Straight Jacket

[notsoltd]

I am looking to start doing straight jacket escapes.

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S13151 This is what I originally found, and am looking at getting BUT two things stand in my way. One, the price is kind of steep and two, I'm a small guy - about 6 foot tall, 125lbs - I'm afraid this jacket will be too big, and therefor useless.

I found this straight jacket - http://monkeydungeon.com/cotton webbing straight jacket.htm With this I could get a size that would closer fit me, and it would be cheaper. However, this one is real, it isn't gaffed like the other, which is ok.

My question is this - which would you suggest, and if I were to get the real one, what resource could I look up to learn how to escape from it?

Thanks,
Rob G.

 

[William Draven]

Edited for now.

 

[eostresh]

I bought from Monkey Dunngeon and was pretty happy with what I got. If I were a pro who did straight jacket escapes several times a week, I might upgrade to a Posey or pick a design from Cannon's but I feel that makes no sense for a guy just starting out in escape arts. As for a gimmicked versus ungimmicked jacket. Go with ungimmicked. Straight jacket escapes really are not that difficult.

EDIT- If you are considering spending $250 then this is where I would personally recommend you spend it on. Go here- http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/1902 Now scroll down the list until you get to - Escapology with Dixie Dooley Then pick four other titles that interest you. Then get the $150 straight jacket from Monkey Dungeon. With that you get a straight jacket, a DVD set that teaches an ungimmicked straight jacket escape plus how to build and perform a Metamorphosis Sub trunk, plus how to escape regulation handcuffs, plus how to gaff smith and wesson style handcuffs, plus a whole host of rope escapes, and then you get 4 other magic dvds/effects that strike your fancy.

 

[notsoltd]

Thanks guys. I am ordering the straight jacket and the DVD set tonight!

 

[Josh Burch]

For practice with a straight jacket, I would work with another magician who knows his way around it. It seems like it is a relatively safe escape but there are many factors that come into play exhaustion, dehydration, and so on. I would always make sure with an escape like this that there is always someone with you who can help you out in an emergency. My advice with a straight jacket is to be very well prepared and it's always better to be safe then sorry.

 

[bentley]

I bought mine from http://www.realstraightjackets.com and it was worth it. I bought an ungimmicked and learn to escape from it. It requires more acting than anything which is the beauty of the escape. People make it a lot harder than it is. Just last night someone was telling everyone you have to pop your shoulder out of place to escape. I'd get one that isn't gimmicked. This guy I gave a link from is worth it and really nice.

 

[eostresh]

Oh geez....I forgot to mention that when getting a real straight jacket you should generally get a size larger when you first start. Sorry if iut is too late....if it is don't worry too much. It just may take a little more practice.

 

[eostresh]

For practice with a straight jacket, I would work with another magician who knows his way around it. It seems like it is a relatively safe escape but there are many factors that come into play exhaustion, dehydration, and so on. I would always make sure with an escape like this that there is always someone with you who can help you out in an emergency. My advice with a straight jacket is to be very well prepared and it's always better to be safe then sorry.

Erm....I didn't. It really is a lot more acting than anything else. I realize that what you are saying is the "Safe" thing but frankly I don't see the straight jacket as anymore dangerous than a lot of stage effects. I am more paranoid about properly engaging a hand chopper/finger chopper.

Now before you do something like a suspended upside down escape, absolutely! Get in contact with a mentor before attempting something like that.

 

[notsoltd]

Eostresh, it's too late, I already bought it. I didn't buy the one I originally linked, instead I got this one http://monkeydungeon.com/Leather straps straight jacket.htm

I didn't get black, I got natural, and I got XS. for that size, it said for people with a chest size of 32-34 inches and I'm at 33. Hopefully I'll still be able to learn ot, I don't see why I won't be able to. Should be a lot of fun and I eventually want to do a suspended escape as a publicity stunt.

 

[eostresh]

Eostresh, it's too late, I already bought it. I didn't buy the one I originally linked, instead I got this one http://monkeydungeon.com/Leather straps straight jacket.htm

I didn't get black, I got natural, and I got XS. for that size, it said for people with a chest size of 32-34 inches and I'm at 33. Hopefully I'll still be able to learn ot, I don't see why I won't be able to. Should be a lot of fun and I eventually want to do a suspended escape as a publicity stunt.

Okay, sorry I didn't mention that in my original post. Couple things for reassurance. The one size up S.J. is generally the recommendation for beginners. Lots of pros do it with a jacket that is perfectly fit. So you will be able to find a way out of that jacket. Just be prepared to need a bit more practice before you perform. Most of the secret lies in ways of flexing and bulking yourself up while you are getting strapped in. This gives the spectator the impression that they strapped you in tighter that they really did. The second thing is that a size up jacket is more important for a Posey Style escape. Posey style jackets have the strap on the belly that the arms go through. The jacket you have doesn't have that strap so you will be able to do the original, arm over the head, style effect that Houdini did. So all and all, based on the style you selected, and a willingness to put in some work I think you will be fine. The good news is that it actually will be a bit harder to escape from which means you won't need to act as much. With my one size larger jacket, I can be out of it in about 30sec or less. So I spend another minute and a half wrestling around and pretending I'm having a tough go of it. For some reason a minute and a half to two minutes seems to be the sweet spot for getting good crowd reactions. Have fun with it! and don't rent a crane until you really get it down!
Cheers

 

[notsoltd]

No worries! And thanks a lot for the reassurance! I definitely won't be doing any publicity stunts until I have it down super well. Thanks again for the help, this thing is gonna be a blast!

