Raven, the

The Raven is quite an interesting apparatus. It is this wonderful tool which David Blaine used to vanish a coin in a spectators hand. Basically, you can wear a short sleeved shirt, show your hands empty, take a coin, show it, vanish it in front of your audience, show your hands empty again. There is no doubt it is a beautiful vanish. There is some talk among magicians, however, that the same effect can be achieved with sleight of hand, such as the revolution vanish. Personally, I like the raven. While there is no question that good sleight of hand technique can achieve similar effects, the Raven is still a useful tool. More than just vanish a coin, it can also be used to vanish other things, such as dollar bills, cards, etc... Yes, you do have to "prepare" cards and bills so that they can vanish, but it is easily done. The raven can also be used to do some PK effects, such as stop watches, but it is not necessarily where it shines. To use it to it's full potential, I recommend getting the Raven DVD. It gives very good information on how to wear it, show your hands empty, and most importantly, good effect ideas.

Have a nice day!
Louis Jutras
magicien montreal / montreal magician
fete enfant

BKM Wallet (Apparatus)

« BKM wallet »

BKM stands for Balducci, Kapps Mullica. At roughly 110.00$ CDN, it is a fairly expensive wallet, but in my opinion, it is worth it. For those of you who know the principle of the Mullica wallet, I have to say that I tried making myself one with a cheap 15$ wallet. It was not worth the trouble of finding one of the appropriate size, look, cutting where needed, etc… This one is well thought out in its construction, it is made out of quality leather, it is examinable (in part…), and is usable in it’s apparent intended purpose: As a wallet!!!

The BKM is more expensive than some other wallets, but it does combine the advantage of being usable with the Balducci/Kapps method, or the Mullica method. This allows you to do the same trick twice, using two drastically different methods. This is ideal for those “show me again!” situations. The documentation that comes with this apparatus is concise and clear. It even shows a method for the “Kapps” version of “card to wallet” that does not involve palming. The “Mullica insert” is very easy to use, even for those of us who are not that dextrous. This does not mean, however, that you will be able to use this apparatus without practice. Rehearse until you can do it while sleeping!!! This may seem obvious to all experienced magicians, but it is worth repeating to everyone. Even though the methods may be simple, rehearsing is essential to being able to present the trick in competent manner.

The BKM wallet is available at most magic shop and online.

Have a nice day!

Louis Jutras
The Montreal magician / Le magicien de montreal