Tenyo Magic Forum

It's no secret that there are Tenyo out there that we can only wish to obtain.

There are also some tricks that are so mystifying and neat that we just WANT to know the secret, but may be a wee out of our price range.

Which brings up an interesting question:

If you were let in on the secret of a particular trick or tricks, would you still buy them?


For me, I find Dragon's Altar absolutely brilliant to watch. But it's way out of my price range, but I fear that if I know the secret it'll lose it's 'credibility'.

Undercover Cube is one that I want to know the secret, only because I think it'd be a challenge to create a better routine, but I can't pitch $40 to it--knowing that Confined Cubes is a WAY better trick for the same price.

I DID scoff at Ghost Deck from Magic Works, only because I had this bizarre hate towards card tricks. I found an auction that had all 8 cards posted in the pictures. I ended up figuring out the gimmick and did everything I could to win that auction.

If you had to choose between DA and UC, I'd go for DA. UC is a very clever principle but DA requires a bit more practice and has a nice locking mechanism so your friends will never be able to perform it (unless you want them to )

This question is actually about all magic tricks, not only Tenyos. Very often I manage to figure out how a trick is done, watching the video, and then I decide not to buy it.
But I believe it is because I collect magic principles, and because I am so arrogant to think after discovering the secret, that I can make that trick myself

in my opinion if I see a good trick and I want to know the secret then if I have the funds I will get the trick to find out the Secret/Gimmick,iam less likely to get the trick if I know how it is done! but that's just me...Gaz.

Short answer: yes. I've been collecting for years now and in most cases I actually more or less know how a magic trick works (as with Rob). The secret doesn't matter that much to me; if the trick is baffling, fits my style and is easy to do (and I have the funds ) I will buy it.

Yes i am with david and rob,i collect mainly penetration effects and tenyo.If i see a trick and i like it ,iff i can afford it i will buy it if i know the secret or not

Sometimes when I do a magic trick and it goes well, the spec might say "how do you do that?" Of course I don't tell them. They then sometimes turn to my wife and ask again "do you know how he does that?" My wife often answers "if you knew, you would not be that amazed." Thank you honey, but she is right.

I have bought many a Tenyo that were opened, but the prop is pristine as if it was never used. I suspect that they were opened just to see how they were done and then never used after that.

I think knowing the secret will make many people satisfied and they will not buy the trick after that.

I only really collect performers, I'm not intending in making any money on my collection, I hope one day the mystic ruby will want all my tricks but I'll not push them on him. The benefit of my collection is that, not being fussed about mint or or even packaged tenyo, I can fill gaps in my collection easier and cheaper. The minus being their value isn't much. But I got them to perform and perform them I will still got a lot of gaps tho. Having said that I obviously prefer to have the packaging if possible, and I still keep all that I have. I particularly like the older styles of packaging and enjoy watching the graphical styles change over the years. But I'm a graphics nerd. The only packaging I want is the 1983 range (I'm halfway there) EOTI Blue box (which I have) and a BNIB magic Works crystal cleaver, the one that started it all off for me.
Incidentally I have a spare opened but unused 4D trunk if anyone has any tenyo for trade.

As far as Tenyo is concerned I am already past the point of no return. I'll pretty much buy anything I don't have if it falls into my price range. For instance I'd really like to buy a Coin Case even though i know how it works and can get a copy for a dollar. I don't really care about used or new that much as I at least try all of the tricks.

As far as other magic is concerned it depends. If I find out the secret and I really like it I am more likely to buy it than before I knew the secret. But if I'm not crazy about how the trick works I am less likely to buy it than before.

I'm same as Elliot, I will buy it if I don't have it... BUT I still can't make up my mind on some particular item, things that I can't display or have to add on to the trick. Like money shock. I bought it, but haven't made it because I have Extreme Burn and it looks silly if I display what is supplied. Those king of trick I try to stay away I know it will just stay in the box forever:(

Sure, I'll totally buy something even if I know the secret. Especially if its a really good trick to perform or if it's a good investment (rare/discontinued item found for a good price). For example, I know how Mini Morphosis works and (next to Bare Bones) it's probably my most sought-after item!

shameless plug alert
here's my version of MM Mike...
http://youtu.be/gjiPk8HSFGI

Great job on the mm redux si, nicely done!!.

cheers gaz, I was pleased with that one (needed a bit of background music so you can't 'hear the magic' )
like the new look by the way

if i can use that magic tricks at my work place despite knowing the secrets i'll still probably buy it (if my budget permits)

This is a very interesting question. I think with tenyo it is a little bit different than at most magic tricks. Most Tenyo tricks have so clever solutions that it is very hard not to tell and show the secret to the spectators because it is so cool most of the cases.

As for other tricks: what I see at the magic shop I work at is that mostly beginners many times buy items just to know the secret and they do not buy items where they already know the secret. I was like so as well. But later it started to change. And now it is completely the opposite: I mostly buy items where I know more or less how the trick works. It is simply a practical thing: if I know how it works I can decide if I will be able to use them in certain performing situations or not. For the things I bought without knowing the secret: it almost always turns out that it is either too angle sensitive or not practical etc.

Of course with tenyo it is different. Some cases (like Eye of the Idol or Mini Morphosis) it is just good to play with the prop from time to time because it is so cool how they work. And I still do not have idea of how many Tenyo tricks work.

SimonC wrote:shameless plug alert
here's my version of MM Mike...
http://youtu.be/gjiPk8HSFGI

Just watched your video Simon, AWESOME job dude. That's quite a nice spin on the trick, one of these days when I get a MM I'll have to attempt your version!

Cheers mate, you'll need a little something extra but you may already have one. There's a few more tenyo tricks on my YouTube, but Roberto is the man to check out.

SimonC wrote:Cheers mate, you'll need a little something extra but you may already have one. There's a few more tenyo tricks on my YouTube, but Roberto is the man to check out.

Ah...since I know how the trick works I know what that little something extra is

Yep, it's a full orchestra be hand the camera playing Ride of the Valkyrie so you can't hear the magic happen (and a ** *in*)