Price$15.00
Media TypeTrick
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedJul 23, 2014
Roughing Sticks
Robson, Harry
Vanishing Inc.
(Based on 3 reviews)
When you rub the surface of the stick against a card, it will act as roughing fluid does, only better. The cards stay together in roughed pairs, yet are more easily separated without fumbling whenever you want. The stick leaves NO RESIDUE, and with the roughing stick supplied you can create at least 150 Invisible Decks! This is, for all purposes, a LIFETIME supply. The best part? It's so inexpensive.
Imagine the possibilities Packet tricks, Brainwave, Invisible Deck, and more just got MUCH easier to make, on your own, and many original tricks that would have required a spraying shed or a craftsman to manufacture can now be done at your kitchen table within minutes.
To see just how practical it is, you can watch Harry Robson make an Invisible Deck in less than two minutes in the trailer. It's a great new technology at an unbeatable price.
Reviews
(Top ▲)
For short-term use, this product is ideal. It's tremendously easy to increase the strength of the grip without overdoing it. If you're like me, you remember overdoing the roughing spray the first time you tried it.
The problem arises over time, and only with some card stocks. About a year after applying a roughing stick to two different types of card stock, I came back.
The first cards were from makeplayingcards.com and had a smooth surface. These cards had next to no grip left. I had to reapply all over again, and who knows how long it will last now?
The second cards were a jumbo Bicycle deck from the older, thicker card stock. I had applied the roughing stick heavily to these cards, because I needed a firm grip. These cards still had an adequate, moderate grip, but it was perceptibly diminished.
I attempted to post this review on vanishingincmagic.com, but they clearly took a decision not to allow its publication there. That disappoints me more than the performance of the product they are selling.
The problem arises over time, and only with some card stocks. About a year after applying a roughing stick to two different types of card stock, I came back.
The first cards were from makeplayingcards.com and had a smooth surface. These cards had next to no grip left. I had to reapply all over again, and who knows how long it will last now?
The second cards were a jumbo Bicycle deck from the older, thicker card stock. I had applied the roughing stick heavily to these cards, because I needed a firm grip. These cards still had an adequate, moderate grip, but it was perceptibly diminished.
I attempted to post this review on vanishingincmagic.com, but they clearly took a decision not to allow its publication there. That disappoints me more than the performance of the product they are selling.
(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: The Last Song by Poison
Roughing Stick Review
One Stick o' stuff, a 15 minute tutorial and $15 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect/Method
You're getting a stick that looks like a small bar of soap, but much harder and smaller. This stick lets you treat playing cards to create R/S cards and/or Brainwave/Invisible Decks. Thus "effect" is basically anything you can think of where the R/S principle will come in handy and of course, the aforementioned decks. The method? Treating your cards with this stick.
If you've ever handled a R/S deck or set of cards, then you know how easy/hard the handling will be. You are not taught any tricks, but rather you are simply taught how to apply the Roughing Stick to your cards. For effects, you'll have to come up with your own.
Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy is mostly good. However, there is one point I feel is inaccurate. The claim is made that there is no residue left behind. This is simply not the case. Not only is there residue left behind, but in at least one case, I had to clean up the residue before the card was even usable. That said, however, the residue left behind (for the most part) is not a problem. As the ad copy claims, the pairs stick together nicely, and separate nicely.
Product Quality
The video you watch is a streaming video available at Vanishing Inc. Magic. It's well lit, but not as well mic'd as it should have been. It was hard to hear in a few spots even with my speakers turn up 100%. The stick itself is well made and doesn't get stuff all over your hands. It's easy to handle and works very well.
One other quick and cool thing is the shape of the stick. Due to the dimensions of the stick, you can apply the stick to the card(s) in different places, amounts, widths, etc. This allows you to create a huge variety of gimmicked cards.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line on this is that you're basically paying $15 bucks for the stick and a super quick "tutorial" on how to apply it. That's it. If you don't know what R/S is, this will do you no good. If you know what R/S is and you want to make your own and/or you have ideas for custom R/S cards/decks, then you'll love this.
