Al Mann and Devin Knight - Autobend Silverware

AutoBend Silverware "The Ultimate Metal Bending Effect Based On Early Ml Mann & Devin Knight Ideas

Two Pieces of Silverware Visibly Bend In Full View While Still Bending, One It Is Dropped Into The Spectator's Hand For Full Examination Includes The Secret of AUTOBREAK Silverware Visibly Bends Then Breaks In Half AutoBreak is Easy To Do With No Switches!

AUTOBEND SILVERWARE By Devin Knight & The Late AlMann

A Murphy's Magic Supplies Exclusive Release Notice: Autobend Silverware is made up in both forks and spoons. Your package may contain either a fork or spoon set. Although the photos show a spoon, the gimmicked fork works the same way as the spoon. AUTOBEND SILVERWARE is the name for a gimmicked piece of silverware developed in the mid 1980s. It has recently been put on the market again (under another name) WITH NO CREDIT to originators or history of the effect. This manuscript details some of the history and methods worked out by Al Mann and myself during the mid 80s. Al Mann shared some of these ideas during lectures and private meetings. However, this is first time both of our combined ideas appear in print. I took the basic idea and applied some advance visual bends to the ungimmicked spoon. You have received with the manuscript a properly made spoon or fork gimmick along with a matching bent piece of silverware. This is what many mentalists considered to be the REAL Work with the Autobend Silverware Gimmick HISTORY: The beginning of Autobend Silverware goes back to shortly after URI GELLER was getting worldwide fame for his ability to bend silverware. Magicians and psychic performers worldwide wanted to jump on the bandwagon. The ability to bend spoons or forks was the cool thing to do. In the late 80's Al Mann and myself spent many hours developing ways to bend silverware and keys. In Al's 1986 book: The Incredible Feats of Jason Michaels, he mentions how I left his home leaving a barrage of broken silverware. The earliest method I developed was to simply cut a spoon in half somewhere near the middle. This was out of sight. You picked up the spoon and held it between the fingers as shown below:

The spoon was actually in two pieces, by releasing pressure on the top section and tilting your hand forward the upper section of the spoon would fall forward creating the illusion of the spoon bending. You'd rub the stem and say the spoon was getting very pliable and then let both pieces fall to the floor. You were clean and the spoon could be examined. That was the humble beginning that led to the creation of the Autobend Silverware gimmick. Al Mann and I later learned that other mentalists in Europe had also independently discovered the same thing using a broken spoon. Shortly thereafter Tannens Magic Shop put a spoon on the market similar to the enclosed silverware. Only theirs had a small hinge on the spoon. This didn't allow for the final breakage of the spoon, but did make it easier for those people whole couldn't properly manipulate the two pieces. By the early 90s magicians in both Russia and Germany had discovered the advantage of rubber tubing with the broken spoon. Earlier experiments had included using bits of hard rubber and elastic behind the spoon to create the visual bend. It's hard to give credit to the first person to use the rubber tubing. Mann and I were using it in the mid 80s, and by the early 90s, it was in wide spread use among psychics. Al Mann and myself worked on many handlings for the flexible tubing and this manuscript details many of those moves. Working with the Autobend Silverware Enclosed with this manuscript are two spoons or forks. One is a cleverly gimmicked piece of silverware that will bend in full view. There is also another ungimmicked, but bent piece of silverware. This is used in some of the routines to allow the spectator to examine it later. Take the spoon/fork with the flexible tubing. Fold it out straight, and then place it in your hand as shown below. You can use either your left or right hand. If you are going to do a switch later, then use your right hand to hold the silverware. Study the photo below. Notice how the spoon is held. Keep pressure on the break area with your thumb, pressing the spoon against the two extended fingers. This will cause the spoon to appear to be straight.

You will find now that when you release the pressure, that both ends of the spoon will bend up creating a very stunning magical effect. That's the basic effect, so let's get into more advanced handlings and routines. You can place the spoon on the table, as the

