Wait!! I can't leave that typo uncorrected. Really I am not THAT old (It just feels like it some times. And though he loved a good magic trick now and then Caesar Clodius Albinus did not live long enough to enjoy many of them back then -- LOL) My pins date to 1968 or 1967 at the earliest, not 196 AD as mistyped above.

yay! I've been devouring great swathes of the (public) boards here for the last week and this is the first mention of my friend Jerry.

I was beginning to worry.

I see that his version of the linking pins still available via Chazpro. did they do them justice?

I've seen Barry Fernelius (a member here) do the linking pins at the Magic Castle. Perhaps he'll chime in.

I bought my set many, many years ago in St. Louis from the man himself, along with original instructions, and then bought a second set as a backup.

Did the same with the Bruce Bernstein pins. When I met Tony Slydini he showed me his linking pins, and, for some reason, his version didn't trip my trigger. Go figure...considering that I believe Tony was THE MASTER OF MISDIRECTION.

I like Jerry Andrus' Pins best...they are fun.

Yeah Rick! Back about 1985, I was touring Oregon and I spent an absolutely delightful weekend with Jerry Andrus. I think he called his home the 'CASTLE OF CHAOS' (or something close to that) --Jerry's domicile reminded me of Jay Marshall's "nest"! (and my apartment, too)

I had seen his delightful "stuff" at a convention, but we now had two and a half days to GET ACQUAINTED!, share theories (and practical performance techniques).

As you are well aware, his philosophy was a bit different, and it was obvious that he had done his homework. Jerry didn't just buy "tricks" at a magic shop!

I enjoyed every minute of our "mini-convention", and I will never forget that weekend!


PS::: I still do PIFF PAFF POOF~~~and all the other pin bits. After a half century, that "stuff" STILL PLAYS!
I first 'picked up' Stewart James' SEFALALJIA from Denny Loomis back in '64, and the early "pin" version of Stewart's clasic principle "fits right in" with PPP.

I prefer the Bob Sheets routine. Most of the usual routines use 3" pins. I use 4" pins which you can find occasionally on Ebay.

If anyone has a set, or even an incomplete of the original Slydini Pins, that they are prepared to part with, please PM me. They were made of brass and three inches long.

Happy to pay cash or trade for an original set of Jerry Andrus pins. The original Andrus pins were manufactured using a different process than modern day safety pins and work better for the Andrus handlings.

I too own Dreamweaver and have found it to be a great routine! I only got to perform it once, since my gimmick broke shortly after.

I need advice on how to fix it, but I can't reveal my specific issue without risking exposure. So, if any one here thinks that they may be able to help me out, please shoot me a private message!

I've been performing safety pin routines for over thirty years. I learned the Andrus routine from Jerry Andrus himself back in April of 1982. Within the next year, I learned the Slydini routine from my friend and mentor Tony Borillo. I've also studied routines and ideas by Dan Garrett, Hans van Senus, and Bruce Bernstein. Here are a few random thoughts about the pins:

1. The large safety pins that are available at fabric shops are made of steel or sometimes nickel-plated steel. The older pins (like my original sets of Andrus pins) were plated brass. When you're making any of the popular pin gimmicks, I've found that the brass core pins seem to work better than the steel pins.

2. The gimmick for the Slydini pins is one that you can make yourself, with a bit of thought and care, provided that you have the right equipment. (I won't say anything further about this gimmick.)

3. The best Andrus-style gimmicks are the older ones that Jerry made. If you're interested in that type of pin gimmick, you should hunt for an old set of the Andrus pins. (I have several sets myself.)

4. In my opinion, the Slydini routine has important lessons about attention/relaxation and about properly framing the effect. The other important lesson that I learned from Tony Borillo was the proper way to undetectably switch out the gimmicked pin.

5. The best and most magical linking sequence is done with the Andrus pin, where the gimmicked pin is hanging on another pin. With a tap, the pins link, instantly and visibly. This looks like real magic. That's why my routine incorporates the Andrus pin.

6. Most pin routines that I've seen are too long and use too many pins. Most pin routines repeat the link/unlink idea too many times, and this blunts the impact of the effect. Most of the time, I do the linking pins as my opener, and the routine has five effects in a row in the space of about two minutes. I use two pins for the first three effects, and one pin and a handkerchief for the last two effects.

7. One of the problems with the pin routine is building the effect to a suitable climax. In my opinion, the pin sliding along the handkerchief is a great ending for the routine. It provides a real exclamation point.

8. Throughout the routine, there should be playful interaction with the audience. Otherwise, the pin routine can become what Eugene Burger calls "the adventure of the props in the magician's hands."

9. Finally, the pin routine needs a short sentence to set it up, the routine itself, and then a final tag line. In other words, it needs a definite beginning, middle, and end. (Don't laugh; I've seen a lot of magic that doesn't have any sense of beginning/middle/end.)

I am still looking for a set, complete or incomplete of the original Slydini BRASS pins.

