With the upcoming release of Tenyo Elite Fortune Sticks, I figured I'd let you guys know that for quite a while now I've taken the fortune telling aspect of the Fortune Sticks to another level. I perform it at parties, gatherings and for groups. People love it.

Sure, the version I use is the regular Tenyo plastic ones ... but they work! It's what you do with those plastic sticks that make all the difference.

I wrote all the stuff out and I'll consider putting it in eBook form for those who have these or purchase the Elite version. Maybe even let the eBook be uploaded on the Elite page with some kind of password so people can download it. Who knows ... but it's cool and I figured I'd share it.

Not that it will make a huge difference for me since I already make the plastic Fortune Sticks work well for me, but the Elite version will take it all further up a notch.

Cool beans. Looking forward to getting a coulpe of sets.

Looking forward to these as well. I've pretty much worn out 2 sets of the plastic ones at this point, meaning the paint has rubbed off on some of the designs.

Would love to see your ideas.

I totally missed getting a set of the original plastic ones, but I'm looking forward to the Elite version.

Like Alexandre, I can totally see incorporating these into quick entertainment readings.

I would prefer wood over metal, however.

Philemon, in the instructions they do briefly cover a short one line fortune for you to read incorporating the reveal.

I've taken it to the next couple of levels as you can imagine. I'm sure you could also work wonders with these sticks, you should get a set.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe you can still get the plastic ones, and though I would also like to see wood over metal, I'll take metal over plastic.

Yes the plastic sets are still available.However,I am hesitant in purchasing due to complaints about the symbols fading away.Alexendre,have you experienced this?You seem to use these often...so you should know.

I agree that for most of these products being added to the Tenyo Elite line..Wood rather than Metal would be my choice also.Wood is warm and organic.Metal is cold and of course inorganic.

Rich

It looks like there some sets available on Ebay. I'll have to pick up a set and play with them.

The symbols on my plastic tenyo sticks also faded away after a few months. I hope this is not the case with the metal version.

If they're laser engraved as the write-up suggests, they should last forever.

I also like the idea of wood, but it appears to me that you would still need the plastic end caps in order to perform the effect. I think the plastic caps would look funny and odd with the wood sticks. They make sense on metal as a means of capping what is usually hollow aluminum and sharp edges. The laser etched characters will prevent fading. Overall this is a fantastic effect and I'm looking forward to the elite version.

Tdowell, is correct, the ends must be gimmicked. However we did originally play with the idea of using wood. Infact we were planning on using different colored woodes, such as a nice red wood, an obscure blue wood from across the globe etc., but found that the trick actually requires the spectators to abuse the sticks somewhat in the handling, and eventually the wooden sticks would wear very quickly, and not only did we want the Elite versions to be collectable but also be performable, durable and affordable.

Also the laser etching of the symbols will eliminate any possibility of the symbols from fading or wearing away. These will last you forever. Also the picture of our Elite edtion does not do them justice, with the look and feel of the metal ones we have created allows you to use these in a much more professional application, and can lead to much more believable story lines in regards to origin of the sticks during performance.

Plastic doesn't really allow you to stretch the story line too much, instead the Elite edition could have been aquired from a psychic testing facility, or perhaps was uses in the military during wwII, maybe they were used in some sort of weird alien experiment, or found in a museum, or forged from metal by a black smith etc etc. These are not polished, they have a gleaming yet rough and rustic look to them in person that will allow your imagination to grow when scripting a routine with the props. Again if anyone is attending the World Magic Seminar in March we urge to stop by our booth and check out the peices for yourself. Again we have our reasons for why these particular first four tricks were made of metal, but we have every intention on releasing other items in the future that will be made of wood, or brass etc.


Peter.

You could just used waxed and unwaxed ends. Shiny and not shiny, or even use burn marks from a belt sander. Think about mahogany wood with brass inlays!!!
I'm dreaming now, never happen.
James

As an owner of the Tenyo Elite Fortune Sticks I have to say I am very happy with this prop. Here's my review:

Instruction Booklet

The booklet is very well made, it's not a piece of folded paper, it is a nice little book printed on high quality glossy paper. The photos and instructions are clear. You receive excellent patter ideas that can turn this trick into a serious and respectable mentalism routine.

Case

The case is either made of leather or vinyl, I don't know, either way the case adds a touch of class and professionalism to the performance. Instead of taking the sticks out of your pocket you take out this classy looking case and slowly reveal each stick. When the trick is over you put the sticks back in the case and it looks nice and lends a sense of sophistication to your presentation.

Construction

The colorful anodized aluminum is perfect for this prop, the sticks have a great weight to them and they are durable. The original plastic version looks like a toy, the Tenyo Elite version looks like something serious and substantial. The metal sticks are much more durable than wood - I'm glad they are not made of wood.

The laser etching is fantastic because the the icons will never rub off. I doubt wood could have been etched this finely. Part of the presentation requires the spectator to rub the sticks together, some people will rub softly and some harshly, some will even accidently drop the sticks, whatever happens the durable construction will insure that the sticks will remain in good condition.

Cost

My theory is that there are many factors that contribute to the high cost of this item:

• The cost of raw materials.
  
• These props are made in North America.
  
• Small quality of props produced
  
• Precision of etching and overall machining
  

Problems?

Any time you turn your back to the spectator you run the risk of things going wrong. Any time you give props to the spectator you risk the spectator not operating them correctly. The first three times I performed this trick the spectator did not understand my instructions, it was a learning experience. Eventually I found this video of the Fortune Sticks being performed:
Click Here!
This video is great...notice the magician's hand gestures.

Negatives

The only negative attribute about the Tenyo Elite Fortune Sticks is that the yellow stick is light in color and some spectators may not be able to see the white icons against the pale yellow color.

Overall assessment

The Elite version is worth the money, you will receive durable props that will last a lifetime. Unlike many mentalism effects this effect can be repeated several times with different outcomes. It's not a coin trick, it's not a card trick, and it's not a sucker effect. The quality of these props and the suggested patter will give you several minutes of quality mentalism.

That was a very good review.

Robert

I say less instruction is better with this trick. I've tried it without having them rub the sticks together and it works fine. Even if they're suspicious there is a pattern with the colors they'll spend forever trying to find one.

The case is vinyl, no question about it.

This thread is almost one year old, time to resurrect it! I've been using the Tenyo Elite Fortune Sticks for quite a while now, and these things ROCK. I was hesitant to fork out the $100 at first, but this has been a solid investment. This is an easy mind blowing effect - I've never had anyone come close to figuring it out. Can't say enough good things about this prop.

Jim

Low lighting made it difficult to get the info with the original Tenyo Sticks. I assume this issue remains the same for the Elite version?

Yep, good lighting is a must.

Jim

Hi Todsky:

To be honest with you, in the instances where low lighting might present an issue while doing our Elite edition of "Fortune Sticks", I simply angle or slightly "rotate" the sticks back and forth so that the symbols will catch the light----if you catch my drift. lol

I suppose it would be the same if you were doing a trick with a coin or something small that you wanted them to see, and there was low light......I know that I just simply rotate the object slightly back and forth so that it can be seen a little better, and sort of cause the ambient light in the room to "hit" and/or reflect off of the object so it can be viewed. This is sort of tough to describe; I hope that I explained myself properly.

Please let us know if you have any other questions. Thank you for your time.

Best regards,

Jason Palter
Paltergeist Unlimited / Tenyo Elite
(416) 410-5766

I'm tempted. Waiting for a sale.