 

[eostresh]

No worries! And thanks a lot for the reassurance! I definitely won't be doing any publicity stunts until I have it down super well. Thanks again for the help, this thing is gonna be a blast!

No problem. They are a LOT of fun. They really work well for almost any performance style. I'm kind of a comedy style performer and I can really ham it up but it also works well for people with more serious presentations as well. If you ever get reliably quick watch Draven's escape. He has an excellent presentation for a speed escape.

 

[Bizzaro]

I got mine from Monkey Dungeon. The nice thing about them is you can get damn near any color you like. Mine is black and red.

Also, it's straitjacket not "straight"jacket There is no crooked jacket.

 

[eostresh]

http://www.oneill.com/#/men/europe/collection/men/product/jackets/casual/crooked_jacket_1/9010/

 

[brendan1980]

I watched William Draven's escape, the one where he has a spectator blindfolded and has them fall back. He escapes and catches them. It was a really good performance and a great twist on the escape routine. Good work Mr Draven, really enjoyed it.

 

[Craig Browning]

I got mine from Monkey Dungeon. The nice thing about them is you can get damn near any color you like. Mine is black and red.

Also, it's straitjacket not "straight"jacket There is no crooked jacket.

Yes there is. . . I know for a fact Mark Lewis wears one (hahahaha)


I've but skimmed this thread in that I get a bit dismayed when it comes to faux escape acts (as much if not more so than I do with Mentalism). Escape work ISN'T a collection of tricks for the most part but legitimate stunt work that more than not, involves a combination of cool headed thinking/planning and brawn. Using gaffed devices ain't it!

If you want to do something like the Straitjacket, ask yourself "Why?" At the same time, evaluate the various approaches for presenting such a bit and not only which of the half-dozen or so molds you plan on incorporating but again, "Why?" More to the point, contemplate how "genuine" you are going to seem when pulling off said bit; are you going to be a clown shooting for cheap laughs and thus ruin something that was once viewed as a great impossibility? Or, are you going to present it in a more dramatic flare, such as was done by Houdini or for that matter, Tony Curtis?

Escape work requires a bit of respect that it seems to have lost somewhere along the line and as such, been demoted to being more of a big stage illusion or clown gag. Mainly because of redundancy and the fact that so many of "US" (as in magicians) prefer chasing after a cheap laugh than actually put in the time of creating deliberate suspense, potential failure, and ultimate triumph. . . the sort of success that allows the audience to "breathe" once we've defeated the challenge. . . and like Mentalism, that occasional fail and not being able to get out of a set of cuffs, the jacket or whathaveyou, makes you come off as being even more legit.

I know this doesn't directly address the original question, but it is a handful of things one should consider BEFORE making such an investment. . . or any investment involving a potentially major feature.

 

[notsoltd]

Craig, I get what you mean. I do magic, and some mental magic. I like a bit of everything and by no means am I going to just stick to magic, become a hardcore mentalist or solely an escapologist. I like all of them, amd i feel like I can include all of it in my shows. While other parts of ky act may have funny bits, I have no intentions of any escapes I learn being comedy acts. I may use a joke like "geez, whatd I do to piss you off?" As someone is strapping me into the jacket, but ultimately, it isn't a magic trick, and I won't present it as one. It will be presented as it should be, a true mystery and feat of impossibility.

 

[Deechristopher]

We got our straitjacket from Bondara - Fetish shops are great for restraints. Much cheaper than magic stores and great quality on a whole!

http://www.bondara.co.uk/bondage-straitjacket-restraint

It's canvas with leather straps and metal eyelets, it's lasted well so far!

You'll have to excuse the erratic nature of the act, we were asked to put together something bespoke for a 2am slot at a bondage themed club night, so a bit of gorelesque crossed with escapology fit the bill perfectly.

Back to Craig's post, this was a genuine escape, not a magic trick. In fact, the guy that tied me in tied the overarm strap so tight it took me well over a minute to undo it with my teeth!

The point of me posting this is to demonstrate that even with a pretty standard straitjacket escape, as Craig suggests, a bit of creativity can go a long way and you can still have a lot of fun with it while it retains it's impressive nature. Because of our niche market, we had to do things a little differently to most, but it just goes to show that framing is everything. If I'd have gotten up on stage and done a normal escape, I don't think it would've had half the impact it did on the crowd. Think about who you're going to perform the act for and work it for them - We couldn't do that act at a family event for instance!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2293976586840

(I'm not sure, but you may have to 'like' the page before you see it - If you do it's here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grindshow-Massacre/261399043877387)

That's a quick little iphone video of the act, it was good fun, but suffice to say we rewrote a lot of it to cut dead time and get it all cued up nicely for the next time we did it!

DC

 

[Bizzaro]

Oh also - For the love of everything PLEASE do not use the presentation of "Breaking Houdini's Record" as your SJ presentation. It's been done to death and it's like a cat with a hairball (hack hack hack). If you can't think of anything of your own, just don't do it.

 

[notsoltd]

I hadn't even thought of that presentation. Honestly, until I came up with a really good presentation, I was probably going to do something like "a tribute to houdini" to close my stage act.

By the way Bizzaro, just out of curiousity, do you remember me? I'm Rob, I hung out with you guys for a bit at T.G.I.Fridays at IMX, and showed you all my Ziplocked coin through bag.