gimmick is nearly invisible. If you place it on the table make sure the tubing is away from the audience. This is great for stage work, as the gimmick is almost invisible. The spoon can be shown on all sides with no fear of the gimmick showing. If working extremely close up you will want to switch the spoon for the ungimmicked one. Several handlings are explained later in this manuscript. Starting With The Silverware Straight For sake of explanation, we will assume you have an Autobend spoon, if you have a fork the moves are still the same. Since the spoon's normal position is bent; you need an easy way to start with it straight. The easiest is to have it out of sight behind your table and straighten it out before you bring it into view. However, most performers would prefer to have the spoon in full view. Here are three ways to do that. 1-Straighten the spoon and place on the table, the tubing is facing up and the bowl of the spoon is face down on the table. Now if you take some more silverware and overlap the gimmicked spoon the weight of the other silverware will keep the spoon straight. This is especially good if you are doing several spoon bending effects using ungimmicked spoons. Just reach down into the pile and pick up the gimmicked one retaining the tubing between your fingers. 2-Rubber Band Method: This is my favorite way to keep the spoon straight. Get one of the small rubber bands used on a folding half dollar. You will find once you straighten the spoon you can slip the rubber band over the tubing and it will keep it closed. Pick up the spoon and use your thumb to push the rubber band off letting it fall to floor. The spoon is now ready to operate. 3-Two Spoon Concealment. I love this subtle bit; it is used in my two-spoon routine described later. All you have to do is nest a regular UNBENT spoon on top of the opened out Autobend Spoon. This will conceal the break and tubing. Now if you hold the spoons by the edges along the middle area, you can allow the audience to see the ENTIRE solid spoon on top. The fingers holding the spoon at the edges (from behind) conceal the tubing and the cut in the gimmicked spoon. This looks very, very clean and the unbent nested spoon on top will keep he bottom gimmicked spoon from bending as long as you keep pressure on the edges. Please note, you may have to put a slight bend in the regular straight spoon to insure they nest properly. The Eating Subtly: Don't overlook this bit of business. Many leading magicians around the world using my autobend silverware are doing this. If you experiment with your fork or spoon, you will find that you can hold it in such a manner that you can ACTUALLY EAT WITH IT. I suggest you wash the end of the utensil before putting it in your mouth. The deal is to secretly ring in your fake silverware at the dinner table right before the meal is over. Continue to hold and eat with the Autobend Silverware. If you like you can

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lick the end of the silverware (as you might in normal eating). When ready to perform, direct the conversation toward metal bending and position the silverware to go into the bending routine. You will find this really sells the routine to the audience as they have noticed you eating your meal with the piece of silverware that starts to bend. If you have a spoon gimmick you may wish to eat ice cream or stir your coffee. The fork can be used for any foods you'd normally eat with a fork. The Fake Bending Illusion Move: This is a move I first developed in 1984 to create the illusion that a bent spoon or key was still bending. This was used in methods where a regular spoon was secretly bent and then shown. The fake bending move created the illusion that the spoon was still VISIBLY bending and could be given to the spectator. This technique was described in Mann's Incredible Feats of Jason Michaels. However, in that publication we explained the technique and how it could be applied to a bending key routine. This same technique works great in conjunction with the Autobend Silverware. It will be used in routines explained later in this manuscript. Here is how it's done. Take the regular bent spoon or fork, (the one without the tubing) and hold it in your left hand as shown in the first photo below. The view shown below is a side view. The thumb presses the end of the stem against the forefinger. Now release the pressure on the spoon and allow it to tilt forward and downward as seen in the second photo.

Done properly the illusion of the spoon bending is quite realistic. Remember the above photos are a side view for explanation only. The spectator is directly in front of you and can't see the release of the thumb. Practice this in front of a mirror and you'll fool yourself. THE VARIOUS HANDLINGS: Fast or Slow? Should the spoon bend fast or slow? The speed depends on how slowly or fast you release the pressure on the tubing. You can make the spoon bend very slowly or you can make it bend at lightning speed. I've found that letting the spoon bend at lightning speed is quite uncanny looking and seems to get great audience reaction. Also experiment with pointing your left forefinger at the spoon, and have the spoon follow the

movement of your left finger. This makes it appear your finger is shooting the power at the spoon. If you are doing a two-piece silverware routine, then try rubbing the ungimmicked regular piece of silverware on your sleeve and state you are trying to create a magnetic force. The take the regular piece of silverware and hold it close to the Autobend silverware. As you move the regular silverware, the Autobend silverware bends to follow its movement. THIS IS UNCANNY and I highly recommend you play around with this idea. Done properly it looks like one piece of silverware acts as strong magnet and causes, the other to bend toward it! Give them a choice: The stem or bowl: This is especially strong especially if you use it in a routine after you've done some metal bending using regular silverware and secret bends. For a climax pick up the Autobend Spoon and hold it between the thumb and fingers, as shown in the photo on page two. Ask the spectator if they want the stem to bend or the bowl. Which ever they choose you will find that with a little bit of practice you can let either the stem go up or the bowl. HOED YOU HAND AS STILL AS POSSIBLE. Here is what each bend looks like:

Release pressure so the stem goes up.

Release pressure so the bowl goes up.

