I got one of the best reactions I have ever gotten last week in the 2½ short years I have been in magic. My good mate’s girlfriend lives a minute walk away and I go down there often with my mate 
Well my mate and I never told her I conjured close-up illusions, and last week at a poker night at her place, there was a big group of people and she wouldn't stop bugging me to show her something. I came prepared, and during the break I thought I might perform a trick or two so I pulled out my own deck of "new, unopened and cellophane sealed" cards.
I started with Satisfaction Guaranteed (my new deck order variation) from Garcia's Project Volume 1, and proceeded with Emerge Triumphant then a short ambitious routine. The ceiling was relatively low so I decided not to do Card To Ceiling, and on the spur of the moment decided to see what happens if I combined two of my closers (three if I add the ID): Third Degree Burn and Stigmata, an odd combination as their both classed in the "impossible reveal" category.
I have been performing TDB for a while and after a lot of thought and experimentation I created my own really unique version of TDB. Since the first performance I decided to add stigmata at the end of my ultimate TDB routine:
- A card is selected, signed, returned, and shuffled by the spectator. There is no way I can know what their card is or where it is in the deck.
- I try to read the spectators mind in intense focus and pull out a single card from the deck.
- I slowly and clearly reveal the mystery card. The spectator informs me it is not the card they selected. They never tell me their card, and I proceed to get my thumb and smear the corner pip, which visually changes into their card, smearing the ink also.
- The lighter is lit by the spectator, the card is held at an angle over the flame. The smeared corner pip catches fire.
- I thrust my forefinger and thumb into the flame emerging from the card pip several times, on the final thrust a great flash of fire is produced and the flame is extinguished. I slightly wince with pain. The corner pip has completely burnt off.
- My fingers are shown and the spectator sees blisters in the shape of their card slowly forming right before their eyes.
- The spectator exclaims "how did you do that!" I reply "the same way I can do this..." and wave my wrist over the flame of the lighter the spectator is holding. There is a pained expression on my face as I am being burnt. I turn my wrist to reveal red marks of blood from the burn. These marks of blood under the skin then slowly, visually, clearly re-arrange themselves into the shape of the spectator's selection. The spectator feels my wrist and notices it is quite warm to the touch.
- I tell the spectator it isn't fair as the burnt card was only partially changed to their signed card, and so it is put between their hands and they are told to focus. I slowly wave my hand over, then touch their hand with my blistered fingers. An electric shock is felt by the spectator.
- The spectator turns over the card in their hand to reveal the whole card has changed to their original selection, still with the same burnt corner pip, and of course, their signature! To the spectator's amazement, the blisters on my fingers have changed to the card they were holding only seconds ago. The sandwiched card and the blisters have miraculously changed places.
Alternative Presentations- For enhanced effect you can use matches instead of a lighter and perform Warning (although not recommended for health reasons): after the blisters form from the fire, put them partially in your mouth as if you are sucking them from the burn. Remove fingers promptly and release smoke. Show blisters. Incorporating Warning is a great way to sell the idea that your fingers were burnt and truly blistered, and there is a very good reason to release smoke from your mouth (and use matches for that matter), unlike other Warning effects.
- I use a Zippo lighter as it allows me to execute dexterous lighter flourishes and tricks to further demonstrate the power of imagination and the mind (I personally use Legally Blind for flourishes and Twilight Zone as an added PK fire trick). Using a Zippo also allows me to produce a flame from my fingertip (The Flesh Torch) and have the spectator hold the card while you burn the pip. If you are interested, all these lighter tricks are taught on "50 Ways To Rock A Lighter" featuring Alex Aarvik. My Zippo is engraved with a prediction which leaves opportunities open to further develop my routine.
- Alternatively if you are asked to repeat TDB, you can instead have the spectator select another card and perform my Stigmata variation with a completely different card, further demonstrating your irresistible magical charm and keeping the patter theme constant with a similarly hard hitting effect. Also, the deck switch can be used to switch to any deck and continue onto another routine (say, the Invisible Deck Laughing) as there is tons of misdirection in the routine.
Other
As you can see, a lot of work has gone into original input, fusing existing ideas, adapting subtleties, and practice in order to produce my own Third Degree Burn variation, and I’m quite happy with the outcome. I'm glad I chose TDB over the Invisible Deck (I now own the Invisible Deck also), as it has every feature of an ID plus there is no risk of being caught and leaves plenty of room to personalise the effect. The gimmick will last me a lifetime.
For last weeks performance I destroyed my gaff card but it was well worth it. There is an impromptu version I normally perform where you burn the pip of any card without destroying a gaff. Needless to say everybody totally freaked out, and my mate's girlfriend seems to think I have supernatural powers The poker games stopped, the show continued.
There you have it, my new closer. If you are wondering about any effects and want to know you where you can get them from, here are the effects I fused: Third Degree Burn, Stigmata, Card on Ceiling, Blizzard, a "No Deck Signed & Burnt Card + Blister" Here Then There, Warning, and Twilight Zone.
The subtleties and effect enhancers are: Electric Touch, Banachek's metal bending subtlety, The Flesh Torch, Legally Blind, and flash paper. The routine seems to flow quite well. For all the Third Degree Burn performers out there, feel free to use any ideas you like to enhance your routine, I would be happy to know I helped out a fellow magician.
