Traveling Tips in Dan Harlan's BandShark video gets great reactions for me, because its literally in the hands of the spectator.

I also love Stargazer. The emotional effect it has , served me well. I found in an obscure store somewhere in Asia a set of pre shaped bands that come in the form of rabbits, dogs cats monkeys , pigs etc... Best of all its color coded.

Rannie

I would also give Stargazer my vote....People love it....

Yep crazymans handcuffs is the only rubberband trick I learnt how to perform

CMH

Great and simple!

Michael Ammar considers CMH a "classic rendition" ... and gives several tips on how to make the effect a classic part of any magic rountine in his book The Magic of Michael Ammar. Although the book is pricey. it's well worth all the other things you can learn as well as this classic rendition.

CMH! It's my favorite. It never fails to amaze my audience every time I perform it.

The boomerang band is probably about the most impressive effect you could do with a band, but it is also pretty difficult. In the right hands its really cool.

I don't agree that rubberbands are less elegant than other props. In fact, their very ordinary familiar appearance can increase the magic feelings when the "impossible" happens. My vote for the second best effect is "up and down the ladder" by Dan Harlan. This one really gets a great response from the average spectator when performed with a good story line. My original patter involves a trip on "Magic Airlines." "Keep your hands and feet inside the plane at all times; don't forget your luggage; and thank you for flying Magic Airlines!"
Amazing Stephen

Rubberbands' lack of elegance is what makes them so strong for impromptu magic. I don't wear a ring, so I keep a couple of keyrings in my pocket and use them for Pinnacle and what have you. The nice thing about them is that people think you must be threading the bands onto the rings the "normal" way, but if you end with something like the Pinnacle "miracle finish"--which happens instantly and without any "moviness"--their jaws drop.

-Travis

I've only recently got into rubber band magic myself, it's a great area of magic if you want something really close up, visible and impromtu. I like crazy man's handcuffs and use it to end a routine. I also do a bitten and restored band as an opener (partly due to the set up)which is great as the spectator looks for a switch of band which doesn't happen and you end totally clean.

It would be quite possible to introduce a few band tricks into other magic by using the bands to e.g. wrap a pack of cards. Which reminds me, "The encyclopeadia of rubber band magic" from magictrcicks (UK) has the above tricks plus some great ones with cards and bands.

Yeah, I too like crazy man's handcuffs.

My advice: Take it beyond CMH (a good trick in itself) you've got 2 rubberbands out anyway, you can do several (dozens) amazing tricks in a rather short time. Band magic is such a good effect (in my mind) because when people see you take out, or borrow them they can get the idea:"stupid". then after 5 seconds they are only astonished. It's a great thing. Don't stop with only one band trick!

Crazy mans handcuffs (the only rubberband trick I know)

My favorite rubber band trick to perform is definitely "The Hothouse Effect" in which a small rubber band grows three times its size when placed in a transparent sandwich bag. Believe it or not, I discovered this in what is supposedly just a kid's magic book: "Amazing Magic" by Bill Severn! It's so easy to do, and in my opinion looks pretty amazing. And as opposed to "Crazy mans handcuffs", I have yet to see it in anyone else's repertoire.

Walter,

As Vinsmagic mentioned, the effect is called "The Boomerang Rubber Band" and was from a 3-trick booklet by Chris Kenner published in 1990 called "Band Across the Globe". However, the effect is way older than that booklet. I seem to recall that Dai Vernon discussed seeing a Mexican doing the effect in a bar in Mexico way back when (the 1920s?).

Hope this info helps.

Mike

"Band Across the Globe" not heard of by many people- but it does have three very good effects within its covers! Turk, just out of curiosity where did you get it? I picked mine up second hand- still trying the boomerang band! I'm sure I'll get it one day- focus!


David

My girlfriend does this pretty well, she just HAD to learn it.

CMH!! I second and third those opinions!

I also love CMH. But I love Pinnacle even more. Once you learn it, it's hard to put down the ring and rubberband and try to make new moves and displays. Plus, it's always cool to be able to do it with someone else's ring!