talkmagic.co.uk

hi guys, has anyone got bendable pen as i have seen the video demos and it looks like a nice quick effect to do. basically pen bends and you can hand it out to be examined.

John Cornelius developed a bendable pen which has been ripped off and copied by others, there's a demo on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM9X8UepVwU with sales at http://www.emagictricks.co.uk/product_i ... ts_id=3756 and, if you scroll down at bit, at http://www.world-of-magic.co.uk/tricks.asp?catid=31

I bought this a few years ago and it's OK but, IMHO, is more of a novelty than a magic trick - I know others have used this very successfully as part of a magic routine so I guess it's just the way I do it. Or don’t do it, as the case may be !

yeah its the jc one i was looking at. but it could be great to do in a shop. for example if your sitting at the till and you get a customer who signs a cheque, you could tell them bout your strange powers and bend the pen and have it checked out. why do these people have to copy and idea. greed more than likely.

I bought this at one point and although I managed to get pretty good reactions with it the pen didn't last too long.
I was doing some magic round a table at my brothers new babies christening party and decided to try out the pen. I first showed the pen to be solid, made it go bendy and then handed it out for inspection. A few people tried and failed but that was before it got to some drunk fella who prededed to bend it with all his might and did indeed manage to bend / break the pen.
He passed it back to me with drunken glee that he had managed to prove me wrong and in the process I told him how much it cost and got the money back from him instantly wiping his smug grin off his face.

It is a nice little quick pocket trick as long as you can ensure someone doesn't try to snap it/

I actually like this pen quite alot, but I would never perform it as a "look I can do this but you can't" type of effect as that is just begging to get a big brute to prove you wrong. (and even if I did, I doubt I would ask the punter to pay for the prop if he broke it. )

As a very subtle piece of mentalism though I think it works very well, but the emphasis is on subtlety. I would do the bend, taking my time, rubbing the pen and explaining whilst demonstrating that by rubbing and concentration I can make the molecular structure soften a little. After showing the slight bend I will just place it back on the table and move on to something else.

If someone picks then pen up and sees that it is not so easy to bend then great, if not then I am happy not to pursue that effect any further.

In my mind neither magic nor mentalism should be presented as a challenge. It should be amazing, magical bewieldering etc, but never a challenge, but don't underestimate simple effects such as the JC pen or the Haunted Key. With the right presentaion they are some of the strongest effects going.

yes yes. may have to get this as part of the arsenal. will carry it around in my pocket waiting for the right moment to unleash this beast onto someone!! i love the mentalist route for thiss. great idea!

I completely agree that it is a very nice effect and I have toyed with the idea of buying it again.
As far as getting the money back from the drunk guy it was a very good friend of the family and he felt guilty once he realised he'd broken it and offered to pay.
Just so I dont seem a tad mercenary