Tricks – Page 2 – MagicShow.Tips

Inject 2 and Thoughts on App Magic

In the past on this blog I’ve written about my thoughts on magic apps. I personally don’t use any that need to be connected to the internet in my shows. It’s just too risky, especially at large events when the internet will frequently run very slowly.

As of writing this, we’re on day four of the Inject 2 app being down. According to Greg Rostami, Google has suspended the app and it’s not working on any platform (android or iOS).

**I want to note that I own Inject 2, I don’t use it, but I paid for it. So this does affect a product that I paid for. **

This really highlights what to me what the problem with app based and that’s there’s soo much out of your control. What I mean by that is if my thumb tip breaks I can tape/glue it together or have a back up one. If an app stops working, there’s really nothing you can do. You can’t go through and look at the code and fix it or pay for a server that the app creator didn’t renew.

Here’s one of Greg’s updates:

There are many back up plans? Why aren’t they being activated?

We’re on day four of Inject 2 not working. If the power went out at my house and I had multiple power sources that worked that I could use as a backup, I would have switched to one of them by now. Why haven’t we switched to a back up plan as New Years Eve is tomorrow and that’s probably the busiest single night for performers worldwide. I seem to remember years ago an app (I don’t remember which one) was running very slowly and not usable in real time because everyone was using it and overwhelming the server it was on.

Now we get this update that Matt (I’m assuming he’s a partner on the tech end) is unavailable to help sort this out. I heard that Greg posted on the Magic Cafe that he expected this to be resolved in 1-7 days, we’re at halfway through that time table. I don’t know if Matt being unavailable changes that time table.

In the Inject 2 Facebook group people are saying things like, “If this is the end of inject, I did it thousands of times and I got my moneys worth.” or “you can’t expect apps to last forever“. I do agree with both of those…for those people, but what about the people that Inject 2 for Christmas and had 3 days with it or someone that bought it today and it never worked?

One of the things that bugs me is that the Inject 2 app is NOT working as of right now, it’s still being sold! A known, non-functioning app is still being offered on the app store, and at major magic shops. This is creating a HUGE customer service nightmare for shops that sold the download card for Inject 2.

How do they handle it?

I don’t think they can return it as if Inject 2 ever gets working again, then their app will work. As a magic shop how would you handle it? The customer deserves a refund if they just bought it and it didn’t work or stopped working after a couple of days.

I hope all of this makes you think real hard before using an app and not having solid billet technique or whatever is your backup plan that can be implemented on the spot with zero notice. Practice what you’d do during a performance if the app just stopped at the critical moment when it was supposed to do whatever it does.

I honestly hope that Inject 2 gets fixed as a lot of people love it.

-Louie

Interactive New Years Trick

While I was running at the gym I had an idea for an interactive “touch the screen” style trick for this new year. It’s pretty simple, you’re going use 2025 and New Year

2 0 2 5

The audience touches any one of the numbers in 2025. They are going to jump the number they are touching. The rules are you can go left or right, from block they are on is touching to the block next to it. If they are on the 0, they don’t move.

After they finish moving, they stay on the number they ended on. You will remove the 5 as they’re not on it and it’s no longer in play. What’s left is:

202

They will then spell NEW jumping one space per letter, going back and forth for each letter. You now eliminate the the one of the 2’s (could be either). What’s left is:

20 or 02

They then spell YEAR jumping one space per letter like before. Now you eliminate the O and all that’s left is the 2 which they should be on.

There you go, an easy little interactive math trick!

-Louie

Ultimate Aces by John Fedko

Many, many years ago when I was a teenager I was given a set of paperback books (lecture notes?) by John Fedko. There was a lot of stuff in those books that I learned, but there was also a lot of stuff that I didn’t learn because it used gimmicks that I didn’t have.

One of those tricks was Ultimate Aces, which is an ace assembly. I was excited when I came across a set of the cards and could try out the trick. I did the trick as part of my “vintage magic tricks” series on TikTok. If you’re on TikTok please give me a follow at: https://www.tiktok.com/@louiefoxx

Here’s what John Fedko’s Ultimate Aces looks like:

@louiefoxx Watch the aces! #cardtrick #aces #cardmagic #magic #magictrick #vintagemagic #acetrick ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

I’m kinda amazed at the response from magicians who messaged me asking where they can get the cards. This surprised me because on PenguinMagic.com there is only one review and it’s one star.

I think this is a case of the person who ordered it thinking the gaffs were something different, or they never tried the trick out. I think it’s as good as any ace assembly out there.

-Louie

Unusual Vanishing Birdcage

A couple of weeks ago an unusual vanishing birdcage popped up on eBay. It’s a brass cage made in the Simms style (like the Milson Worth Silver Meteor vanishing Cage). Based on the pictures on the listed it looked mostly homemade, but there were a couple of things that didn’t look like an amateur made it, an this was interesting to me. It was listed at less than an hundred bucks, so I bought it.

When it arrived, the first thing that I notice was the solder blobs on the bar looked giant and sloppy in the pictures were much smaller and fairly well done. The cage needs some work, there’s a bunch of corrosion on one corner of it.

The solder on the tops and bottoms of the bars on the sides of the were really smooth and the side bars were soldered shut. The cage would stand up on its own, but also collapses really quickly. I wasn’t expecting this cage to be as good as it is.

Another interesting thing about this cage is the clip where the pull would attach.

It’s a hook, which implies that whoever used it was hooking up to it during their act/show. This hook feels like it was adding later by the user an not the maker. While the hook is thought out, the part that sticks out of the top of the bar is bent backwards to reduce snagging, it doesn’t feel quite like the same build as the rest of the cage.

If you know anything about this cage or who made it, please let me know!

