Price$34.95
Media TypeTrick
CategoryMentalism
Date AddedFeb 06, 2015
Benz
Fields, Sean
Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.
(Based on 2 reviews)
Bending a coin to pull off a great coin-bending magic trick has historically been expensive, or unwieldy. Using pliers or a door jamb to bend a coin is highly inconvenient and usually scars the coin. Benz gets the job done long before the trick ever starts, so there is no heat, no pressure and nothing but pure magic.
Benz is a precision, laser-cut, secret coin bending device that you will carry with you everywhere, so that you're always ready to bend a coin anytime. Benz is a refreshing alternative to piers or doors for any coin you need bent, now.
Easy to use and carry Bends most coins under 3mm thick Also bends cutlery, and other small thin metal objects Highly Convenient Constructed & laser cut from industrial grade tungsten. It doesn't get any stronger. Designed like a car key to easily blend in with everyday items Durable and tough, for long life and rugged use.
Reviews
(Top ▲)
PROS
It is an interesting gimmick that can be used during performance or to pre-bend coins and certain other objects.
It is the size of a key, so it could fit on your keychain.
CONS
First, I was disappointed that is doesn’t bend dimes, or pennies, as they are too small. However, it does a great job of bending quarters and if you can bend any coin, that is magic. You should rarely have a problem with not being able to borrow a quarter.
Second, I find it more difficult to justify why I am involving keys in a bending routine, unless I am bending keys (which this will do). However, I think it is so much more practical to bend coins. Because of the convenience of being able to carry Benz with you at all times, it is just a matter of coming up with your own justification.
I think a product like Coinvexed is more natural to coin bending. However, Benz is more convenient to carry with you at all times on your keychain. They key is to have a justification for using the keys. In the explanation, he covers this, and in the “Suggestion” section, I have some ideas on this as well.
VERDICT
I am happy with this product, I think it has its place. I also like other coin bending devices like Coinvexed. I think the advantage to Benz is you can place it on your keychain and it is always available to you. You don’t even have to think about whether you have your prop with you.
It is an interesting gimmick that can be used during performance or to pre-bend coins and certain other objects.
It is the size of a key, so it could fit on your keychain.
CONS
First, I was disappointed that is doesn’t bend dimes, or pennies, as they are too small. However, it does a great job of bending quarters and if you can bend any coin, that is magic. You should rarely have a problem with not being able to borrow a quarter.
Second, I find it more difficult to justify why I am involving keys in a bending routine, unless I am bending keys (which this will do). However, I think it is so much more practical to bend coins. Because of the convenience of being able to carry Benz with you at all times, it is just a matter of coming up with your own justification.
I think a product like Coinvexed is more natural to coin bending. However, Benz is more convenient to carry with you at all times on your keychain. They key is to have a justification for using the keys. In the explanation, he covers this, and in the “Suggestion” section, I have some ideas on this as well.
VERDICT
I am happy with this product, I think it has its place. I also like other coin bending devices like Coinvexed. I think the advantage to Benz is you can place it on your keychain and it is always available to you. You don’t even have to think about whether you have your prop with you.
Suggestions
I think the biggest challenge with Benz if you are using the gimmick during the performance is the justification of why you need keys to bend a coin. Here is an idea: Go in your pocket to retrieve a coin. Come out with a handful of keys and coins. As you are looking through your coins, offer to do something with a coin. Ask them, as a second thought, if they have a quarter. Ask them to look at their coin and read the date. Have the benz gimmick on a quick release mini carabiner clip on your keychain. Take their coin and tap it onto the keys to show it is solid. As you do, you insert it into the Benz device and you switch out another quarter. Bend the quarter as you show the switched coin. Go into your pocket to leave the keys and coins, but come out with the bent quarter. Hold the quarter in finger palm, probably the easiest finger palm because it will curve to your finger. Ask your participant to hold out their hand and place the bent quarter in their hand as pull the un-bent coin into finger palm. Close their hand around the coin. Have a group of people wrap their hands around the participant’s hand. You have your hand around theirs as well. With your body sideways to the participant, along with a group of other people, you can pocket the un-bent coin. When they reveal the coin, they can verify it is the same coin they took from their pocket.(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Going Under by Evanescence
Sean Fields: Benz Review
One gimmick, one video download, 30 minutes and $35 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect/Method
For your $35 bucks, you'll receive a gimmick that looks pretty much like an ordinary key, and it fits on your key chain. However, it's actually a device that can bend coins and other small metal objects. You'll need to remove it from your key chain to use it. Once the coin is bent, then you can perform coin bending routines. You are taught a few different switches and handling ideas for coin bending.
The methods are all legitimate and doable and range from super simple to pretty advanced, but again, all doable and realistic. The method for actually bending the coin is the gimmick, of course.
Ad Copy Integrity
The ad copy is pretty solid, but there are a few claims that are a little . . . weird? First, it makes a statement that this is better than bending coins in advance with pliers. It then goes on to say that with Benz, the coin is bent well in advance. Well . . . that's true, but it's also true with a pair of pliers, so I'm not sure the point there.
On the video trailer he mentions that you can bend a coin "real time." I'm not sure exactly what that means. My guess is that he means you can bend it during the presentation rather than having it bent before the presentation. Well . . .
Product Quality
Sean Fields teaches two methods of handling the gimmick. One is the method for doing the bend before approaching a table. The other method he refers to as "real time." In this case he shows you how to hold the gimmick so that it's completely concealed in your hands. The implication is that you can do this in front of people with them watching which supports my Ad Copy Integrity theory that "real time" means "during the performance" rather than "before the performance." That's fine, but Sean Fields never shows you how to get into that position during the performance.
Based on what you receive, I would not expect to be able to do a real time bend (i.e., a bend in the presence of the spectator). However, any kind of bend where you switch in the bent coin is totally doable. That is the typical method for most coin bends anyway.
The gimmick itself works, and bends the coin fine. However, due to the size of a quarter and the dimensions of the gimmick, you can't quite get as good of a bend as shown in the trailer. I don't know that this is false advertisement. I think it's more a specification and product quality issue. This is a case where watching the review video will be extremely helpful. It shows you the bend "real time."
The teaching quality was quite good. The only thing that was a little annoying was the I think Sean Fields made this video with an audience of preschoolers in mind. His town and demeanor are both very patronizing. It doesn't affect your ability to learn the routine, but it's slightly annoying. That aside, there was one concern. In the video he said that you can bend the head of a spoon, knives and fork tines.
He shows how to bend the knives, but never shows how to bend spoon heads or fork tines. I'm not sure what a spoon head is, but I think it's the bowl. That being said, there's no way to bend a bowl with this gimmick. If he's referring to the other end, then I would assume that he would have said "spoon handle" not "spoon head." I'm not necessarily criticizing his choice of words. I'm simply pointing out that if he would have shown us how to do it, there would be no question.
Final Thoughts
If you do (or are considering doing) coin bends and you need a portable option for bending the coin, this is a very good choice. Just keep in mind that it's the kind of thing where you'll be in a situation and realize, "hey . . . I might be able to do a coin bend routine here . . ." then you find somewhere relatively private for two seconds and bend a quarter with your Benz. When you're done, you just put the bent quarter in your pocket and you're ready to perform.
Borrow a quarter; "bend it"; give it back to the spectator; They keep your pre-bent coin; you keep their non-bent coin. If you want to do it again for someone else, just secretly bend this coin with the Benz gimmick. Rinse and repeat. Considering everything you're getting, $35 is not an unreasonable asking price.
Final Verdict:
4 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.