Final Verdict:
4 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.
(Top ▲)
ROUGHING STICK BY HARRY ROBSON REVIEW
RATING: 4 of 5 Stars
REVIEW
This is a tremendous product. Using this product, you can create invisible decks, brainwave decks, as well as key cards and other effects where you might need any number of roughed cards.
One of the limitations is you need to apply the roughing stick to both cards for it to work. So, if you are using it for a limited number of cards, you will need to use it with pairs of cards, not a single card.
One of the benefits described in the instruction video is that you can create an entire roughed deck in under three minutes. Harry demonstrates this by creating one in just over two minutes. So, you could carry your roughing stick with you and create an RS deck on the fly.
The roughing stick does not leave a visible residue on the cards, so you are free to hand them out for inspection.
I think this is a must have for anyone serious about card magic. It is not a replacement for other roughing materials, but a very good addition.
USABILITY
This is a utility item, not an effect or routine. No routines are taught on the instruction video.
BONUS
If you put your noodle to it, I’m sure you can come up with hundreds, if not dozens of applications for this. Below are three examples: One is a simple little sandwich routine, another is a variation of the invisible deck, and the other is one of my favorite routines for the invisible deck.
SANDWICH ROUTINE
Set up a RS deck with a repeating force card every other card. On the bottom of the deck, have 2 jokers and the force card set up so the force card is hidden face up between two jokers face down.
Remove the jokers and cleanly show that there are only the two jokers. Toss them down on the table and the RS will keep the two cards together. Show sides and the inside of the empty box and place the box over the jokers.
I like to use patter about how mischievous the jokers are. This gives justification for placing the box over the jokers to keep them from causing trouble.
Spread the cards and show they are all different. The RS will hide all the force cards. You can overhand shuffle the cards face up and face down and the force card will remain hidden. Spread the cards face down and ask them to pick any card. They will always pick the force card.
Take the two jokers from under the box and have them place their card in between the two. Give the jokers a rub and place the jokers back on the table, under the box.
Have them place their selected card back in the same location and bury it in the middle. Don’t shuffle the deck. Hold the deck between two fingers of each hand, making it seem even more impossible.
Holding the deck at your fingertips, hover the deck over the empty box with the jokers below. Talk about how you can feel the attraction.
If you want to spice it up a bit, attach an invisible thread to the box at one end and to a piece of folded tape at the other end and place the tape inside your mouth. You can make the box jump, just ever so slightly when the cards are hovered near the box.
Tap the deck onto the empty box. Lift the box and place all the cards inside the box.
Place the box of cards in your pocket. If you like, you can have a regular deck cards without the jokers or the force card in the same pocket to bring out for additional effects.
Pick up the Jokers, spread them, showing the face down card in between. Hand the card out.
You can take out the ungimmicked deck and replace the force card into the deck. Furthermore, you can use the RS force card and one of the RS jokers as a key card for other effects.
VARIATION OF THE INVISIBLE DECK
Pair up cards as in the invisible deck, and arrange them so all the cards are facing the same direction. Apply the RS stick to the pairs of cards. You can now overhand shuffle the cards either face up or face down to your heart’s content.
Spread the deck, either with the faces toward them, or where they can only see the backs. Invite them to select any card. Cut the deck at that point and depending upon which way you spread the deck for them to select, peek either the top or bottom card and you know their selection. I prefer to spread the cards facing them and allowing them to select any card they see. I can now peek the bottom card as they look at their selection. Have them return the card to the top of the deck and hand them the deck to shuffle or cut. If you have them shuffle the deck, pantomime an overhand shuffle as this will keep your deck reset. It doesn’t affect the effect either way, just the reset.
You can now reveal their selection any way you desire. NOTE: Think about how you reveal a card. Building a bit of drama before revealing it not only increased the magic wow factor, but it also reduces the likelihood of suspicion.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE INVISIBLE DECK ROUTINES
If you don’t have the Mel Mellers DVD where he presents his Invisible Deck routine, I highly suggest you pick it up. Once you get it, you just might want to pick up all of his DVDs. My Invisible Deck routine is modeled after his.
