WristWatch Blendo by Collectors’ Workshop

WristWatch Blendo (Wrist Watch Blendo) is one of those Collectors’ Workshop effects that I’ve wanted to own for quite some time, and if you know anything about wanting a magic trick, nine times out of ten you end up disappointed. Not so with WristWatch Blendo. It really is a cleverly designed prop with a well thought out routine and clear setup instructions. The effect was created by professional magicians John Ferrentino and Joe Silkie, and you can tell they approached it from the perspective of performers rather than collectors. They clearly spent time thinking through the routine, the audience management, and the comedy, rather than simply creating something that would look good sitting on a shelf. The setup is nowhere near as complicated as it first sounds, and the prop really does work exactly as advertised. The routine walks you through the handling, and after a few practice runs you’ll have it down. From that point on, the real challenge is maximizing the natural comedy built into the effect. It uses fire, candles, flash paper, timing, handcuffs, and a borrowed watch, so there are still plenty of opportunities for things to go sideways if you lose focus. With a little rehearsal, however, everything becomes quite reliable. You will get some wax on the tabletop. You can certainly put something underneath if you wish, but honestly I’d just let the wax fall and scrape it off occasionally if it starts to build up. Finding the sweet spot for the candle and flash paper is easy enough, and once you have it worked out the timing becomes fairly consistent. It is difficult to do a proper Speed Demo of this item with only one person. I do my best, but handcuffing yourself is not quite as easy as it looks. Includes: WristWatch Blendo (complete: table, clock, blendo, candle holder, bags, etc.) ATA Case Chicago Model 1550MG Gimmicked Irish 8 Handcufs (bonus) Lighter for the candle (bonus) Extension Cord (bonus) Supply of cord (bonus) Full Printed Instructions. Does not come with Flash Bills, Watch, Bunny or stand to hold the watch (that was just for the Speed Demo, use a spectator!). _EF From the fertile minds of John Ferrentino and Joe Silkie… Here’s the picture. Performer borrows watch from willing spectator. For protection, the watch is placed in a little black drawstring bag and hung on fish hook. Performer is handcuffed, and the keys are placed in a little red bag, which is hung around the spectator’s neck for safe keeping. Candle is placed beneath fishing cord. Object: Performer must escape from handcuffs before candle (A) burns through cord (B), dropping watch (C) into food processor (D). Performer sets timer clock, telling the audience that it takes precisely one minute for the cord to burn through, but with any luck at all, he can escape in about 38 seconds. Clock begins to run. Performer struggles, managing to release one hand at about 30 seconds. Slowly, however, the candle begins to tip, igniting the watch bag! Horrified, the performer rips the bag from the stand and throws it to the floor, stomping all over it to put the fire out. Everything once more under control, performer realizes what he has done. He picks up bag, which now exudes a loud, ominous rattle. “Well, at least I got one hand free,” he proclaims confidently. “I’ll wave my hand over this bag. Then, you take it home with you, put it in the back of the darkest closet in your house. Five days from now, at midnight, open the little bag and you’ll find that your watch is restored, good as new.” Spectator is thoroughly unimpressed. “Better yet,” says the performer, “if you’ll be good enough to give me the keys so I can unlock my other wrist, I’ll restore the watch for you immediately.” Performer opens the little red bag that’s been hanging around her neck. Inside, she finds the keys and her watch, unharmed, in the same bag.