The Switch Out: Here is the correct method for switching the gimmicked silverware for the ungimmicked one. Assuming you are right handed. You hold the gimmicked spoon in your right hand. Allow the spoon to SLOWLY bend. While all eyes are on this, you will have plenty of cover to go to your pocket and steal the ungimmicked bent spoon. Notice how this held in your left hand. This is NOT a palm.

The bottom three fingers of the left hand grasp the stem and allow the bowl of the spoon to reside against the palm. The forefinger is extended and can be used to point to the other spoon. This position is quite natural and there is no chance of dropping the spoon. Once the GIMMICKED spoon in the right hand has bent in half, close your hand around it and THUMB PALM THE GIMMICKED spoon in your right hand. Keep moving the right hand toward the left and when the hands meet SWING THE HIDDEN spoon in the left hand around so it comes into view. You are sort of doing a shuttle pass with the two spoons. Next work the spoon in your left into position for the FAKE BENDING ILLUSION. Hold the spoon facing the spectator, and do the fake bending move as previously described. Ask the person to hold out their hand and let the ungimmicked spoon fall into their hand for examination. You have plenty of cover while doing the fake bending move to ditch the gimmicked spoon in your pocket. You may have to readjust the bend in silverware to fit your hand.

Devin Knight's Two Spoon Handling This is one of my favorite methods and handling. When I was touring as a professional psychic I used this handling in newspaper offices to garner front-page publicity. I still use it often in restaurant work. All you need is the Autobend Gimmick and any other similar ungimmicked straight piece of silverware. I sometimes will use their spoon in the restaurant after they are done eating. The cool thing about this handling is that at the end you are left clean and both spoons can be examined WITH OUT ANY SWITCHES. Here is the work. NOTE: You don't have to use two forks or two spoons. Sometimes I will use both a fork and a spoon. If the Autobend gimmick is a spoon, then the ungimmicked one may be a fork. You don't have to use two different types of silverware but sometimes it is a refreshing change of pace. Start with the two spoons nested as previously explained. (Note: If using both a fork and spoon you will still be able to nest them) This way you can show both pieces of silverware freely. Take the gimmicked spoon in your right hand. Hold it in the right near the middle for the regular Auto Bend move. The regular spoon or fork is held near the bottom of the stem in your left hand.

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Now start rubbing both pieces of silverware with your thumbs (of each hand). Look at your right hand (gimmicked) spoon and say, "I think this one is starting to bend." Give them the choice of the stem or bowl and make the chosen section of the spoon bend upwards. As all attention is on the right hand DROP your left hand to your side, and press the regular spoon against your left leg to put a 45 degree bend in it. Nobody will see this, as everyone will be fascinated to see the other spoon visibly bending upwards. This is perfect misdirection. I like to press the spoon against my leg so it bends INWARD, the inside of the bowl toward the stem. This is known as BACKWARD bend. This bend will look opposite of the bend of the Autobend Spoon which bends in a FORWARD BEND. The audience will notice later that both spoons have bent in opposite directions. This makes for a very cool effect and is one not often seen. After the spoon in the right hand has bent, hold it at your fingertips. Bring up the left hand and exclaim this one is bending too, show the bent spoon. Now position it for the fake bending move. You make it appear to visibly bend more (using the fake bend illusion) and drop it into the spectator's hand. To end clean you can go into the AUTOBREAK explained below and everything can then be examined. GIVE IT AWAY AS A SOUVENIR: Since the regular ungimmicked piece of silverware is now bent you can leave it with them as a souvenir. This gives them something to keep and show their friends. If you do this a lot you may want to buy spoons in bulk. If you go to your dollar store or Wal-Mart you can often pick up 6 spoons for a buck. Autograph the Spoon: Whether you do the Autobend and then switch it, or the preferred two-spoon routine, you are left with an ungimmicked bent spoon that they can keep. Why not autograph it for them? If you use a Fine Tip Sharpie Pen you can easily sign your name on the bowl of the spoon or stem of the fork. This way when they show it to their friends it has YOUR NAME on it. They may forget your name and say some magician bent this spoon. However, if your name is written on spoon they will know it was you. You can also jot your phone number on the stem of the silverware using the sharpie. This is good to leave with a potential client. Tell them if they wish to book you, to call the number on the spoon. This is a great way to get your number out there. Business cards get old and torn and often lost. The bent spoon is a conversation piece and a keeper that will keep your name and phone number in view for years. Don't overlook this as an excellent way to promote yourself. Just for the record, if you are a younger magician who is trying to pick up girls with your magic, then do the spoon bend. Autograph it for her and put your phone number on the stem. To be subtle you can say if she has friends looking to hire a magician to call you. It's a nice classy, but subtle way to get your number into her hands.