I like this plot because it allows me to get to know my audience. I start out talking about dreams and ask the audience member who dreams, who doesn't, who remembers their dreams, etc. Sometimes I'll ask if anyone has had a bizarre dream. Not only does this allow me to get to know the audience, it almost always opens the door for some impromptu humor.
The patter then, is to talk about how you had a dream last night as you take out a deck of cards and hold it for all to see. Talk as if this is coming to your mind as you are speaking. Tap the deck to your temple a couple times as you try to recall the dream. Take your time with the patter. Pause between thoughts. Say it involved someone in this audience, you just don’t know who. Walk around until you find someone. Think about who are looking for. I look for a female who looks like they are not there with a spouse or boyfriend. To play it a bit safe, you can pick someone who is very much younger or very much older than you. Let’s say you pick a thirty something aged female. Say “I think it might have been you… Yes… In my dream, you and I were in your home… in your bedroom. Do you have a dresser in your room, with some sort of stuffed animals or items you have collected?” “Yes. I can see them now.” Or “No? What do you have on your dresser?... Yes, that’s the room.”
“You asked me if I would like to have some fun. I said “sure”... You then brought out a deck of cards and we began to play crazy eights. We were having a good ol' time when all of a sudden, you grabbed one of my cards and yelled “This card is mine! All mine!” You suddenly grabbed all the cards and gathered them all together (This is an opportunity to have a little fun with then, asking them if they often have outbursts like this). You took that one card, turned it face up, and stuck it into the deck. I didn’t even get to see what that card was. At that point I woke up. On my nightstand was a deck of cards... Not unusual, magicians always sleep next to a deck of cards... I know, I need a life. However, the cards were out of the box and one of the cards was laying on the floor... I grabbed the card and stuck it face up into the deck and put the cards into the box… This box.”
“What was your card?”
When she names the card, you spread the cards and pull out the only face down card and reveal their thought of card, as you say: “You and I know it was just a dream, and that is all that matters.”
You can sign and date the card and hand it out as a souvenir.
Happy magic trails to you.
RATING: 4 of 5 Stars
REVIEW
This is a tremendous product. Using this product, you can create invisible decks, brainwave decks, as well as key cards and other effects where you might need any number of roughed cards.
One of the limitations is you need to apply the roughing stick to both cards for it to work. So, if you are using it for a limited number of cards, you will need to use it with pairs of cards, not a single card.
One of the benefits described in the instruction video is that you can create an entire roughed deck in under three minutes. Harry demonstrates this by creating one in just over two minutes. So, you could carry your roughing stick with you and create an RS deck on the fly.
The roughing stick does not leave a visible residue on the cards, so you are free to hand them out for inspection.
I think this is a must have for anyone serious about card magic. It is not a replacement for other roughing materials, but a very good addition.
USABILITY
This is a utility item, not an effect or routine. No routines are taught on the instruction video.
BONUS
If you put your noodle to it, I’m sure you can come up with hundreds, if not dozens of applications for this. Below are three examples: One is a simple little sandwich routine, another is a variation of the invisible deck, and the other is one of my favorite routines for the invisible deck.
SANDWICH ROUTINE
Set up a RS deck with a repeating force card every other card. On the bottom of the deck, have 2 jokers and the force card set up so the force card is hidden face up between two jokers face down.
Remove the jokers and cleanly show that there are only the two jokers. Toss them down on the table and the RS will keep the two cards together. Show sides and the inside of the empty box and place the box over the jokers.
I like to use patter about how mischievous the jokers are. This gives justification for placing the box over the jokers to keep them from causing trouble.
Spread the cards and show they are all different. The RS will hide all the force cards. You can overhand shuffle the cards face up and face down and the force card will remain hidden. Spread the cards face down and ask them to pick any card. They will always pick the force card.
Take the two jokers from under the box and have them place their card in between the two. Give the jokers a rub and place the jokers back on the table, under the box.
Have them place their selected card back in the same location and bury it in the middle. Don’t shuffle the deck. Hold the deck between two fingers of each hand, making it seem even more impossible.
