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Hi,

I want to start practicing cigarrette magic.

I went out and bought a pack a few days ago, Richmond i think they were, but they were flimsy (maybe all cigarrettes are like that). I don't have enough money to buy a pack of all the different ones so could anyone recommend a brand to use?

Thanks,
Matthew

I think they are all about the same.....depending on what you need them to do, you can make them more sturdy by sticking a pin or a peice of a straightened paper clip up the middle of them.....this will make them firmer. but like I said, depending on what you want to do with them, this may not work for you....

Do you smoke? I don't but I bought a pack to practise cigarette magic with mostly sleights and for use with cig thru coin but I found out a rolled up money note works just as well.
Theres a trick in Paul Zenon's Dirty Tricks book which isn't actually a magic trick but its a way to laugh at your smoker friends and he says to put a unfolded paperclip down the length of a cigarette and then hand it to your friend to light and smoke and because of the unfolded paperclip the ash sticks to it and doesn't drop off like it would do. Haven't tried this but he said it looks amusing.

Misanthropy wrote:...put a unfolded paperclip down the length of a cigarette and then hand it to your friend to light and smoke and because of the unfolded paperclip the ash sticks to it and doesn't drop off like it would do.

I'm a smoker, and sincerely there are 3 things about this joke (not a trick as you said) that I want to say. Some guys use to do that (with me too)

1) When you make a trick, for instance, one of the objectives is create a good 'mood'... for you and for the 'subject'. With this joke the smoker don't think that's really fun! Creating an image, is like smash a pie in somebody's face. Kind of funny... but just for you!

2) When you put some substance in somebody's mouth and you don't know if is safe or not... hmmm.. not a good idea. Putting a paperclip in a cigarrette is the same... burns some metals and let somebody inhalate it... not a good idea too.

3) To make that joke (not a trick) you have to take somebodys cigarrette without permission and damage it... many people don't like to lose money to make fun for others!

The good news is, yes.. it works... the cig is all someked and the ashes don't drop off. As a smoker two things to say: Never start to smoke and don't do that joke unless you reeeeeeally know the person.

If you can find Lucky Strikes Matt, then use them. They're a bit pricey but they're pretty sturdy.

I find I can hold one palmed whilst doing various things without scrumpling it up

Hope that helps

I'll have a look around for lucky strikes, thanks.

I don't smoke but I don't think a rolled up note would have the same sort of effect as a cigarrette, I'll definately practice with it though while I haven't got any cigarrettes. I'll also give the paperclip a try if I can't find lucky strikes.

Thanks for all your help,
Matthew

I think I'd find another item to perform with if I'm not a smoker myself. Some other thing that enables me to stay in character. There's a subtle, but very obvious, difference between how smokers and non smokers handle cigarettes that could make it look weird.

A rolled up bill is good. Why not a finger cookie, with the added benefit of offering it to someone after punching it through a coin (your own karate cookie). Chopsticks, toothbrush, lots of oblong things out there.

Of course, this all depends on what effect you want to create. If you need a burning, suckable stick you can use to produce smoke then I guess cigarettes are your best choice.

I'm all for Prince myself, nice and firm things.

I'm a smoker and usually smoke the longer king size cigs, however for cigarette manipulation the ordinary length is much easier to work with without flashing. Richmond are available in king size so maybe check you got the shorter ones. also I know you can get regal brand in "filter tip?" size which are much shorter again, just dont try smoke them, they're pretty foul!

The cigarette ash trick is not a joke as far as I know.
I always thought it was done as a challenge to see who could make their ash stay on the longest rather than a gag. Although a simple trick, if this is the case isn't this exposure?

Keith Clark's Celebrated Cigarettes
Ron Jaxon's Outsmokin

Are available at Trickshop and Lybrary respectively.

Im not a regular smoker (not that I dont have a smoke from time to time), but I think dangerous metals from a paperclip are the least of your worries when you suck back all that tar, nicotine, and cyanide.

I've been using Marlboro Reds for my sleights-- they're the standard size, and pretty sturdy...
The filter is gold, which contrasts nicely with the rest of the body... So when I hold it for vanishes, etc.. I like to hold the lighting end so the contrast between the tip and the paper stands out (as opposed to blending in with my hand)

They may not sell Marlboro's in the UK ... I don't know!!

I got a pack of lucky strikes earlier (pack of 10 was about the same as a pack of 10 richmond) from this shop in town which has a wall of cigarettes!

It turns out that, now having learned a couple of sleights, I was probably just being too picky

MattVonFat wrote:I got a pack of lucky strikes earlier (pack of 10 was about the same as a pack of 10 richmond) from this shop in town which has a wall of cigarettes!

The tobacconist on Lloyds Avenue?

Hehe... apparently you used to go to school with my girlfriend... adn I met you briefly at the IMS
If you ever want to bat some ideas about for cigarette tricks, drop me a PM

Hehe... apparently you used to go to school with my girlfriend... adn I met you briefly at the IMS

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