i am currently practicing a ring-through-spoon effect (Jay Sankey taught this in one of his videos). The power in this effect, in my opinion, comes from the fact that the spoon and the ring are borrowed objects.

The effect has the performer pushing the ring through the large end of the spoon. The ring clinking with the spoon during the effect adds an audio aspect to this already visual magic.

But

I am afraid of damaging or scratching my friend's/ spectator's ring. Now one would say to just use my own ring however i feel that using my own ring, even though it's not gaffed and can be examinable, takes away from the impromptu-ness of this effect. Moreover i personally do not wear rings.

What do you guys suggest?

I doubt anyone's ring would scractch that easily. You can use aluminium spoons, but seriously, there is no way it would get scratch just by doing something like that.

Is this Jay Sankey's Sterling Silver?

I don't think you have to worry about damaging or scratching the ring unless the spoon has jagged edgesor something. (Which is very very unlikely)

Well made rings are meant to last and shouldn't be damaged easily at all even when you drop them from the floor. And since the move used creates nowhere as much force as a ring dropped on the floor, don't worry and go ahead and perform it.

yeah it's the name of the effect.

Thanks for the reassurance.

Not ready for public domain yet, i'm still practicing :lol:
Using the ring portion of a keychain for practice. diameter is bigger than a regular ring, hope it helps when i'm really handling a ring.

I had the same problem when I perform Nexus too. I scratched the ring once O.o when I was practicing. Thank god it's my own ring.

It is unlikely to scratch haha unless it is those 3 for 10dollor day kind haha.

I would suggest using your own ring with them inspecting the ring first. If you have to use their ring, make sure they insist upon it. It'd be of bad taste if you scratch or drop their ring, afterall, rings are quite a personal item.

Thanks guys, for all the good advice. Maybe i will look around 77th street...look for some cheap ring :lol:

Any kinda soul could provide me a link to Jay Sankey's Sterling Silver which was mentioned above? Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms-urdJ0kHg

It would be great if it can be a borrowed ring. However, I would suggest not to perform it with the audience's wedding ring.

Wedding ring is of much sentimental value to the person and mostly he/she would not feel comfortable if someone were to handle it. Remember that a magicians role is to entertain the audience. Hence if the audience is uncomfortable, it deficts the purpose.

I've attend a lecture by Sean Taylor some time back and he did tricks using borrowed wedding bands from the audiences. The spectators did not seem too bothered by it even when he locked their rings on a padlock which was supposedly 'reset by an audience member'... and he 'forgot' the number to the padlock.

I guess the spectators trust the magician. Should not be a problem using borrowed wedding rings. If anything, they will feel even more involved in the 'magic' since their rings are at stake.

Hmm im not very sure about what you guys are debating about.

But do you guys like a stranger to fiddle with your precious belongings and appear to be breaking them?

I certainly do not like it.

And when i perform with borrowed stuff i really really take good care of them.


Just my 2 weird cents worth

-_- It is not a problem if you ask the crowd for voluteers who will provide their rings. Those who provide the rings are doing so voluntarily and are not under compulsion. They are like volunteers that stage hypnosis ask for. These people are those who are interested in seeing the magic happen and are 'on the same side' as the magician. They are not worried about their personal belongings, but trust the magician's ability fully. The borrowing of a personal article from such a person will make the magic real and personal to the person you are doing it to. They are no longer still seeing a magic performance, but are personally involved now.

As discussed earlier, it is unlikely a ring will be scratched that easily. So that is not a problem at all. But why borrow a ring instead of using your own? First of all, it removes the possibility of gimmicks from a layman's point of view. Secondly, the effect becomes personal and intimate when you borrow the object from him.

I quote Tommy Wonder:

"We must try to draw the audience into making contact with us too. We must invite their participation in the proceedings. If we do not invite the audience's participation,... we fail to use one of the greatest asserts available in intimate performance, and genuine interaction or communication cannot exist. In the end, all a spectator would feel was that he has wached someone do something interesting. He has watched a show up close. That's all. ... The power of close-up magic is not so much seeing tricks at close quarters... its real power lies in the audience meeting you and experiencing the magic you do. Experiencing the magic instead of watching it! Meeting you instead of watching you."

Tommy Wonder goes into this in slightly more detail in his short 3 page chapter on Secondhand Drama in Vol 2 of book of wonders.

Wow you made me change my stand, Hmm any ideas on where to purchase the book of wonders( 2 volumes)?


Thanks!

Thanks Sheeke.

I got it from Ning. You might want to ask her if there are any left. Hopefully it is not out of stock yet. I'm still looking for volume 1. Solded out everywhere. one of the magic shops did manage to source a copy for me, but at a crazy price, so I decided not to get it.

Haha no problem.


Hmm would you pm me the prices of the 2 books?
And the local shop you found it at. (If its ok to tell, im not sure about that)

Thanks man

The shop had no stock. He had to source it from elsewhere so I supposed he would take a big commission from the sale of it. It is way too expensive and lets just say it was a few times what the book is normally selling for. See if you can get from elsewhere.