Holding the deck at your fingertips, hover the deck over the empty box with the jokers below. Talk about how you can feel the attraction.
If you want to spice it up a bit, attach an invisible thread to the box at one end and to a piece of folded tape at the other end and place the tape inside your mouth. You can make the box jump, just ever so slightly when the cards are hovered near the box.
Tap the deck onto the empty box. Lift the box and place all the cards inside the box.
Place the box of cards in your pocket. If you like, you can have a regular deck cards without the jokers or the force card in the same pocket to bring out for additional effects.
Pick up the Jokers, spread them, showing the face down card in between. Hand the card out.
You can take out the ungimmicked deck and replace the force card into the deck. Furthermore, you can use the RS force card and one of the RS jokers as a key card for other effects.
VARIATION OF THE INVISIBLE DECK
Pair up cards as in the invisible deck, and arrange them so all the cards are facing the same direction. Apply the RS stick to the pairs of cards. You can now overhand shuffle the cards either face up or face down to your heart’s content.
Spread the deck, either with the faces toward them, or where they can only see the backs. Invite them to select any card. Cut the deck at that point and depending upon which way you spread the deck for them to select, peek either the top or bottom card and you know their selection. I prefer to spread the cards facing them and allowing them to select any card they see. I can now peek the bottom card as they look at their selection. Have them return the card to the top of the deck and hand them the deck to shuffle or cut. If you have them shuffle the deck, pantomime an overhand shuffle as this will keep your deck reset. It doesn’t affect the effect either way, just the reset.
You can now reveal their selection any way you desire. NOTE: Think about how you reveal a card. Building a bit of drama before revealing it not only increased the magic wow factor, but it also reduces the likelihood of suspicion.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE INVISIBLE DECK ROUTINES
If you don’t have the Mel Mellers DVD where he presents his Invisible Deck routine, I highly suggest you pick it up. Once you get it, you just might want to pick up all of his DVDs. My Invisible Deck routine is modeled after his.
I like this plot because it allows me to get to know my audience. I start out talking about dreams and ask the audience member who dreams, who doesn't, who remembers their dreams, etc. Sometimes I'll ask if anyone has had a bizarre dream. Not only does this allow me to get to know the audience, it almost always opens the door for some impromptu humor.
The patter then, is to talk about how you had a dream last night as you take out a deck of cards and hold it for all to see. Talk as if this is coming to your mind as you are speaking. Tap the deck to your temple a couple times as you try to recall the dream. Take your time with the patter. Pause between thoughts. Say it involved someone in this audience, you just don’t know who. Walk around until you find someone. Think about who are looking for. I look for a female who looks like they are not there with a spouse or boyfriend. To play it a bit safe, you can pick someone who is very much younger or very much older than you. Let’s say you pick a thirty something aged female. Say “I think it might have been you… Yes… In my dream, you and I were in your home… in your bedroom. Do you have a dresser in your room, with some sort of stuffed animals or items you have collected?” “Yes. I can see them now.” Or “No? What do you have on your dresser?... Yes, that’s the room.”
“You asked me if I would like to have some fun. I said “sure”... You then brought out a deck of cards and we began to play crazy eights. We were having a good ol' time when all of a sudden, you grabbed one of my cards and yelled “This card is mine! All mine!” You suddenly grabbed all the cards and gathered them all together (This is an opportunity to have a little fun with then, asking them if they often have outbursts like this). You took that one card, turned it face up, and stuck it into the deck. I didn’t even get to see what that card was. At that point I woke up. On my nightstand was a deck of cards... Not unusual, magicians always sleep next to a deck of cards... I know, I need a life. However, the cards were out of the box and one of the cards was laying on the floor... I grabbed the card and stuck it face up into the deck and put the cards into the box… This box.”
“What was your card?”
When she names the card, you spread the cards and pull out the only face down card and reveal their thought of card, as you say: “You and I know it was just a dream, and that is all that matters.”
You can sign and date the card and hand it out as a souvenir.
Happy magic trails to you.