Big Hands
The "Total Vanish" kit (MSRP: $15.00, Murphy's) offers a gimmick to modify a normal playing card so it can be camouflaged in your hand and appear to vanish. The method is a proven one. The modifications are easy to make and can be done in a short amount of time and with minimal effort. All you need are scissors.What the ads don't tell you is that you'll need fairly large hands to accommodate the vanish. There's almost nothing with playing cards that I can’t do with my hands, but I couldn't palm the gimmick because it was too large.
To determine whether this trick may work for you, you can turn a playing card sideways and then try to finger palm the short width of the card. If you can do this, you can perform the trick. (Yes, I could use shorter bridge-style cards and perform the trick, but I only use standard poker size Bicycle cards.)
Vanish Like Magic?
Another consideration, this vanish is for experienced magicians. The "vanish" leaves you quite dirty and observant spectators may discover the secret if you don’t have the skills to divert their attention and move on.Now that I think about it, there's a standard sleight-of-hand move that accomplishes much the same thing. I'll stick to the classic method.
Overall, I'm unimpressed this one, particularly when compared to other products that have come from Etienne Pradier.
