When I was in 6th grade a magician performed at our school. He asked for a volunteer, I was chosen.
He had me twist pipe cleaners around his thumbs tight, TIGHT. Then he asked me to pick up 3 rings
from a table and throw one at his hands. It slid right through his hands and right up his arm.
I was transfixed! It was impossible. I was a big, strong kid and twisted those pipe cleaners
TIGHT. I was frozen in place. He had to ask me twice to throw the second one and then the third
with the same results. He had me untwist the wires and I saw the deep gouges they left on his skin.
I relived that magic experience many, many times over the years and was confounded how he did
it. It was 40 years later, at a magic flea market, that I bought a little booklet titled “The
Jaspernese Thumb Tie” and discovered the secret.
Now Dan Harlan has brought every conceivable
Thumb Tie method to this lecture and explained them all in extreme detail and wonderfully
demonstrated.
Thank you Dan, the best lecture ever!
4 of 4 magicians found this helpful.
I now have 32 of these downloads.
Harlan gives wonderful instructions and seems to anticipate
every
question and covers every possible problem area you might encounter.
Although I will
only make use of a fraction of the material, it is a very useful
resource to have in my library.
an enciclopedia of magic.
Thank you
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.
I have used the rubber band thumb tie for a few years now when just working in bars or parties when
doing larger escapes would be impractical. It it's always fun and plays big for the size it packs. I
bought this hoping to get mostly some presentation ideas and that I have. Also Dan's teaching is for
me at least, crystal clear. His twist ties presentation is something I know I will be playing with.
Over all great ideas only reason 4 stars is the illusion. He explains how to build it yes but for me
I kind of got lost during that part. A PDF add on for just the construction would have been great.
It's a nit pick but just me
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
Wow, I was going to perform my usual zip tie thumb tie escape at a show this weekend, but after
watching this lecture, I have a couple of different methods I may have to try out instead of my
usual! I particularly love the method Dan came up with for the zip tie escape. Pure genius! This is
a great resource for learning everything there is to learn about thumb tie escapes. Including how to
make the escape into a much bigger thing which will play on stages of all sizes. Great work!
2 of 2 magicians found this helpful.
There have been many master magicians throughout history, but Dan Harlan sets himself miles apart
from the rest of the pack by being such a thorough and comprehensive educator. He is a natural
teacher...which is a rare thing in any trade, and one can't help but be awestruck by his immense
knowledge and superior instruction. Many magicians can inspire and amaze, but if you want to LEARN,
then accept no substitute. Dan is The Man.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
This is one of those effects which you must learn thru watching. It is impossible for most to learn
from reading the classical texts. Dan does a great job of showing you multiple methods and his
presentation. If you ever have seen the great Jonathan Neale do this you know how powerful it is.
Joe Monti has a great commical version. Shintaro, Paid by the Japanese government and considered a a
national treasure of Japan closes his show with this.
Practicing will require a partner. You can
not tie knots with your thumbs in proper position.
It’s great to see this great effect
available to the general magic public
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
Great job, lots of info/tips. Many thumb tie methods and presentations. Very helpful. Well worth it
if you’re considering doing a thumb tie in your act.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
Penguin couid not have chosen a better artist then Dan Harlan the consummate host not only to the
Tarbell series but Penguin Live ,his showmanship intellect experience & personality make a perfect
model for any young aspiring
Performer, this is a fabulous lesson Dan expounds on a multitude
of of varied methods with his own unique approach to this classic effect
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
I have every one of these downloads and some are great and others are really great. I have been
thinking of doing a thumb tie for some time but have never worked on it. This download will give
you more methods and more routines than you could ever need. There is some great stuff here.
I
am always amazed at the creativity of Dan Harlan. A very good Tarbell lesson about a somewhat
forgotten motif.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.
The Tarbell series is my new recommendation for anyone starting out in magic who wants tested,
workable routines to put into into their show. Lots of great new ideas from Dan Harlan as well that
will inspire professionals alike.
1 of 1 magicians found this helpful.