Hello All. Curious how many of you use "Pull" accessories for vanishing items? If you do, what do you recommend as the best material for an effective pull vanish? Something as invisible as possible, but strong. Do you use elastic? Any special kind of string or thread? Interested in your thoughts out there, thanks!

I use black elastic from Penguin.
http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S12747


Dave

Thanks Dave. Curious where how you attach it for best results? Is the "vanish" end attached to the item itself or do you use some other device?

Decades ago I used a rubber band

I'm guessing it would still drop jaws.

KISS

The Pull Book by Patrick Page is well worth a look.

http://www.lybrary.com/the-pull-book-p-53995.html

A visit to Fabricland will get you Black Elastic cord which is what I use.

Hi Thannah

For an effective approach that is similar to a pull, but does not require an elastic, I suggest you research John Cornelius' Pendulum Principle.

Julie

@Stperformer:
Great little book, I picked it up from Lybrary a while back.


Dave

True, but do the elastic bands last longer than the rubber bands?

You don't need to use elastic. I have one made from string. It's a simplified form of the "lamp chimney" pull described in "Amateur Magician's Handbook" - no pulleys or straps are needed.

Barry

Thanks for the reminder of J. C.'s Upside Down approach

To all that I those here in the Café that remind me of things long forgotten -Thank You.

Yes you are correct in the longevity statements.
I was just being nostalgic.

Any thoughts on circle elastic hair bands?

@Julie,

Did did a search on John Cornelius' Pendulum Principle, the first link was to llepub, and it showed a picture.

Sure enough, it's sitting right here on my bookshelf. How easily we forget things that we already have.

Thanks Julie,


Dave

Great responses and ideas all - thanks!

I have used the "disMbody" principle for years. It is a pull approach that can be either static or active as desired and not connected to the body at all times.

So, the "pull" material might vary according to application, but normally not elastic. Black thread or clear usually.

My favorite is "Five Smooth Stones" in which a selected stone visibly changes to a silk of the same color in the air.
Nothing is connected to the body until moments before the stone is to vanish.

Second best is a CR of a metal chain necklace using wire cutters. The necklace is handled by spectators.
The Handling of the wire cutters both loads the required extra chin loop into the hands and facilitates the vanish -
though nothing is ever attached to the body.

The point is, don't limit yourself to traditional uses of a commercial pull. The principle is the key, not the materials employed.

Just a point on your question about materials. You can combine a thin, strong harder-to-see line (like a clear fishing line) with elastic so the elastic provides the tension, but is never in view.

Random thought alert: Haven't thought of this in years...this post reminded me...back in the stone age when I was a kid, I made a sleeve pull for coin vanishes. It was a metal disc on elastic and covered with a mix of bees wax and non drying Plasticine clay that a coin could stick to but not dry out or lose its adhesive quality (today we'd just use something like funtack, but in prehistoric days it was strictly DIY). You classic palmed the disk...stick the coin to it...relax your palm and the coin was gone.

I think I still have it somewhere....

Dave, I remember Don Alan using this approach with sticky stuff on a concealed metal disk attached to an elastic in a trick sold by Ireland's/Magic Inc., but I've forgotten what he called it...?

Julie

Ah those were the days.
Back when I knew next to nothing about magic.
35 years later I know even less.

I don't know if you can still get this.....but InrediGo by Al Cohen. It's a pull (sorta)

Do any of you remember this?

Fooled me when I first saw it (which was a little while ago

I've used the elastic and the pendulum. They both have their relative advantages and disadvantages. The pendulum didn't work with a particular costume I had, for instance. Also, depending on what you're doing, a TopIt can be a wonderful thing.

Yes, that's what I was referring to above.

I used to have one of these pull devices when I was a kid, one attached to a coin, and one like a black rubber egg to vanish small objects like handkerchiefs and sponge balls. They were fun, but the best thing in this class of things for me was, "The Vanishing Shot Glass." That was an amazing trick that creatively used this method of things.