Hi all,

I need to know if a really nice professional model of Sword thru neck is available on the market?

Please don't mention the following which are not good and wrongly built:

- with the circular metal stock which go round the neck and expose the actual method
- the Indian model which is very small and not durable

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Best

The short answer is no. The only real professinal model was Dante Sword Through Neck. Unfortunately it is no longer available. Maybe you can find a second hand one but I rarely see them up for sale. About 20 years ago these sold for $1400.

I recently started using Choppo by Jimmy Fingers. It is a wrist chopper but it doesn't look like most wrist choppers. What's great about it is that the sword and boards are fully examinable. You could probably present a similar routine to a Sword Through Neck.

This model will serve you well.

http://www.abbottmagic.com/Sword-Thru-Ne......oryId=-1

Bill Hegbli is right.

Yes I have this one also.

Thank you all for your input.

Bill, could please tell ih the prop you suggest is hinged both halves or do they completely separate?

I hope you understand my question.

Best,

You can always bedazzle the edge around the stocks. Just buy some black felt, hot glue it to the edge then hot glue large rhinestones to that. The felt runs across the front and the audience can not see any openings, there is just a slit in the felt.

They come completely apart Soleil
Todd

I just purchased the Pro Deluxe Sword thru Neck - apparently made in India. It set me back $110. I was afraid to buy one of the $60 dollar ones. Well, when the sword emerges from the stocks, it comes out at about a 30 degree angle. It should be perpendicular to the stocks. I contacted the dealer, who told me that are all like that (he said he checked several in his stock). He says he checked with the manufacturer, and they said they're all like that, but no one will ever notice when you're performing. It seems it's difficult to find a decent made prop anymore.

I wanted to buy the Abbotts model, everyone I talked with said that's the way to go ($200). However, they are out of stock and don't know when they will be available.

Jim

Jim you're holding a jigsaw in your avatar.

You could use that to fix the problem even though it should have been made better to begin with.

Add a 1/2 piece of wood on the front of the stocks with the least amount of room that still allied the sword to emerge. What that does is add to the exit angle so the tip of the sword has more stabilizer material which guides the blade straight.

The other consideration is the type sword. The two basic types (on the lower end versions) either have the tape on the outside or on the inside. The mechanics effect how the blade handles.

Maybe I'll look into making a version that actually works well except that I usually get cheap magicians who don't see the value in props and only look at the price. They say "how much? I'll stick with the elcheapo." No! Now that I think about it, I would invest hours researching the metal and how to compensate for the extra material used around a bend, and how to justify it so each piece doesn't stretch the tape too much... just to have two people buy the thing so it's really not worth my time.

Just keep replacing the tape every 4 shows and whatever model you have will do the job. The audience should only see the blade for 3 or 4 seconds anyway while you yell "oh no" or they start to analyze the construction. The real magic (theater) is centered on the expression of the face, of the volunteer, and the build-up to the actual act is the drama. This is theatre, after all.

Thanks Jay, much appreciated. I ended up putting a round toothpick (yes, a toothpick) between the pivot points of the hinge on one side. This pretty much did exactly what you said. It works perfect and looks perfect. We'll see how it holds up. Thanks again, Jim

I've seen this illusion exposed in major media for so many times. I wonder if this still qualifies as an illusion... if everyone knows about it.

I doubt very much everyone knows about it. Yes, it still plays very well. The last time I used it, the guy was freaked out, he could not take his eyes off the blade below his chin. Priceless.

The problem is (as with a lot of props after the 60s)
People are getting bigger so the wood stock models fit kids but not always adults.

Hello, I would like to ask for help concerning the Dante's Sword Through Neck:
I bought a used one for a reasonable price and it seems to be in quite good condition, however it came without a description.
Well, I do know the principle how-to and the secret, but either I am missing something or there seems to be a problem - I can't get the "real" blade out of the sheath?
I can see that it is in there, but alas totally, i.e. it is not protruding even an inch and I can therefore also not grasp it with a pincer.
Is there a special procedure to do so or do you think I simply have a problem?
The gimmick is no problem to get out.
Any help would be much appreciated.