-Louie

AKA Houdini in Appleton, WI

About a month ago I was out in Appleton, WI performing at the comedy club there. One of the main reasons I went out there was to see the Houdini stuff at the museum. If you’re reading this blog and don’t know, Houdini’s “Home town” was Appleton, WI, or at least that’s what he told people.

Before I went to the museum, I checked out Houdini Plaza in downtown.

Then it was off to the museum to see the exhibit they call AKA Houdini.

I found it interesting the disclaimer they have on exhibit telling people that magicians may have an issue with the exposure of secrets!

One of the first things you see is the “haunted” bust of Houdini!

Three of these busts were made and two mysteriously broke right after his death.

There’s some fun interactive things, like you can pick a lock, try out Houdini’s Metamorphosis trick, break out of jail and try to fit into a milk can!

Then there’s a ton of Houdini artifacts!

And of course you exit through the gift shop.

This was a super fun way to spend my day before my show at the comedy club. If you’re in the area it’s totally worth the trip!

-Louie

Evolution of an Idea

About 50 years ago Paul Harris put out the Paul Harris Vanishing deck. This is the vanish of a full deck of card. Well, almost a full deck of cards, here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx This is 50 years old! #cardtrick #magictrick #cardmagic #disappear #vanish #gone #vintagemagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

The weak point of the trick is the card that’s removed. I guess if you gave the trick context, like that’s a chosen card then it makes more sense. The improvement with the trick came about 20 years later was when Steve Bedwell put out Reboxed.

@louiefoxx Card trick from 30 years ago! #cardtrick #cardmagic #magictrick #cards #magician #vintagemagic ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

The huge improvement that Steve gave the trick was context. The deck didn’t disappear it went through the box! That change in effect from a vanish to a penetration also cleaned up the weak point of having to remove the card from the deck.

Then about ten years ago they improved the Reboxed gimmick to clean up the handling.

The new gimmick made the handling a little bit cleaner.

That’s a 40 year evolution of the Paul Harris Vanishing Deck! This is a good example of why nothing should ever be considered finished.

-Louie

Never Bet on a Sure Thing

I’m working through Jack Carpenter’s new book Carpenter’s Conceptions right now. The second trick in it is my favorite so far, but I’m only about 5 tricks into the book. I’m a huge fan of his, ever since I was a teenager and I got his book Modus Operandi.

Fun little fact, Jack and I used to live in the same town (along with Bob Cassidy) and I would run into Jack every now and then at the Red Robin.

In Carpenter’s Conceptions the second trick is called Never Bet On a Sure Thing which is a five card monte trick. Here’s what it looks like:

@louiefoxx Follow the jack! #cardtrick #magictrick #magic #cardmagic #magiciansoftiktok #cards #bet #neverbetonasurething ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

Well, that’s almost what’s in the book. I changed it a little bit, the final display has a little something extra that I discovered. Did you notice it?

The final display where you are three cards as four cards doesn’t really hold up as well on a social media video. If someone watches it twice and is burning you, they’ll notice two of the same cards. To minimize that, I came up with this Elmsley Count variation:

Ideally the gimmicked card would have the same head on the jack on both ends, but the card used in the video above was all that I had at home.

It’s not a big deal, but it’s a little thing that can make your social media videos slightly more bullet proof.

-Louie

Calculator Prediction Routine

This morning I was doing my daily writing and came up with a little routine for a number prediction. Here’s the rough routine:

“My third grade report card said my handwriting was bad, and only suitable if a grew up to be a doctor or serial killer. One time I turned in an essay and Ms. Smarr said it was illegible…It was typed, double spaced.”

“The only good thing about having bad handwriting is when I find a note a wrote a long time ago I feel like Indiana Jones trying read a document written by a lost civilization of serial killers. My handwriting looks like the handwriting that on the Magna Carta, if it got wet and put in a blender!”

You then show you elementary school signature, which looks like the bottom line below:

“It’s not that bad. I guess that’s why I preferred math, numbers are easy.”

You then do a calculator force and in my case I’m forcing the number 311707. I then flip over the LOUIE to show it’s actually 311707 (see the top line above).

There you go, it’s a routine, it’s not a great one, but it’s a routine that gets the prediction into play with a personal story. I may revisit this later, but it was a fun surprise that came out of my morning writing!

-Louie

Emerson and West Presents Jim Callan’s Soup to Nuts

I love my vintage magic, especially old card tricks! Today I’m going to look at Emerson and West presents Jim Callan’s Soup to Nuts. This is a classic Emerson and West style packet trick that’s uses a handful of themed cards. Here’s what it looks like per the directions:

@louiefoxx Vintage Magic Trick – Emerson and West's Soup To Nuts! #vintage #magictrick #magic #magician #louiefoxx #closeupmagic #vintagemagic #emersonandwest #packettrick #vancouverwa ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

It’s a decent trick, and here are my thoughts on it:

While I personally wouldn’t really use these novelty type cards, it’s great to play with them! I think anytime I learn a new seqeunce, it gets filed somewhere in my brain and it may help me out some day. Realistically it probably just get purged from my short term memory…but who knows.

-Louie

Trying a New Idea!

Sometimes I have an idea and I have no idea what an audience will think of it. That’s where open mics come in! I simply drove down to an open mic and gave the idea a try in front of real people.

My idea was for the card to pocket routine that I used to do. The second time the card goes to my pocket I wanted smoke to come out of my pocket, then reach in and pull the card out.

The smoke was easy, as a while ago I picked up a remote control smoke gimmick. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but knew if I didn’t get it that I’d come up with a cool idea for it and wouldn’t be able to find them. I just taped it inside of my pocket . When I tried it, it got the reaction I was looking for! It made the appearance of the card more of a moment.

If you have an idea that needs an audience, go find an open mic and give it a try!

-Louie