Straitjacket Guy,
You are gonna have so much fun with that stuff! The HMTK is great! The cutaway cuff is worth the whole thing!

Margarette

Man, that is a good plan. Get two hours of good stuff and whittle it down to one hour of GREAT entertainment. You and your partner ought to come up with a very good show!

You are right to take a pass on the ladder of swords. You can take a hunk out of your calf. The big trick to the ladder is that it has to be rock stable. It cannot move a wiggle at all! Given your physical ability AND a rock stable prop, you should be able to perform it fairly (Fairly???) safely. Honestly it is not dramatic enough to merit the risk.

I have used curiosity as an excuse to buy neat props and toys! Now, I can say, “I’m working on an act!” Hey, thanks for that!

Hi all

Again. Thanks for the words of encouragement. The cutaway cuff does look like fun Margarette. I just picked up a pair of 1960 Hiatt's to practise on as well.

I simply cannot be comfortable with 'fairly' safe Mumblepeas! At least not where swords are involved. I am sure you understand You are quite right though, it simply isn't a big enough stunt to merit the risk.

Yep. 'I am working on an act' is the BEST way to get permission to buy anything. Other excuses I have used on myself and others include 'But it is all tax deductible' and 'Stop trying to stifle my art!'

Have fun

Duncan

LOL!

I do know what you mean about “fairly” safe! The payoff for some stunts simply is not worth the risk. I have never been injured on my ladder but it is a steel contraption and I think that an earthquake would barely move it! Still and all, I haven't really performed it in a couple of years!

I am looking forward to reading what effects you narrow your show down to. Maybe I will even be lucky enough to be nearby a place you will perform and get to experience it for myself. I love this stuff!

Nice photo!

Hey SJ GUY,

Beyond the HTMK another excellent choice is the Master #21 SL, I use to show how to make one to other EA's using an American Padlock (I can not find a store that sell Master Lock #21 and I'm too lazy to drive the hour to the Master Lock HQ!) since Mark and Ian started selling it I have dropped my show and tell. All in all you have a great order there!!

Good luck in your work and remember if you need help you know where to find us all!!!

Mumblepeas covered just about everthing else I would have said so no use in repeating.

My favorite excuse to my wife, after working a day of overtime at my day job, "We weren't expecting this extra day of pay, and it's not figured into our budget so I guess I'll spend it on escapes." At which point she rolls her eyes, because she knows that even if she says,"no" I'll do it anyway and do it behind her back so that I don't have to deal with the consequences (I mean her wrath) until the end of the month when the bank statement comes.

Take Care Bro,

X

Hi all

I was wondering. How likely is it that an audience member would spot the gimmick in the Master Lock #21? I have very little experience in mis-direction, the only gimmicked anything I have ever used is a straitjacket and that is not really gimmicked in a way anyone would notice, it is just very easy to get out of. I am, therefore, used to being able to allow audience members free reign in checking my equipment. Even the glass I use in my act is always kept fresh and sharp. I just hate lying on it when it is blunt, it just doesn't feel the same.

Duncan

I bought a straitjacket a few years ago, ( I don't recall the maker, it's canvas with leather straps and roller buckles) and found the standard gaff to be completely unacceptable, so I ended up modifing it. The modification can pass a pretty close inspection and as such is nearly impossible to notice.

Second irritating thing with most straitjackets is that they look brand spankin' new, that's probably because they are. To remedy this I had to "age" it.
The reason for this is two-fold, which will become apparent soon.

To "age" the jacket I used a strong solution of tea that I placed in an old plastic spray bottle followed up with coffee... really! Then when ever I knew I was going to a set/studio or warehouse, I would put the jacket on and roll around on the floor just to get all that good dust ground into the jacket and who ever was around enjoyed the show.

Additionally I added an old-style small brass three-digit number plate -- the kind you might find on an old school locker... that too got "aged" -- on the back.

This jacket now looked the part and smelled the part. The scent is not offensive or gross, but odd.

And finally, I told people I found it in an old mental institution.

All this minimized people even wanting to touch the thing and added to the overall effect .

The Jacket now hangs on the wall much to the displeasure of some of my guests.

DA

iluznst, what a GREAT idea! And definately solves the problem of people wanting to "thoroughly inspect" the jacket. How creative.

Thanks for sharing!

~Priest~

Just to mention it...
If you want to "age" your jacket, you might want to practice on something similiar, but less expensive. Oh, I did notice those things tend to shrink a bit when placed in the dryer.

DA

When cleaning my straitjacket, I do wash it in the washing machine, but hang it on the line to dry it. I was drying my straitjacket one day when I was introducing myself to my new back yard neighbors. I'm sure they wondered what type of neigborhood they were moving into!

Most of the guys I know who have "aged" straitjackets hanging about stained them the old-fashioned way(!) They certainly had an "odd" odor about them. My pet peeve is gimmicked straitjackets that have vinyl or "faux leather" - definitely not strong enough material to "confine the criminally insane."

Hi Victor

You said....

"stained them the old-fashioned way"

Care to explain. Then again, maybe not. Sounds like I might not like the answer.

Duncan

"stained them the old-fashioned way", they were probably pushing to hard...

Ohh Kehy,

Now that I managed regain my composure... heh heh...

When I get a chance, I post a picture of my jacket up on the web somewhere.

One certainly needs to start with a real regulation type jacket. Also, it doesn't hurt to have a few of those leather rivits and a die to secure them. You will inevitably pop a few of them if you already haven't.

DA

Hi everyone

Last night I 'won' a straighjacket in an auction [also some De-val [?] handcuffs and thumbstraps were in the same lot]

I was told it was gaffed but I have not idea what to look for to see if it is - having never seen a real SJ - the seller wasn't present to ask either.

Does anyone have any advice / tips ??

Thanks

Jax

HI Jax

You Said...

"Last night I 'won' a straighjacket in an auction [also some De-val [?] handcuffs and thumbstraps were in the same lot]"

Post a couple of pictures and I *should* be able to tell you what it is. No Guarantees but I will give it a go.

Where do you find auctions with lots like that??????

Duncan

I think I'm going to add some auction technology to my new site, maybe it'll take off.

I have one Straitjacket very good and never use, It cost 450 euro!

Paulo