I'm have a small issue with the afghan bands. I'm using cloth bands that I rip. The problem comes when I get towards the end of the tearing and things don't line up. I've tried using scissors at the end of the tearing but it interrupts the flow of the effect. I guess I could pull a thread from the length of the bands to insure the rips line up but thought someone might know an easier way to overcome this small issue.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Kex

If you make the band width by ripping to width you should be ok. Also be sure to remove the edge of the fabric, called the salvedge. You cannot tear across it. Cheaper the fabric the better.

Richard

Instead of using material, which is giving you such problems, why not buy some replacement zips for sleeping bags and use those instead.

The zippers would resolve the issue but not sure it would fit with my routine. I'm starting with one band that is ripped into three separate bands. Each of those are then ripped from there to produce the effect. Worth considering if I can rework the patter.

As far as ripping the fabric to width...I'll have to test that out. Already using the cheapest fabric with no salvage. I've just been measuring and cutting to my initial width.

Thanks for the input and I'll let you know what I figure out.

Someone marketed a zipper Afghan Bands some years back using plastic zipper strip. Dick Stoner also made a set in brass zippers, but the manufacturer stopped making the brass zippers. His routine was priceless.

As far as your separate loops, the zipper does the same thing with a little Velcro work. You will just not have cloth loops to hand out or throw away. The Zipper idea was more of way to not have to keep from making new sets, and no salvage to get ride of, a one time investment for life.

With the Zipper idea, you could not play the contest idea I have read about. It all depends on what you routine is that you enjoy doing. Kids like to take home thrown away stuff.

Don't know if the plastic zipper version is still available or not. The brass zips was smoother in working.

Have you tried Cheese Cloth? It rips easily and in a straight line.

The original zipper routine was Rick Johnson's.

Richard

Richard, do you mean the late Rick Johnnson who wrote articles in Linking Ring Magazine?

IIRC, Ed Eckl originated the Afghan Band/Zipper trick and called it "Moby Zip." I think Rick Johnsson got the rights from Ed and put it on the market. It is a very commercial routine with a lot of great comedy gag lines. I performed it recently at an IBM Ring 103 meeting.

Rick was a very clever guy in his own right, though. His book _Practical Impossibiities_ has some great routines with cards using the Tenkai Palm. Rick also had a great coins through the table routine with a plastic mug. The coins went through the table in reverse--from under the table to visibly appear under the translucent mug. Rick published some of his own great routines in his "Come a Little Closer" column.

Rick also sponsored an annual close-up convention in NC called "Super Session South," sort of a Dixie version of FFFF.

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

BTW, Rick's last name is spelled "Johnsson" with two "S's"

Thanks for the correction on spelling. I was just going from memory. Knowing Ed Eckl, I can believe that he came up with the initial idea. I do know that Rick marketed it. Phil Wilmarth was partners with Rick in Excelssior Productions owns the rights to all of that stuff and a lot of the Gene Gordon/Karl Norman stuff including fraidy cat rabbit.

Richard

Cheese cloth sounds like a great idea... will need some free time to try out a couple ideas I have. Doing the Steinmeyer routine from The Conjuring Anthology. The patter and routine just fits my act so well. So if anyone knows that routine and can help... [g]

Kex

Great, let us know if the Cheese Cloth works for you.

Kex,

I'm also currently working on Jim's routine. I've had the dame issue as you, intermittently, at the end of the tear. I've been working with the 65-35 blend he recommends. I find it to be a bit stringy, too, so I may go ahead and give the muslin a go. Not sure about cheesecloth. It'll certainly tear easily, but I don't think the transparent nature of it lends itself to the initial display.

Blackstone made his with a cheap cotton cloth. I do think the salvedge can cause a lot of problems.

Richard

So cheese cloth is out... for reasons stated above. I have found that pulling a thread (while very tedious) gives the best results. Still, at the end of the tear, there is a bit that just hangs up and you have to adjust your grip to tear it. Really surprised seeing that this effect is quite old I can't find anything in print discussing these issues. Wish you could just tear and in one fluid motion get to the end result. Stopping to readjust and then tear the fraction of an inch left at the end breaks up the flow of the routine. Welcoming more suggestions.

Kex

Being you are dealing with cloth and not paper, I can see that an adjustment would be necessary. I don't think any cloth would not require an adjustment of the hands as you tear.

I would think even paper, being most paper has a grain, that it may be necessary to make an adjustment for paper as well. Otherwise, it would go astray and break the circles.

If you take an example from Dick Stoner's routine with the Zipper. He has to adjust the Velcro for the different circles. This is done while pattering his routine about the largest man in the world waist size.

I don't know if this would be of any help to you, but Abbott's sells the Afghan Bands trick with the cloth for $25.
http://www.abbottmagic.com/Abbotts-Afgha......oryId=-1

They also sell just the instruction sheets to the trick. I don't own this instruction, but it may give you some insight to your problem, or not.
http://www.abbottmagic.com/Instant-Instr......oryId=-1

Just found this short video of Harry Blackstone Sr. performing the Afghan Bands. After the 1st segment, keep watching for the second clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J__QN5XTTv8&feature=related

The type of fabric that he old books used to recommend was called "cambric" which s just a lightly woven cotton, I believe. Richard and Bill are correct - just a cheap cotton fabric will work best. BTW, Abbott's makes and sells 12-packs of bands ready to go. I've used them and they tear quite well and always line-up.

Kex's problem is the final separation after each tear. I think Harry Blackstone Sr. demonstrates very well how this is accomplished in the video segment. An adjustment seems to be necessary for the final small attached bits of cloth. I don't think just trying to pull them apart would work well or look good, as with any cloth tearing, the more it is bunched and pulled the stronger and harder it is to tear.

Notice how Harry Blackstone adjusts his position on the circles and looks like he is using his finger nails for the last separation of the circles.

Even pre-cutting the strips at the finish points, would only cause more problems as you are pulling on an non-hemmed cloth. This will only cause the fibers to pull from the outsides and cause a gathering of the cloth at those points of the pulling.