What's the best resource (book or DVD) that you have found for the Professors Nightmare? Thanks!

I wouldn't know about the best, but see Paul Green's The Rope Routine, on his DVD, In The Trenches.

And, of course, Pop (formerly known as Whit) Haydn's, Mongolian Pop Knot...

Also try Daryl's Rope routine. You can get it here http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/5620

Mark

Welcome to the Café, Anand!

Doug

Fibre Optics by Richard Sanders has a great routine which shows the Professors Nightmare and more.

Richard

Harlan's Awakening is pretty great as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRf0kgnN33A

Thanks for the great suggestions everyone

I love Fiber Optics, by Richard Sanders.

Another vote for Fiber Optics here.

That does look good.I also love Daryls rope routine as well.
Todd

Http://www.magicnevin.com/Best-of-Slydin......Book-Set

Slydini

Fiber Optics is a good routine. Pop's work usually includes the psychology, which is great. (I don't have his Mongolian Knot routine, so can't speak to it.). Daryl has an excellent 3-DVD set on ropes that is comprehensive and well worth the investment.

Hudson

Thanks, everyone! I wasn't previously familiar with Fiber Optics, but I am definitely going to purchase it after seeing the recommendations. I am already familiar with Pop's routine (and already pretty obsessed with all of his work), and I have to say the amount of rope required to repeatedly perform the Mongolian Pop Knot is somewhat cost prohibitive for me. The routine is absolutely a pleasure to watch, but I am looking for a routine where I don't have to purchase new rope every time I perform it. I think I have found that with Fiber Optics.

I agree, this is a great piece of magic! You can use the same ropes over and over and it looks just great. Don't overlook the advice about the Slydini routine as well, I think there are videos of Slydini on youtube that show what a great routine this is...and of course the books are awesome.

Anand!

I spent a buck with Gene Gordon (one of the three founders of the IBM) in his shop in ...1959<<<< Gene and I were old friends. He did school assemblies, too. I liked the EFFECT, BUT, I was not particularly pleased with the "set up" moves. I "played" with it for 11 years!

THEN,Karrell Fox, my dear friend, and fellow member of the SECRET SIX, realized that the set up for Gen. Grant's "50/50 C&R rope, would also work for the Nightmare. He showed me. >>>>>SHAZAM<<<<< It went into the show almost immediately. In almost 45 years, and thousands of shows, I've used the SAME ROPES. (On the road, they go into the laundry, weekly.)

I understand that Fiber Optics is a fine routine. (I've never seen it done.) At 83, I'm not interested in breaking in a new routine! I'll continue the original Bob Csrver "PN". I did, for some years a routine somewhat similar to Pop Haydn's Mongoolian, but, I went back to Bob Carver's. If I were to do another C&R/PN, etc. I would use Pop's. Mongolian. (I like it better than what I was doing, even though it was very successful.)

SO! PM me, and we can discuss your situation! I think that you will like my PN routine. If not, you "aint lost nothin'"!

I have standard sets made up in coloured rope and white - with bound ends - don't feel the need to do anything OTHER than show the three different sized at the start. On Paul Daniels Bravura DVD he has some good tips on PN

There are many versions of rope routines that "include" a version of the Professor Nightmare. There was even a book published once, it is not out of print.

After reading your wishes, I suggest you just buy the single trick as has always been sold. The original is not sold because the person that hold the rights, failed to market it do to all the newer creative extended routines that have been mentioned. So until the gentleman's estate decided what to do with the original product Gene Gordon products, the original is dormant for now.

I suggest you just purchase the trick alone. It comes with nice ropes and a page of printed instructions. It is called "My Favorite Rope Trick", and is sold at most magic stores and online suppliers under that name. It will cost less then $10. It uses the same ropes over and over. There is no patter given, so you have to come up with your own storyline, if you wish to do so, as it plays very well just presented as a magic trick. It was originally a stand alone product, and goes over very well that way, as it has stood the test of time.

Most performers opt for the cheapest routine with rope. The Mongolian Pop Knot is, in my opinion, much more baffling and impressive than any of the Sands style routines.

An investment of four to six bucks a show will give a performer a distinct advantage over those performers in his market who are a little too pennywise.

Pop Haydn, that is very true, but I think back to when I only had $11 a week from selling newspapers on the corner. The local magic shop only sold hanks of rope, and that cut into my $11 very fast. I had not idea that Abbott's was only a 100 and 15 miles away, and sold those large spools of rope. Today we have the internet, but very few seem to want to use it for finding what they think they need. They have a thousand dollar computer, and will not use it to find the props they need at a cost effective price.

Maybe you should sell your Mongolian Pop Knot with spool of rope, that way it is one stop shopping for them. They will know they have the very same rope good ole' Pop Hadyn uses. It sounds silly, but who knows, they will not have to shop around for rope.

I love fibre optics, definitely recommended.