes, average retail is $10 + shipping.

Scott...could you give more details on sizing the gimmick properly?

I trimmed it to fit my hand but perhaps that is too small. I don't know. When I put 3 sponge balls in there, I have quite a bit of tension in my hand if they are to remain hidden. If I let up, they start wanting to spring out,etc.

There is a tendency to overtrim. Doing so makes the hand appear more cramped and also makes it harder to hold in loads. The way to size it properly is to first trim the sides so that the gimmick is just very slightly wider than your fingers. I always trim the sharp corners at the bottom as well, as they are uncomfortable for me. Now place the gimmick in position and put the item(s) you will be vanishing/producing behind it. Go ahead and use the other hand to close the gimmick if need be. You want to trim off the least amount possible where you can still hold the loaded gimmick in place. If it's too long, it will "pop" off--either at the tips or, more often for me anyway, at the base of the fingers.

I have found it helpful to trim just a smidge at a time--no more than a sliver of say 1/32 of an inch. better to have to do that 3 or 4 times than to cut off a big chunk and have it be too much. You can slightly alter the curve of the gimmick (I haven't found this necessary) by aiming a (hair) blow dryer at it for about half a minute or so. I don't recommend hot water or a really hot blow dryer for more than half a minute, as you could end up warping the gimmick and melting it rather than making it pliable.

For the PB&J finale, as stated above, it is imperative that you use supersoft balls no larger than 1 and a half inch diameter. When you're placing the balls in the gimmick, don't just set them there--jam them down to the base so they're all squished up in a tiny bundle. After the 3rd ball, the thumb of the other hand presses the gimmick flat under cover of the false transfer.

Hope that helps clear up some things. I am not the world's foremost expert on this thing, but I have used it literally tens of thousands of times, and I'll be happy to offer any help and advice I can on it.

Thank you. I now have a much better feel of the process. In your instructions to PB and J you just say trim to fit and on the dvd you blew right past it with a brief mention if I remember (only watched it once so far...but watched it all!!). I was afraid I might go to far. I have never used a sanada before and am not yet comfortable with it. Time and practice I am sure. Tomorrow I will take knife in hand and have a go at it.

Scott,
After the false xfer, how long is your hand dirty? I cannot remember. Do you ditch it going for the purse frame in your pocket? If I remember correctly you do not. You end up holding the purse frame with the dirty hand. Is that correct?

Frank

It would be difficult for me to answer Franks' question in depth without tipping the method of the routine, but suffice to say, you are not "dirty" for long, and even when you are you do not appear to be, thanks to the SG (great initials, by the way!).

By the way, Barusky, I would recommend scissors as opposed to a knife.

Following Greg's comments re. the egg this is something I do with a sponge ball also. I do a routine where I say, "I have this invisible ball but its rubbish! Look, it's invisible in this hand but as soon as I put it in my other hand its visible again. Back in my other hand and its invisible again, back to the other visible. Rubbish !" Give ball--with a disgusted sigh (if you can afford)--to spectator. I am quite clumsy but find it very easy in passing the "invisible" ball from one hand to another to release or reload the SG. Quite an amusing little routine which is pretty magical and the audience laughs whilst at the same time being pretty impressed. By the by, I only pass from one hand to the other twice (fairly quickly), because anything more would be boring or risky. Its a great gimmick.

Wow,

I thought I knew all the hand gimmicks. Never heard of this one. Sanada Gimmick? I need to know more, but would rather be fooled by it first.

$8 - $10 is a good price for me. Now that the Sarasota and Ft. Myers Beach magic shops have closed forever, I have no way to see anything demo'ed, without driving to Miami (not), or Tampa (3 hrs).

Doug

I personally don't like using the Sanada Gimmick.
I find it really hard to fit with my hand and I really don't have any use for it.

It can be trimmed with a pair of scissors to fit your hand. It can be used to vanish, produce or switch any small flat or compressible item: silks, sponges, bank notes, billets, etc. By far one of the most useful devices ever created.

The first time I saw Dan Garrett do a few sponge ball moves with it I thought "What's up with his right hand?"

The egg appearance that he did did make it look a little more natural though.

I did however think the idea was cool so I bought one, brought it home, and trimmed it. Now it seems to be doing a fine job collecting dust. Until all I've heard about Scott's sponge ball routine and all of his advice I assumed it was one of those things that I'd foolishly bought that's fallen by the way side.

Now I really think I should get it back out for another shot....

I still have the mental picture of Dan Garrett's deformed hand though.....scary..

I bought one after a Demonstration/Lecture by Sean Taylor (an Australian Magician) at Andrew Wimhurst's house.
I had absolutely no idea how he vanished and produced the sponge ball in the routine he did. It was so visual that I just had to have it.
I have played around with it for a while but can't quite get a feel for it. I have smallish hands so I had to trim it. I haven't altered it too much from the original shape, but I cropped it to a point were it feels comfortable in my hand.
I am still struggling with the vanish and production of the sponge ball that came with it.
Are there any demo videos of the SG in action? I think that I might invest in the DVD.

Produce an egg with a Sanada? I have purchased this gimmick with Scotts PB & J (great routine), and where it would benefit with an egg production is beyond me. Could someone PM me with a little more detail?