Year: 2009

Very beautiful, but not practical for regular use

Mr. Mikame makes beautiful wood magic and this silk cabby is no exception. However, for regular use, this is not very well made. I have had problems with the hinge pins on the gimmick load box coming loose and wriggling out of their holes. I applied a dab of super glue on the outer edge to keep them in place and this seems to help. Another problem is the size of the gimmick load…it seems to be smaller than the load space on other silk cabbys. For example, I have a 50 foot x 4 inch streamer silk that I use in several other cabbys, but only about 3/5 of it will fit into the Mikame load box. Also, one of the doors does not have enough friction to stay closed on its own so I have to hold my fingers over the edge of it to keep it closed during performance. This is a pretty piece for display and occassional performances, but the price is quite high if you are looking for a good silk cabby for regular performances.

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Really Fun Prop to Keep on your Bar!

The Zig Zag for cans is one of my favorite Mikame pieces. It looks great and the traditional zig zag of the can is always a crowd pleaser. A few downsides…it is a bit noisy while performing, which tends to make the audience think you are up to something tricky. Plus, the box cannot be examined or viewed from the back. All in all, it makes a great coversation piece…especially when you do the trick and then open the magic can of soda, beer, etc. and pour a drink for an audience member.

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Beautiful and Simply the Best Nest of Boxes…Period.

The Viking Himber Nesting Boxes are the very best on the market. The Viking quality and attention to detail is second to none. The method is marvelous and is the perfect solution for a single-person performer…or this set can be used with an assistant. The versatility and incredibly well-disguised method make this one of my favorite props for any venue. The price is high, but totally worth it for such a quality prop that I consider to be an instant collector piece.

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Beautiful craftsmanship, but has drawbacks

The Mikame Magic Mirror is a very well-made prop, with a great disguised gimmick. The wood crafting is beautiful, but the bag that comes with it is not as good quality. After less than 10 performances, the bag already has visible holes from the needle that is used to penetrate. Plus, the hinge seems to be getting a bit worn down and not working as well as it did just a few weeks ago. Still, this is one of the most attractive flexible mirrors I’ve seen and it is great for the hobby magician…but not for regular performances.

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One of Mikame’s BEST!

The principle behind this trick is old, but Mikame’s craftsmanship has breathed new life into it. I absolutely LOVE this little piece of wonder because it is beautifully made, fully examinable, and a total fooler when performed with just a little practice. It is great for audiences of all ages and the routine can even have the magician repeat the trick several times with slight variations each time. That means you can get quite a bit of entertainment value for the small investment it takes to buy this great little magic box! It is one of the best made Mikame pieces in a price range that does not break the bank. Get one today!!!

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Best Wrist Chopper on the Market

What a marvelous illusion! Joe Fairchild’s masterpiece is a great improvement on the traditional guillotine illusions. He delivers a unique prop that is both beautifully crafted and wonderfully spell-binding to audiences of all ages. This wrist chopper uses the same principle as the Clarence Miller’s excellent Impossible Penetration finger chopper, but with the larger scale this prop is appropriate for a close-up show or a large stage show. The natural wood finish looks great and the detailed instructions even explain how to "tune" the gimmick as needed to keep it in great working condition for many years to come.

My method of performance is to have a man and a woman each place one arm into the stocks, handcuff them together, and then magically "penetrate" both of their wrists…leaving their hands locked together inside the blade. This allows me to double the audience participation for the trick plus it allows for some comedy patter during the performance.

All in all, I have owned multiple wrist choppers and this is the best–and last–wrist chopper I’ll ever use! The price is not cheap, but the craftsmanship and performance value are worth saving up in order to get this great prop.

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