Okay then, I was told you had your torn and restored out years before Hollingworth, but he just popularized it. Thanks for clearing that up.

Actually, the signature peel was first published in "Williamson's Wonders" (1989) for the conclusion to "51 Cards To Pocket" (pg.77). The crease flattening was also included in this book at the conclusion of "Torn and Restored Transposition" (pg.72).

S.Segal

I just bought it but am having problems watching the video--

I think you need windows media player 9. It can be downloaded for free at microsoft.

I got the videos to work-- you were right-I had to upgrade my WMP-- overall very good trick--lots of setup...very bold as in it contains many moves where you need to misdirect-- overall Im happy with it

Are the angles any better than normal peice by peice T&Rs? Also, how long would a reset take? Thanks,

Michael

At the very least, this looks like a fantastic TV trick, that could be very close to Copperfield's "Torn Asunder" if it looks like they say.

Id say angles are the same for all other piece by piece restorations. Reset wouldnt take but half a minute or less if you have the gimmicks made--you need to do is make a bunch and go out and perform--

Can you use the same card twice ???

Yes id say you can if you want-- cant reset infront of people-unless you are very bold. the gimmick can wear out though--thats why you should carry multiple gimmicks.

Well, I actually tried this trick on front of spectators. I don't know how they managed to not have the spectators find it, because mine did. Like I said, you just restored a torn card. They will be feeling everything.

Seems like the typical thing you can expect from Expert Magic...crap.

Final verdict: I like it. The Effect to the spectators would be this:

The magician asks the spectator to select a card. The spectator does so, and signs the card across the top on the back of the card. The magician takes the card back, creases it, and tears it (very cleanly... no card switch here, really...I can't say much more without exposing the method though) into four pieces. The magician then pockets two pieces and visually restores the first two pieces. (For those familiar with Torn, this restoration is very similar but you blow on the card while doing the "move" which I think is a good addition to it). The magician hands this half card out to the spectator (it's fully examinable, with their signature on it!). He then brings out the other two pieces of card from his pocket, and the spectator chooses whichever piece he wants, which is then restored to the half card while they hold the fourth piece. (This restoration is also quite visual...I like the second version given in the instructional.) Finally, the fourth piece is restored to the card, and the magician has the spectator hold the card, telling him/her that the card is only halfway restored. (You don't tell them to examine it. They are just holding it. If you're nervous here, just throw it onto a table for a second. This is what I did in performance.) The card is then taken back by the magician, and placed onto the deck. The creases are visually "flattened" out, and the magician then peels the signature off of the card and hands the signature to the spectator. The now perfectly restored card is returned to the deck (or you can let the spectator keep it... it's fully examinable.)

If another two gimmicks are made, the ironing of the creases can be done in full view without the deck. The card would just be held in the magicians hand, and he would run his other hand over it and the card would have no creases. Then the signature peeling is done.... I didn't make these gimmicks because I'm not currently wearing a jacket (it's pretty hot here), but it would make for an even more clean appearance.

PROS:
-Very good instruction on the video. The creator is very thorough and explains every detail necessary for creating the gaffs and performing this routine.

-Very visual, I think this is the most visual T&R I've seen yet.

-After restoring the third piece of card, the card can be held by that third piece, and doesn't need to be held by the half already restored. This is a pro for me because I think that really locks in that the card is "restored". I like this part

-Full restoration-- the card is in perfect "new" condition.

-Logical presentation! For the Voodoo Deck routine, there is a reason to peel off the signature and uncrease the card. I liked this routine a lot, and I will spend the time locked in a dark room drawing 52 stick figures on cards :-P

-Practical. You store the gaffs in the deck and one gaff is stored safely in your pocket. It is a practical routine for performances.

-You can reuse some of the gaffs, so you aren't wasting two and three cards per performance. This is definitely a plus, so you aren't doing the old "thinning deck" routine every time you perform a T and R.

-No false signatures, no hiding places where a signature "should be". This is a minor point, but it's just one less thing to remember in performance. You don't have to remember to block where the signature should be but isn't.


CONS:

-The gaffs were a little cumbersome to make the first time. This isn't a huge problem, because you don't have to set them up every performance. They ARE reuseable, but you're going to need to set aside 30 minutes or so the first time and just sit down with the video and follow along.

-The complex version uses gimmicks that must be rigged up in a jacket, and this is fine when it's cooler out, but in the summer this might be a little hot :-P



That's really it for the Cons. I definitely think the pros outweigh those two minor details.


OVERALL

I like it! It kills in performance, and it isn't a particularly hard version of the torn and restored card. It is also very clean in appearance, and visual as heck. I was thinking it was about an 8/10 before I made the gaffs, but when I realized that I wouldn't have to do that every time I wanted to perform, I gave it a 10/10. This is an awesome routine. Get it!

Ian

Any other questions, I'll try my best to answer them without exposing anything.

BTW- I wasn't asked to write a review by ExpertMagic, and I don't get anything from them for reviewing it or anything like that.

Ian

Hey, very cool my friend. You really make me spend lots of money :/

Time to order my copy.

"(You don't tell them to examine it. They are just holding it. If you're nervous here, just throw it onto a table for a second. This is what I did in performance.)"

Yes but in the video advertisement, once he restores the last peice, he hands it to the spectator, which feels the back of the card, near the non examinable part may I add. This gave me the impression that I could do the same. I think they should fix the video, by adding the taking out the creases then the peel off of the signature, and then show him giving the card out.

I agree--that would make the ad much more...accurate.

So, how difficult is the handling in this effect? I'm still fairly new to cards in general but this effect looks to be the smoothest. I'm trying to decide between this one and Yves 'ripped and restored'. Any suggestions/recommendations?

If you want to hand out the card for examination, with thier signature still on it, get Yves Doumergue's version. If you want easier method, but take off the signature, then get this one. You cannot hand it back to a spectator with thier signature still on it after it has been restored.

Well,

I have to say that I'm really-really dissapointed because I could not purchase this effect because Expert Magic use Paypal system now.

I hate when magic dealer use this system because this system is not accepted worldwide.

Hengky