talkmagic.co.uk

The Effect

Many uses. Two common uses are the animated fork that moves across the table and the self - revealing card (similar to haunted deck)



Cost

Average prices are £5.00 to £8.00 from most magic shops.



Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

This really depends on the effect so i will say 2 - 3


Review

Package Contents:

1. Pack of 5 loops

2. Instruction sheets with practise tips and the two effects mentioned above.

The loops can be used to pull off several animated effects. I would suggest you consider buying the book "animated miracles" as this has some good effects for loops.

When you first get the package you will probably think "these will break when i use them". You may find that this is the case and you do need to practise. After that you will find that these loops will hardly ever break. In the instructions you are told to practise with a rubber band, i really suggest you do this as you will benefit.

There are of course restrictions with using these, for example, strong lights are a very bad idea.

If you do the self-revealing card then i highly recommend you use a BLUE backed bike deck (you will see why when you buy them).

All in all i think these loops are really good for animation. Cheap enough for the hobbist but also good enough for the CPs on the forum.



Overall

9/10 very nice

I bought these about 3 weeks ago and I have to say that performing in the pub these get a close second to Card Warp as the all time best trick people have ever seen me do.

I couldn't cope with the 2 effects that came with the trick so I set about floating a beermat, an always available commodity in a pub. I didn't find it too successfull so I went onto a folded banknote. That didn't work too well and I moved onto a full open banknote.

This blows peoples minds. I love it and wouldn't go anywhere without loops now. 25 out of 10 for me. This is one of the best tricks I have ever bought since I started in magic.

You can't do this in a brightly lit room but what pubs are ?

If you work in well lit environments don't go for this but if you don't, its the best thing since 'Out of this World'

If you have problems working this PM me, as long as you've bought it first. As we Yorkshiremen say, this is the top dogs b*ll*cks

I tried these loops a while ago. They're great - but a bit pricey when you can probably get about 100 for the same price if you make them yourself. If you want to go that route - check out the million $ knot from penguin (although I don't buy stuff there anymore), or the Jig.

(SELF PROMOTION WARNING)

Or, you could always buy the fantastic STElTh loops from Alakazam:
http://www.alakazam.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000 ... 1327#a1327

LOOPS are without doubt a great idea, the only downside was the expense.

The StElTh jig as mentioned in the previous post IS the answer. Because it is so easy to make them up yourself you can make loads at a time, and consequently never be afraid to use them. You can also experiment for different types of IT as I have found depending on exactky hat you want to use them for, different types have advantages...

For thos interested it was reviewed here

WEll, they are what they are. In the right hands, and used at the right time, they are without question one of the most useful tools in magic.

As said, they are expensive, and I personally use these and an ITR, to create some strong PK effects.

I think the haunted deck that comes in animated miracles is one of the best of its kind - I personally think that animations are far more powerful, and believable, than floating objects - people tend to think of IT in those situations, not so in animations.

Si

My favourite use of loops is to rub an inflated modelling balloon up and down on a kids head to build up static and then float it between my hands (the balloon that is, although the head would probably look even cooler).

This is interesting for two reasons:

Firstly: Adults seem to blindly accept that this is possible!
Secondly: The kids spend hours frustratedly trying to copy you!

Big fun and a bit of unexpected and understated business to add to a balloon routine.

D'oh. I posted on the intorductions I didn't know what IT meant. But I've figured it out now.

On with the review:

Got these a few days ago and I have to say I love it. If you're wearing a black t-shirt it doesn't show up very clearly at all in fact I did a trick where I take off my ring and then make it levitate between my hands in front of my brother, in the kitchen (fluorescent light) standing about 4-5 feet away from him. Thanks to my black t-shirt he still doesn't know how I did it. For the quality of these, the price is fantastic. Sure I'd be interested in finding out to make my own, but for now these will more than suffice 5/5