Alan yes, your experience supports my suspicions about showing the bendable frame to be a clue to the working. At the end of the day, by showing that the frame bends, you are clearly declaring it as a prop, since frames do not bend in real life, or at least I've never dseen frames that bend.

Ron, the Mikame model was the first time I tried this trick with a bag. When it pinched the material I assumed it is because it can happen with every bag. Did you find that the bag material makes that much of a difference, in terms of it not getting pinched?

I have had a strong effect presenting it in a manner similar to what I recall as the Henning presentation. He took the mirror out of the frame and showed it as solid. The slid it back in and said that it was a very tight fit in the frame, that is it filled the frame. Then he slid it all into a bag, showing that the bag was a tight fit. Then he did the effect.

His comments about the tightness of the fit were a "sell" in that when people believe that, it makes it less likely they will ever think it is sliding. I have used this presentation for some technically bright folks, as in engineers, and they had no clue how it worked.

As for never removing the mirror from the frame, I think that is nto effective because then they never get to feel that the mirror is real. I think it unimportant that the frame is passed out, but the mirror should at least be felt by an audience member. Otherwise the whole thing seems to be likely just a mechanical effect. Just my view.

quack

Magicduck, don't you think it is effective enough to go down into the audience and, holding the mirror inside the frame yourself, have some members of the audience touch it and knock on it to show it solid? This is where the beauty of the Mikame frame comes in, as it is well camouflaged.

As for the part of showing that the frame is a tight fit inside the bag, I never did this since I use an envelope not a bag. However, I think this is the intention of the strip of wood inside the bag provided by Mikame. I imagine that you can make it appear that the frame fills the bag, as the distinct shape of a long edge is seen under each side. Magicduck or anyone who has used this subterfuge to apparently show the frame fills the bag, can you comment please on how effective you found it?

Your method of showing the mirror is fine, if it works for you. I started doing this back in the 70's, and honestly, just used the "mechanics" as used by Henning, although not his presentation. In those days, when Henning did it, magicians listened and watched.

My mirror goes in a burlap bag. It does not have a piece of wood in it, it just looks like a tight fit, but it stretches a bit. I always point out the "tight fit", in fact exagerating it, but again, it always fools and satisfies people. I get good response to this.

quack

Never got an answer to a post above. I am wondering, does the frame with your mirrors bend just a bit off center, or does your mirror frame bend in the true center. I am thinking about building a new frame, and thinking of possibilities. Mine bends off the center, which makes sense as far as showing a snug fit in the bag. I am curious about others and one cannot really tell from dealer photos.

quack

I have been working with this lately, going to put it into my "Home" themed act. I plan to talk about the controversy, which does exist if you have not heard about it, that questions whether glass is a solid or a liquid. There is some interesting discussion about this. Some is science, some is pseudo-science, but you can google it and find quite a lot.

Trying to tie into this, I have rebuilt my frame to look like a pine window frame. Also I have replaced the mirror with a piece of clear glass...the original concept. In playing with it, I found an interesting plus to the glass. I use a burlap bag, and found that if I, on purpose, hold the bag up to light people can see through it. With the mirror, I had to watch light, as it could expose the mirror edge not in the right spot..dark and light. But with the glass, even if I hold it directly under light, for my inspection, I cannot tell that the glass has slid. It can slide back and forth, and nothing looks different, even when it is sliding the movement is invisible. I think I can use this to strengthen the effect, especially to minimize thoughts of sliding glass.

quack

Interesting idea. I had a previous model that used a glass, today I prefer the mirror for visual impact, though you need to be more careful for fingerprints. not in terms of exposure, simply not to look shabby.

In reply to your earlier question, the Mikame works off centre.

Does anyone else use a manilla envelope instead of the bag?

As I recall (likely incorrectly) the frame Henning used had a second slot on one of the hinged ends. when he took the mirror out and replaced it, he used the end slot. the slot on the top (bottom?) was never shown. thus removal of the mirror did not give as much of a clue to the method.

Hmm, I do not recall that. It does make sense. The only negative would be if they caught on you had that top slot, and there was no logic for it because you used the end slot, they would all figure they had it figured out. The SAM, would have a video of Henning doing that on his special. Somebody ought to watch that and report back here. When he did it, just a variation of the flexible glass Tannen had sold for years and no one cared, it created a buying spree by magicians. It must have been about 1978 or so.

Quack

This is a very interesting thread as I have had the Mikame mirror for a couple of years and never used it because of the problems several have mentioned with the bag. Can someone who has wrapped it in newspaper or used a manilla envelope please comment on the handling with these alternatives.

With the newspaper, for example, how do you get the slack that comes naturally with the stretchy knit bag? Do you construct a kind of bag with the paper in advance or wrap it a certain way during the performance? In other words how do you get the same illusion out of something that does not stretch?

Dragonash, that's an interesting idea with an additional slit. I don't intend to try to doctor my Mikame, but it's still interesting to know. I think Magicduck's point is also a valid one, there's more at stake not to let the long slit be seen.

Using the manila envelope, simply make sure it is wide enough to allow it to slide out and fold, but not overly wide as to spoil the illusion. You can then use the knitting needle to penetrate the mirror, and then go on to fold. The bag is probably nicer, but I prefer the envelope as it fits with my patter and presentation style. I believe I was first inspired to use the envelope by Andrew O'Connor.

Just want to thank you for the tip of using a nylon tent patch inside the cloth bag. I recently purchased a Dinucci Flexible Mirror and had the problem of the cloth getting caught in the hinge. The nylon patch works like gold.

I know your post was way back in 2005 but it is still valid and works.

Thanks for sharing.

If I remember correctly, Henning's version had a slot on the side for removing and inserting the mirror. This reduces the chance of suggesting the solution to viewers.

Hennings method did not have a slit in the side. Only one slot and its on the long end. He used the best prop which was made by Wellington.

Believe it or not, the Flexible Mirror is the invention of the famous magician Oswald Rae, once again. I acquired his book "Sub Rosa", and in it is published his Bending a Piece of Glass effect. The drawings show the working identical to the Flexible Mirror, only Rae's version is 14 by 4 inches, and he used a paper bag to put the frame in.

Get this, the book was published in Great Britain by the author in 1928 .

Oswald Rae is also the creator of the "Bandit Routine" or as some call it the Bandit Routine.

He also created the Dollar Bill in Cigarette effect.

I am sure there are other effect credited and not credited to his name.