I've performed comedy and magic for 23 years. My wife has seen it all. She knows about DL's and ITR's because of her NHWSAHAPHSDATT (nerdy husband who sits at home and practices his second deal all the time).
Anyhoo, I watched the Torched and Restored tutorial, ran through it a couple times, and set off to show my jaded little wife. Long story short, it floored her. I'm talking, jaw dropped open, mumbling under her breath, fooled her. Believe me, that doesn't happen very often. Like I said, she knows to much. She immediately jumped over the kitchen table, knocking me to the floor, totally making out with me. I was like, "What's this all about?". She was all like, "Because of that trick! It was the sexiest thing I've ever seen!" I was like, "Cool! Let's do this thing!"
Okay, not really. Yes, the trick fooled her badly, because it's that good, but I believe her exact words were, "Wow! I have no idea how you did that! That was great! Now, you need to get those dishes done." I went ahead and did the dishes, but believe me, that was the happiest I've ever been while doing dishes. I just fooled my toughest (and hottest) critic. You will, too. Thanks Brent! Well done.

If you work at all in demanding circumstances, you're gonna appreciate what a godsend this is. This is the best TNR extant- and I say that for many reasons: Impact, practicality, conviction, method (ingenious), angles, the entire gamut.

Thanks for sharing this Brent- it's marvelous!

Jack

There are many torn and restored card effects on the market, but I'll compare this to two that had the most influence on me, The Reformation and The Reparation. Reformation by Guy Hollingworth (Drawing Room Deceptions) is the most difficult. It is very clean looking, but it is not something I'd be comfortable doing in public because of how difficult it is. It is the most "impossible" looking routine, but the benefits of this routine over the others are likely to go over a layman's head. A magician will appreciate this more. The Reparation by John Lovick makes the Guy Hollingsworth routine much easier, but lacks the convincing degree of Guy Hollingsworth's routine. Lovick's routine is superior to Hollingworth's because a better balance between between ease and effect is achieved. Hollingworth's routine is very difficult to master and while Lovick's can achieve the same with less trouble while not sacrificing too much in terms of effect.

With that being said, I am not a big fan of torn and restored effects; I don't perform them and don't practice them regularly like I do other things. I'm sure I'm not alone in learning something for the sake of learning it; adding it to my repertoire of regularly performed is dependent on how much I like it after I learn it and it just didn't feel right. I'll look at it every once in a while, but not much more.

Torched and Restored by Brent Braun made me reconsider how I treat torn and restored effects. I've learned it and found it to be easier than Lovick's routine without sacrificing the effect. Braun's routine requires some setup, which I am not a fan of because I like working with a clean deck, but it removes the problems associated with the previous two routines. I can't really say exactly what the issues are without revealing the methods, but if you're familiar with the standard method, you'll notice something very special about Braun's routine. This results in a routine that is easier than Lovick's and looks as good as Hollingworth's.

I don't recommend it. I'm selfish and don't want other magicians doing this because I want it for myself! It's such a good routine that I'm adding it to my repertoire. It's clean, visual, and easy to do. Being easy is not (and should not) be a deciding factor in what one chooses to do for a performance, but what best achieves the desired result. The best happens to also be the easiest.

Outstanding! Not only is Brent's handling super clean, but the moves are logical! This is a practical and commercial effect. The burning of the card adds a dramatic effect which people are naturally drawn to. I am a real world working magician and very picky about the material that I choose to include in my repertoire; this one is definitely going to be part of my act! Finally, the explanation on the download is clear and concise. Way to go Brent!

I dont often write reviews but this is great. Very easy to do but will take practice to get the handling natural. Easy and cheap to build the gimmick could easily be done on the fly. You could have a whole deck of these ready to go or just have one laying in your normal deck for that moment of visual magic. Order now you wont be dissapointed. The only criticism I have is that you cant have people standing behind you, but thats the case for all TNR methods. The price is also ridiculously good.

Every week for 10 years, "Torched and Restored" was part of my ongoing one-man show. And while other effects were cycled in and out of rotation, this one was a constant, knocking out audiences reliably from Opening Night straight through to Closing. It looks like real magic: the card is cleanly and deliberately torn into quarters and even burned a little with a lighter; there's no way it will ever be the same. Yet the next moment, it's flashily restored in an instant (imagine the Gene Anderson Newspaper Tear in a convenient card-size presentation). I love it!

When evaluating a new effect, I'm not looking to see if it's good or bad. But rather, I'm asking one simple question, "Can I use this or not?"

Rest assured, "Torched and Restored" is a user, not a loser. It's something I can use for walk-around without worrying about restricted angles, and fire always adds an extra level of coolness.

Two random notes--1) At most, you'll need to add about $3.00 to the purchase price to buy a certain something from any office supply store. (I say "at most" because a lot of magicians will already have this on hand.)

And 2, to answer the question that I had when purhasing this--No, it does not require a TT. (Not that there is anything wrong with a TT, but I'd feel ripped off to have purhased this and be told simply, "Tear the card, and use the TT for a switch and ditch.")

I actually use this as a climax to my ambitious card routine. It is a real worker. It requires a bit of practice (what doesn't). I also recommend buying a few decks of cards...torched and all that...

The only reason I wouldn't recommend it highly is because I'd like to keep the secret for myself!

This trick is very simple to do and it amazes a lot of people. In my opinion, I recommend buying USED cards from casinos, they sell them online, because you will need a lot of them. This trick is going to be in your repertoire for a very long time.

To put it in one word #PERFECT. I own so many torn and restored card magic over the years, Torched and Restored is the perfect working tool.
Thx. Brent for your version. This is a must own, and I rarely give Five Stars.
Picasso!