Hi Mark, if you need any help or advice please feel free to contact me on Facebook under Jimmy Strange magic, customer satisfaction is really important to me as a creator of magic products.
All the best
JS

One of my friends got Captive and I had the opportunity to play and perform (for friends) with it.

I fully agree with the opinion expressed by Markhitton. The gimmick cannot be given out for examination without getting exposed to the bright starry eyes. Those who say it can be handed out for examination without fear, need to select a spectator who is either blind or has really weak eyesight. One must understand and realize that after the effect is over all heat is focused on the gimmick and hence it will go through a good amount of minute scrutiny - - - Left, Right & Center (i.e. Inside). This is so due to the way the gimmick has been constructed. Also a little shake by the spectator and one MIGHT even hear a bell ring.

I also feel that no matter how well the Black Art camouflaging technique might have been adopted, one needs to take care of the angles - both for the gimmick as well as for the spectator (since during the performance, all eyes are focused on the small pen cap).

I wish a little more thought had gone into the simple design part of the gimmick. It would have been so much better if the gimmicks anchor point was under the clip of the cap (nearer to the top of the cap). This would have helped reduce the length of the control anchor and would have also avoided the locking up of the gimmick in the cap's top. This is just a thought please.

And as for the reset time, may I please quote:-



I shall humbly disagree with the above statement. Resetting can take any amount of time. Here the question of practice doesn't make sense. Resetting the gimmick IMO is a cat-n-mouse game. It depends on how long the cat is able to catch the mouse by the NECK - it's a variable time constant. One doesn't know where the mouse is hiding or has the mouse locked himself deep in his den. To locate and get to the mouse one need to look deep into the dark tunnel.

And as for resetting it in front of the spectators, I shall certainly not advise unless one would like to make a fool of oneself. This is just MY personal opinion.

Coming to the overall thinking gone behind this trick, I feel the creator has done a wonderful job. Once the gimmick is ready and set, the effect works as it should - without fail each and every time. And with the right setting and patter, it has a great WOW factor.

Just my 2 cents.


P.S. Intelligent switching of the pen cap is nice option please.

Well I received this a few days ago and I can see the concerns of some here. Though I will say that after playing with my unit for about 30 minutes I did find the reset to be only a couple seconds over 90% of the time. Now that other 10%, all that is required is a little knock of the cap and then you are back in business for a quick reset.

Now as far as examinable I will say that if you use this to perform for friends and family it would not be a good idea to hand out. But I do believe if you are using this in a professional setting performing for a group that you could easily just show the cap openly then put it away. In my experience performing at paid gigs I rarely ever have to let people examine the props. I have found that once the cap falls over that the gimmick sometimes is almost locked in place and I honestly wouldn't have a problem with having a spectator take a quick look at it in their hands. I just used the Sharpie marker to Blacken the top of my cap and it really doesn't look that bad. Yes, there are those certain spectators that if given time will probably notice something but if you are seasoned and know how to read people you would never hand it out to that spectator anyway.

All in all I think for the price this is a nice PK effect. Obviously we all have different views but I do not think it is as bad as others are stating here.

RNK

Pk type effects are so strong spectators try to check the props and check hard

While I don't have this, any time I think if handing things out for inspection I remind myself the general rule of doing tricks in threes whereby I never do a single trick just to allow laymen to think and criticize. If in the flow of a routine your're switching a cap or moving to a new routine, I wouldn't think this is an issue. Am I wrong?

No Brent, you are not wrong. That is why I stated this is not something I would perform in a casual setting to show my friends and family one trick.

I have to disagree Mark. I use Rick Hasslets "How" effect and no one grabs at the props. Now, even if they did they would find nothing. But when I am performing at an event 99% of the time no one grabs at my props. Now, in my experience more people are concerned with what's in my hands rather than the props. And if the other one percentage of the time occurred with captive then as I stated earlier I have no problem openly displaying the cap in my hands to them. But that's just me as I have no problem guiding and controlling my audience when I need to.

Now, let's not forget the other PK effect with the pen and not the cap that's included with this. So I guess my point is for the money this is definitely worth it for me.


RNK

Find nothing?❓😕

If I am openly showing the cap, I feel the specs won't see anything Mark. I think they would have to look at it from a very close distance to see something. Now, if they had it in their hands and given some time then yes, a definite possibility they would see something. Again, I would probably do a Sharpie effect first, say Sharpie Quickie from Platt so they already had the Sharpie in their hands, do a simple s*%$#h and perform Captive. Then there is no reason for them to examine it again.

This is a very good and practical suggestion. Thank you.

Disagree all you like.. Im talking from experience with the gimmick. Not simpmy playing with a friends.

it resets quickly and it can 100% be handed out in confidnece. IN my humble experience

Yes and in confidence they will see the tricked cap

Are you talking about the same gimmick?

Ive not had one person spot anything. Id be interested in seeing how you are handing it out for inspection to see what ur doing to get caught.

You tell you handed out for inspection so spectator can freely touch the cap or check it.
If you show it quickly probably they cannot see not the cap not your hand.
If you mean to give the cap to check freely you are wrong.

I let my spectator hold the cap, ive actualy structured it in so the hand me it back at the end. I have done so every performance and no one has saw a thing. How can you tell me I'm wrong when I'm actualy out there doing it?

Yes, I believe and agree that's quite possible, PROVIDED . . . . . . and may I please quote:-



And


Thus the examinability issue rounds up to - Selecting either a BLIND or a DUMB spectator.

With that, I will ignore any further comments on this point.

Out standing. So now that you know I'm actualy out doing this great sucess etc my spectators simply must be blind or dumb?


I guess the is just a case of those who say it cant be done shouldnt get in they way of the ones doing it.

Maybe Alan, you could do a supplemental vid with Jimmy?

Do you Really think there is a need for a video showing how to let a spectator handle a prop?

it feels rather lazy to me