I have made a spare set from a set of Andrus pins and have another set of the original Andrus pins that I would be happy to trade for Slydini brass ones.

Thanks in advance if you can help.

They sure did! If you want the Andrus pins, they're here:

http://www.chazpro.com/servlet/Detail?no=156

Doug

WINTER STORM WARNING in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan today. I'm keeping warm by surfing the web (I think that's the appropriate term).

Just re read Barry Fernelius' post above. >>>

Yes...too many pin routines earn the Chinese billing: ON TOO LONG. (An artist is one who can do many things, but, has the self restraint to do less.) It's so easy to become "greedy with a principle". Remember the quote from Somerset Maugham? "...he asked if I liked card tricks. I said, 'NO!'...he did six!..."

INTERACTION! INVOLVEMENT! Amen! Without it, you'll soon be: "playing to the haircuts"!!!

Also, I reread SPELLBINDER's post above.>>>

Right, Walt. I started with PPP in the early '50s. I still have the "original pins"! I learned to do the "inviaible zipper" in the handkerchief, and the other pin removal from the "rolled" handkerchief. That's IT! When they "demand" an encore, I do SEFALALGIA the way Stewart James first described it.

I've enjoyed Jerry Andrus' doing his routine. It's great. I've not seen the other gaffed routines mentioned. But, I'll stick with what I do. It works! --and I aint about to fix it!

Ken Brooke had one of the funniest routines with a pin I have ever seen.

He would take an ungimmicked pin and have a spectator hold the corners of a handkerchief out in front of him, tightly.

Ken would insert the pin, close it, and say that he would be able to move the pin from one end to the other across the top of the handkerchief without tearing the handkerchief. This is a standard trick. What Ken would do would be tear the handkerchief, as it would rip all away across, then he would unpin it turn handkerchief a quarter turn tried again run across the handkerchief, tearing it again, whoops wait a minute I'll try it again. He would unpin it turn the handkerchief again rip across tearing it the third time one last chance this time he would run across it would be perfect it would go over without tearing it. Then he would stop and say I'm glad this didn't happen, an run back the opposite direction and tear the handkerchief again.

It's best to have a handkerchief that you loan somebody to do it with unless you really know the person and don't think they'll be upset by it.

Believe me this in Brooke's hands (and mine on occasion) is a really really funny routine.

That is a funny idea with actually tearing the fabric. It would not fit me but I do borrow jackets of heavier fabrics (like jean jackets and cotton jackets) from time to time and do the moving pin bit. Jeff McBride details a handling of this in his 3 DVD set, Magic At the Edge, and on there it is called "Shark Fin Pin".

These days I am still using the Andrus Pins, Slydini Pins and Dreamweaver in performances. As of this writing, there was a recent release by Chris Mayhew called Safety, which is his take/additions to the plot. I have not seen his methodology it so I cannot comment on it, but the some parts in the demo would remind you of Pindemonium (Dan Garrett) and thusly, Dreamweaver.

Pete,

At an auction I bought Ken's routine called "For Two Pins", dated 1949 and that bit of business is described. Back then most men carried a cloth pocket handkerchief, and I can only imagine the consternation that Ken would cause with that gag. The quality of the manufacture of safety pins back then was so superior to today's pins.

If anyone has a spare set of the 3" Slydini brass pins, I'm still looking.

@Quentin: As to the quality of old safety pins - well said! I have also noticed that some older pins were also much thicker in gauge.

As for the Slydini pins, I have two sets I am not willing to part with but I have a friend who recently offered a set for sale - I will check to see if he still has them available. In the meantime, post a WTB in the "Tricks & Effects for Sale or Trade" section of the Café.

Dick Oslund:

Florida's nice in February, isn't it?

Also, Dick, if it wasn't for my Andrus Linking Pins, I might not have my Delben Linking Coathangars!

Somehow, I knew it would be too cold and snowy for the road.....that's why I haven't made it up to Escanaba to see you....

Also in Barry Fernelius post part #7... "the pin sliding along the handkerchief is a great ending for the routine. It provides a real exclamation point."
I include that phase also but like to end on a comedy note by saying; These pins are so easy to link I can even link them behind my back. And then do just that by bringing them out with one pin permanetly linked into the other ones loop on the end & both of them bent all to h*** & back. ;>) (Can`t recall where I read it.)

Have fun,
John

I think the handkerchief roll-up move with the pin was shown to me 30 plus years ago by Bill Coomer in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. I'm not sure where Bill got the move but he was an avid student of magic and got Epilogue, The Chronicles, etc.

I may be wrong, but, I think that Bill credited Lin Sarles (?) for the move.

FYI Bill was one of the first magicians ever to do in-store magic for WalMart Stores.

This is a GREAT version of the linking pins.... Best impromptu version ive seen!!!!!! CHris is a good friend of mine and not only does this get great reactions but it looks even better in person!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcACTUTHrHw