I'm just curious as to whether or not any of you are performing the Color Changing Knives for PAID PERFORMANCES, and if so, which particular routine you prefer?

Also, I'm interested to see if any you use or are otherwise familiar with Matt Schulien's Color Changing Knife routine?

I use the color changing knifes for my close up. for many years now. my routine is based on the m. skinner routine but slightly altered. Iam Not Familiar with the Matt Schulien routine.

Hi Rainboguy,

I use the knives all the time! Based on a line of the late Ron Wilson, "Did anyone lose a white knife," I developed my "Foot in the Door" routine that appears in my first set of lecture notes.

Many have stated that the question approach is quite cliched, but I make money with my routine.

Respectfully,

Paul Green

Paul>>>>
Thank you! I've used the "Did anyone lose a white knife" for many years--especially for walk-a-rounds--(hospitality suites, golf outings, picnics, pre-banquet cocktail parties, etc. I use a very simple routine, (I'm still using the old Ed Drane knives! I have 3. A white, a black, and the basic gaff.) I do the old "wrap the knife in right pants leg with a steal out. In the right pocket is the straight. I let them hold it (they do "examine it"! I go south with the gaff. I can do a knife thru coat or a card stab. At the next "stop" I finish with the same move but over the other pocket. This time it's the other straight. Folks who talk about it, often mention that they held the black OR the white.

The question may be a cliché for magicians, but NOT to the laymen.

Ha! I forgot to mention why the THANK YOU! It's because I couldn't remember from whom I got the "Did you lose/" line.

Gentlemen:

Thank you so much for your responses! The reason I asked the two-part question is that:

1. I've never performed the Color Changing Knives "For The Money", but, rather, for friends, family, and other magicians.....but I am curiously interested in performing it "For The Money" because..

2. When I had the privilege of seeing Matt Schulien perform for "Civilians" during a visit to Schulien's in Chicago in 1965, it FOREVER changed my thinking about performing Magic. Matt's card tricks were terrific, but his Color Changing Knife Routine was SPECTACULAR........and it's in The Matt Schlien book written by Phil Wilmarth. I would SERIOUSLY recommend this book for all serious students of Close-Up Magic...KILLER Book!

Interestingly, Matt used a Black, White, B/W and Black/Red knife for his "standard" routine and also occasionally used a broken knife which he switched in and out, too.

20 years later, in 1985 in Las Vegas, I met Scotty York at a Desert Magic Seminar and bought a set of his Color Changing Knives and Routine from him......and I didn't even stop to realize at that point that the knives were spec'd exactly the same as the Matt Schulien knives.....(colors...not design).

So, at this point, I'm in pretty good shape for Color Changing Knives with a complete Juan Tamariz set with which I can perform a "Rainbow of Knives" routine, a Scotty York set and his routine (as well as Matt's Routine using the same knives), and a set of Whit Haydn Color Changing Knives and Whit's "Intricate Web of Distraction" Routine.....

I don't know about you, but I put A LOT of time in researching a trick and it's performance variables before I make the plunge and decide to "ring it in."

One of the great things about The Magic Café is the variety of perspectives you get from fellow Magicians........Thank You!