The Autobreak and Rubbery Spoon—The preferred ending This is my preferred way of using the silverware. The effect is that the silverware bends, then becomes rubbery and breaks in half. Everything can then be examined.

THE RUBBERY SPOON: This takes a little practice but makes for a super strong ending. This is the way I normally end my routine. TAKE THE BENT SPOON. Say the spoon is getting soft and rubbery. You hold the tubing lightly between your thumb and forefinger with the silverware hanging downwards. Now move you right hand quickly up and down and slightly sideways. Allow the bowl of the spoon to flop up and down. Remember the old rubbery pencil illusion where you move you hand up and down, and the pencil appears to be rubbery? Do the same movement with the spoon. This will take some practice in front of a mirror to get it down right, but once you do it looks like the silverware is just a piece of loose rubber. T can't stress HOW STRONG THIS IS. This movement will cause the spoon bowl to flop up and down. This is quite comical looking, and amazing to the audience. You must practice holding the spoon lightly enough to flop up and down. There is a slight knack to doing this, but after a few minutes practice you should acquire the knack. Now get ready to blow them out of the water. After you've done the rubbery illusion it looks like the spoon is very pliable. Pinch the silverware TIGHTLY between the thumb and forefinger and immediately bang it on the table, showing it to be SOLID AND UNGFVING. Done properly THIS KILLS...one moment you have a soft rubber piece of silverware. The next moment it is rock solid! The best is yet to come. Say the spoon is BECOMING very PLIABLE right now. Reach over with the left hand grasping the bowl of the spoon and move it back and forth sideways. This will cause the bowl to slip out of the tubing. Don't slip the off the stem, just leave it on there for now. YOU STILL KEEP THE SILVERWARE PINCHED BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND FOREFINGER. You don't want them to know it's broken yet. You will now be holding the broken spoon with both pieces going off to the side as shown in the above photos. Ask the spectator to hold out their hand. Move your right hand up and down more slowly and then release the BOWL ONLY (or top of the fork) so it falls into their hand. The effect is that the silverware visibly bent; became rubbery and returned back to normal.

The silverware became pliable again as you moved the bowl back and forth sideways. Finally the spoon broke in half by itself as you gently shook your hand back and forth. A stunning effect to say the least, and one they will remember. The spectators seldom ask to see the stem, since the bowl just broke off into their hand and they have examined it. Many times I just leave the tubing on the broken stem. If you keep the stem in motion, it will NOT be noticed. If they ask to see the stem, just drop it into their hand retaining the small piece of tubing between your two fingers. After they have examined the broken spoon, you can pick the pieces up and drop them in your side pocket along with the tubing. Strolling Routine: Many performers do a single routine with the Autobend Silverware while strolling and for restaurant work. They carry only the gimmicked spoon. You can show it solid by gripping the tubing tightly while you bang it on the table. Cause the silverware to bend, giving them the choice of which end to bend up. Bang the bent silverware and show it solid. Next create the rubbery silverware illusion. Bang it again showing it solid. Then move the top of the silverware back and forth sideways creating the illusion of a pliable piece of silverware (working it out of the tubing). Finally, allow the top of the silverware to drop into their hands. Leaving the stem with the tubing on it in your hands. Keep your hands in motion and the tubing won't be seen. Pick up the top half in their hand and walk away or put in your pocket. It's very easy to reset the trick by slipping the top half of the silverware back into the tubing. You can do this in a matter of seconds on the way to the next person you will show this too. I've done this for hours at outdoor events with just the same spoon over and over again. TIP: If working all day with this, you might want to have some replacement tubing on you. The tubing does wear out. We've enclosed some extra tubing for replacement. You can get more mileage out of the tubing by rotating it 180 degrees. If the spoon doesn't bend as fast as you like, then the bend in the tubing is getting worn. Remove the tubing and rotate it 180 degrees and put it back on the spoon. This in essences reverses the bend in the tubing. The autobend spoon will now bend fast and smooth again. When the gimmick wears out replace it with one of the replacements we've enclosed. Where to get more? You can get a lifetime supply of the tube gimmicks for less than 2 dollars. Go to any store that sells pet supplies. You want to buy the clear tubing used in fish tanks. You can get 25 ft for about 2 dollars and this is a lifetime supply. Replace the gimmicks as soon as they start showing wear for the best results. For additional information on my key bending routines using the Fake Bending Move, I refer the reader to the 1986 manuscript jointly done by Al Mann and myself: The Incredible Feats of Jason Michaels. This is currently out of print but copies often turn up on eBay. Entire Manuscript copy righ t@ 2004 by Devin Knight

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