Greetings,

I'm looking for a low-tech method for penetrating a bead off of a length of string, preferably either very visually OR in a participants closed hand.

I'm open to all suggestions, including sleight of hand and "false th******g", yet fancy and overly complicated gimmicks, or pipe-dream methods need not apply... Just looking for something direct and to-the-point.

Bead... String... Bead on string... Bead penetrates string. Make sense?

Admittedly, it's been a long while since I've worked with string/rope penetrations, so I'm not up on the best methods to make this feat possible.

Could someone kindly point me in the right direction, or send me a PM with a preferred working/method, it would be very much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

~ Nyama ~

How about the Clifton ring move? The bead replaces the ring.

How about the spirit nut? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95_AN0mIhqw
Easily changed to be on instead of off.

0pus,

thank you for your reply and suggestion... I will definitely check that out.

Tonsofquestions,

I appreciate the suggestion, yet the routine I'm working on uses an ungimmicked clay bead, thus using a gimmicked nut is unfortunately out of the question. Thank you though.

I'm still open to other methods and possibilities, so keep 'em coming brothers and sisters.

Many thanks.

How big is the bead?

Like a big bead that fills the palm of a hand or tiny like pea?

-Mary Mowder

Check Dean Dill's NANA'S NECKLACE.

Hi Mary,

The bead is going to be a little smaller than your average marble... The hole in the bead can be large or small, it doesn't matter since I'm making the beads myself by hand.

Pete,

Will do, thank you kindly for the suggestion sir!

Many methods. Best one depends on what will come next or what came before.

Do you plan on putting it back on? Will the bead or string be used in another effect? Are there other objects on the string?

Okito's Ring-O comes to mind, a ring is threaded on a string. The string is handed to a spectator to hold, one end in each hand. The ring is covered with a handkerchief or just with the magician's hand. The bead falls from the magician's hand holding the string.

As suggested without knowing what you are trying to accomplish, and the before and after movements or effects, it is impossible to advise a method.

Funsway,

Thank you for your questions... Simply put, from the participant's view: the bead gets "threaded" onto the string and then magically comes off the string, having penetrated it. That's it, nothing before and nothing after (all under the guise of a meaningful story). As I mentioned above I prefer either a very visual penetration, or one that happens in the participant's hand (presumably closed around the bead)... Or instead the participant can hold the ends of the string? What I'm saying is, that I would also like methods which incorporate the participation of the participant.

The bead will not go back on (although you have now given me and idea for an alternative ending to the story). The bead and string will not be used in any other effect. It is a stand alone piece only to be performed when the situation is relevant and presents itself to the occasion. There are no other objects on the string. Hope that helps iron out some of the details for you.

Bill,

Thank you kindly for your reply and suggestion, I shall check that out, as it very much sounds like what I'm looking for. Is the ring or string in Okito's Ring-O gimmicked in any way? Or is it just straight sleight of hand?

As I stated in my original post, all my effect consists of is: Bead... String... Bead goes on string... Bead penetrates string.

Nothing comes before or after that sequence. Essentially looking for the best method for penetrating a bead from a string, that is what I am striving to accomplish. No effects come before it, and none will come after it. It's very simple, yet the story carries the piece like a drum into the hearts and minds of the participants.

OK - a modification I use for an ending with CCC can work.

Threaded bead lies on left fingers with cord dangling on either side. Bead is picked up by right fingertips with dangling cord and placed in spectator's hand.
Both of your hands are completely empty. The ends of the cord are pulled by anyone and the lone bead is left in their hand.

No hand wrap, no hiding of the bead, no playing with the ends -- nada. A spectator can thread the bead at the beginning.

Bead would have to be larger than a grape and smaller than a walnut.

If desired, write me at funsway@eversway.com for details

Not pure sleight of hand, but a subtlety, no gimmicks or anything but the string and ring, or in your case a bead and string. The method should make you smile each time you do it.

Magic Inc. sells it, I just looked if it is still available, I got the name wrong, it is called RINGER.

http://www.magicinc.net/ringerbyokito.aspx

Good suggestion BIll, though I didn't think he wanted a handkerchief. I thought that was in Tarbell somewhere.

The advantage of different approaches is in case of repeat showings for the same audience group.

Funsway,

That sounds great! Email sent...

Bill,

Thank you for the source location... I'll check it out now.

Appreciate all the great and diverse suggestions.

If you go back and read my post more attentively, you will notice the words, OR HAND

It is not necessary to use a handkerchief. When I had it 40 years ago, I preformed it without the hanky. Back then it came with clear plastic rings, and piece of thick string. Can't remember if I still have it, think so, but I would have to hunt for it.

I don't believe it is in Tarbell, it was printed in the Okito book 2nd edition that Magic Inc. printed back then. I believe they are no longer in print or available.

There are lots of methods! However, if you limit yourself to a "bead" instead of a finger ring, there aren't as many. If you have a small bead, the methods that I think of, and that can be put in the spectators hand, will use 2 strings or a loop of string. If you use finger rings, there are more options using just a single string.

Dean Dill's NANA'S NECKLACE is a prop that you would need to buy, and I believe that it is a nicely gimmicked version of the grandmothers necklace principle (which can be found in Wilson's complete course, p258), but may not fit in your bead. For the non-commercial version (p258), you would thread a pair of strings through the bead, you could then have the the rope tied in a knot across the threaded-bead. This could be laid in the spectators open palm, and you could make the bead penetrate at any time (or with some spectator management, the spectator could initiate the penetration)

Depending on your need, you could also thread other beads on both sides of the first, and only the middle bead will penetrate.

Another approach is to put the threaded bead into a clear plastic box, with the ends hanging out of separate holes(in the box). This may not fit your patter, but it does create a nice visual image of the bead being left in the box, and the strings completely free of the bead and the box. Again, this could be placed in the spectators hands, and either you of the spectator could invoke the penetration by simply pulling on the strings.


Another method uses an ungimmicked loop of string fairly threaded through the bead, you could have the spec hold the bead, you would stand in front of him, grab the 2 protruding ends, tug, and the string is free of the bead. Just that simple, but there are modest angle issues. I learned this method as a young boy, and used it to have the loop penetrate my neck - it is very startling. Some books use it to penetrate through a button hole. If you like this, I could find a reference (in a child's magic book), or send you instructions - it is not at all hard to do, but it may be hard to describe in words.

The Cliffton ring move can be found in Wilson's book, p262, this can use a single string, but the magic would be happening in your hand.
(unless you transfer the bead and string into the specs hands/closed fist, after you secretly did the penetration)

John

The link that Bill provided *reads* the same as "Metal ring on a string", Tarbell V1 p137. The ring is fairly threaded onto the string; the dirty work is done under the hank; the hank is removed and the ring is seen to now be knotted on the string; but in fact the ring can easily, even openly, be completely removed from the string while the spec holds the ends of the string.

I'm otherwise not familiar with the commercial effect that Bill referenced. In my opinion, the Tarbell method allows the spec to hold the ends of the string (not the bead), but requires a hank and a finger ring. I think it would be just too hard to do the moves with a small a bead.


John

If you have George Anderson's Magic Digest, check his bit about the block penetrating a rope. I do a routine with a big glass bead on a string. It starts with the bead on the string, but if you practice you can do the setup in front of people.

Pm if you want more than that.

Patrick

Mr. W:

Do you think you could hide the work when using a small bead(smaller than an average marble)?

The same method can be found in the Ency of Rope Tricks p333


John