1 review for Houdini’s Haunted Padlock (Dr. Faust’s Padlock) (1 of 12) by Jim Sommers
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Andy Martin –
This beautiful looking padlock was created by Jim Sommers c. 1989. Jim was trying to reproduce a reliable version of the prop made famous by Karl Germain and called Dr. Faust’s Padlock. In the Germain routine, the performer hung a large padlock on a wand or rod and went into the audience. The performer handed the wand to a spectator and told the tale of Dr. Faust’s escape from prison. As the story reaches a climax, the lock mysteriously opens.
One of the problems with similar clockwork versions of this padlock is the timing mechanism. The time of release could be easily out by a few seconds depending on how tight you wound them up. To perform the original Germain routine effectively it is important to know precisely when it will open, and even being out by a few seconds can make a difference. Jim created his own custom mechanism that is very reliable. I have just tried it four times in a row and each full cycle took 39 seconds to complete. That is one reliable clockwork mechanism 🙂
Although, the timing and look of this lock are perfect, it is not a lock I would hand to the spectator. It can be handled briefly without suspicion, but the one thing I noticed immediately on receiving it was how light it was compared with the size of the lock. It is 13oz so is not actually light, but compared with what you would expect for a lock of this size, it feels light. There is no reason for the spectator to hold the lock in either the Faust presentation or my presentation below. So this is not an issue for most routines you would use it for.
Also, the key winds up the mechanism which locks the clasp, and with minimal acting ability you could convince the spectators you used the key to lock it. However, I prefer to start with the padlock locked. The key can be present, but I just don’t think it is necessary to “lock” the padlock in their presence.
I think you will really like this padlock and with only 12 created it is something the other guy will not have seen 🙂