The "Ball-Point"-Swami
Using a pencil for a "Swami" effect, is in
my opinion outdated for today's audiences. To
the same conclusion came a fellow mentalist
from Switzerland, the late PAUL
MAURER. In 1985 he invented a "ball-point
thumb writer". This "Swami Gimmick" was brought
to my attention a couple of years ago by a German
mentalist, Mr. Ulf Bolling Borodin,
who used it long before it was put on the market
by the magic dealers.
It's really easy to construct. You need a "rubber
thumb-tip"; a small size refill (approx. 2 inches)
for a ball point pen and some children's putty.
The rubber thumb tips have the advantage, that
they are flexible and can be cut to perfect
size with a pair of scissors.
Now it depends, which kind of "Swami" you like
to use. There are TWO possibilities:
- The "Boon-Type-Gimmick", which
has to be constructed like this: Fill
some children's putty into the tip that it
covers half of the inside partition under
the nail. Put the thumb tip, nail side uppermost
on a piece of wood and drive a nail through
it in such a manner, that it goes through
the putty and emerges on the ball side. Now
turn the tip to the "ball" side and push the
ink-refill with the non working end first,
through the hole that it comes out at the
nail side. Obviously, the working end of the
refill must be flush with the ball side of
the tip. The point of the refill is usually
a little bit bigger as the hole you have just
made, so it can not slip through it.
With a pair of pliers cut off the other
end of the refill approx. 2 mm above the
nail of the thumb tip. The putty will make
sure, that the that your writer will stay
in position. Finally you have to cut the
thumb tip to such a size that it can be
put on your thumb to stay there securely.
- The "Nail-Writer-Type-Gimmick"
which is even easier to construct:
Insert the nail into the thumb tip that the
point of it is a little bit underneath the
nail. Now make a hole at this place as already
described. From the refill cut off the refill,
that you get a piece of approx. 1/2 inch with
the writing point and insert this from the
outside through the hole. Now fill children's
putty inside the thumb tip, that if holds
the refill piece in place. Cut the thumb tip
to the appropriate size for your thumb as
already described.
It is a good idea to keep the writer inside
a film canister with the lid snapped on, when
it is not in use. that makes sure, that it can`t
dry out so easily.
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