All the fusion possibilities got me thinking, imagine having the spectator selecting a card and revealing it in as many ways as possible: from their wallet, engraved on your Zippo lighter, engraved on your card guard, barcode of the card box, blisters on your fingers, blood writing on your wrist, etc. reminds me of that David Blaine parody
Well my mate and I never told her I conjured close-up illusions, and last week at a poker night at her place, there was a big group of people and she wouldn't stop bugging me to show her something. I came prepared, and during the break I thought I might perform a trick or two so I pulled out my own deck of "new, unopened and cellophane sealed" cards.I started with Satisfaction Guaranteed (my new deck order variation) from Garcia's Project Volume 1, and proceeded with Emerge Triumphant then a short ambitious routine. The ceiling was relatively low so I decided not to do Card To Ceiling, and on the spur of the moment decided to see what happens if I combined two of my closers (three if I add the ID): Third Degree Burn and Stigmata, an odd combination as their both classed in the "impossible reveal" category.
I have been performing TDB for a while and after a lot of thought and experimentation I created my own really unique version of TDB. Since the first performance I decided to add stigmata at the end of my ultimate TDB routine:
My Third Degree Burn + Stigmata Variation
- A lighter is borrowed from the spectator. The spectator shuffles and examines the deck.- A card is selected, signed, returned, and shuffled by the spectator. There is no way I can know what their card is or where it is in the deck.
- I try to read the spectators mind in intense focus and pull out a single card from the deck.
- I slowly and clearly reveal the mystery card. The spectator informs me it is not the card they selected. They never tell me their card, and I proceed to get my thumb and smear the corner pip, which visually changes into their card, smearing the ink also.
- The lighter is lit by the spectator, the card is held at an angle over the flame. The smeared corner pip catches fire.
- I thrust my forefinger and thumb into the flame emerging from the card pip several times, on the final thrust a great flash of fire is produced and the flame is extinguished. I slightly wince with pain. The corner pip has completely burnt off.
- My fingers are shown and the spectator sees blisters in the shape of their card slowly forming right before their eyes.
- The spectator exclaims "how did you do that!" I reply "the same way I can do this..." and wave my wrist over the flame of the lighter the spectator is holding. There is a pained expression on my face as I am being burnt. I turn my wrist to reveal red marks of blood from the burn. These marks of blood under the skin then slowly, visually, clearly re-arrange themselves into the shape of the spectator's selection. The spectator feels my wrist and notices it is quite warm to the touch.
- I tell the spectator it isn't fair as the burnt card was only partially changed to their signed card, and so it is put between their hands and they are told to focus. I slowly wave my hand over, then touch their hand with my blistered fingers. An electric shock is felt by the spectator.
- The spectator turns over the card in their hand to reveal the whole card has changed to their original selection, still with the same burnt corner pip, and of course, their signature! To the spectator's amazement, the blisters on my fingers have changed to the card they were holding only seconds ago. The sandwiched card and the blisters have miraculously changed places.
Alternative Presentations
- I use a Zippo lighter as it allows me to execute dexterous lighter flourishes and tricks to further demonstrate the power of imagination and the mind (I personally use Legally Blind for flourishes and Twilight Zone as an added PK fire trick). Using a Zippo also allows me to produce a flame from my fingertip (The Flesh Torch) and have the spectator hold the card while you burn the pip. If you are interested, all these lighter tricks are taught on "50 Ways To Rock A Lighter" featuring Alex Aarvik. My Zippo is engraved with a prediction which leaves opportunities open to further develop my routine.
- Alternatively if you are asked to repeat TDB, you can instead have the spectator select another card and perform my Stigmata variation with a completely different card, further demonstrating your irresistible magical charm and keeping the patter theme constant with a similarly hard hitting effect. Also, the deck switch can be used to switch to any deck and continue onto another routine (say, the Invisible Deck Laughing) as there is tons of misdirection in the routine.
Other
As you can see, a lot of work has gone into original input, fusing existing ideas, adapting subtleties, and practice in order to produce my own Third Degree Burn variation, and I’m quite happy with the outcome. I'm glad I chose TDB over the Invisible Deck (I now own the Invisible Deck also), as it has every feature of an ID plus there is no risk of being caught and leaves plenty of room to personalise the effect. The gimmick will last me a lifetime.
For last weeks performance I destroyed my gaff card but it was well worth it. There is an impromptu version I normally perform where you burn the pip of any card without destroying a gaff. Needless to say everybody totally freaked out, and my mate's girlfriend seems to think I have supernatural powers
The poker games stopped, the show continued.There you have it, my new closer. If you are wondering about any effects and want to know you where you can get them from, here are the effects I fused: Third Degree Burn, Stigmata, Card on Ceiling, Blizzard, a "No Deck Signed & Burnt Card + Blister" Here Then There, Warning, and Twilight Zone.
The subtleties and effect enhancers are: Electric Touch, Banachek's metal bending subtlety, The Flesh Torch, Legally Blind, and flash paper. The routine seems to flow quite well. For all the Third Degree Burn performers out there, feel free to use any ideas you like to enhance your routine, I would be happy to know I helped out a fellow magician.
All the fusion possibilities got me thinking, imagine having the spectator selecting a card and revealing it in as many ways as possible: from their wallet, engraved on your Zippo lighter, engraved on your card guard, barcode of the card box, blisters on your fingers, blood writing on your wrist, etc. reminds me of that David Blaine parody
