Magic Tricks

The quality of this writer is fairly good. It’s comparable to a few others on the market. I will say that the fit is comfortable and easier to adjust than some other similar ones on the market. The video, all told, is about 2 hours long. It includes some performances, instructions, maintenance, and suggestions on how to best write each number and letter of the alphabet. That is most helpful and I’m glad they included it. The box has the gimmick in it, loaded and ready to go…and that’s it. There is no address where instructions can be downloaded or viewed. There are no notes on the type of lead being used. No item that would help when changing the lead. And get this…no extra leads. The video claims hundreds of uses and even hints that you may not need to change the lead. But that’s not entirely true and depends a great deal on how much you practice and how much you use it. Perhaps if you use it to draw one or two numbers or letters each performance, you can get that much use out of it. Only time will tell for sure. You’d think they’d have provided additional leads. Other similar items in the same price range provide extra leads. The video tells you what type to buy, but they say it’s 2B in one frame when they’re telling you what type of lead to get, and a few minutes later, mention almost in passing that it’s 4B. I suppose both could be used and it’s a matter of preference. I’d recommend 2mm 4B, (and I believe that’s what’s actually in the writer, despite the 2B claim early in the care and maintenance portion of the video). But keep in mind that 4B is a softer lead. It will write darker for you, but it will wear down faster. So you’ll have to make that adjustment based on your preference and use of the item. They don’t tell you that on the video, so there’s your nickel’s worth of free advice. I got this for 50% off during a holiday sale during it’s introductory period. That’s a fair price for it. At twice what I paid for it, (if it does eventually, actually rise to that cost), I’d say it’s overpriced and would recommend a couple of others in that price range. Again, only time will tell what the final price actually will be. I give it 4 out of 5 stars because it’s a good fit and easy enough to adjust. It does what it is designed to do and it’s reliable and easy enough to carry. I liked that they taught the easiest means of writing the numbers and letters. There were ideas for routines, but I didn’t pay them any mind, as I have a specific use for the item and won’t be needing to loop in different performances/tricks utilizing it. I may even purchase a spare while the price is still at 50% off. I took a start off for the confusion mentioning two different lead types may cause some people, (and not giving much information on various types/softness of leads); and the fact that additional leads weren’t provided. If you can get this on sale, it’s absolutely worth it. If not, you may find it overpriced. Useful and good enough quality, but overpriced. And be prepared to purchase and size your own replacement leads.