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Ripped and Reversed Review

One mis-made bill, $X dollars, and one Ripped and Reversed Review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.

Ripped and Reversed Review: Effect/Method

You're getting a prop. It's a dollar bill that's been torn from a full sheet of dollar bills (see the video review). This allows you to tear a bill in half and "restore" it backwards. You're not really buying a method which is a little bit of a problem (more on that in the product quality section). But, the method is " . . . using your favorite bill switch." So is the method good, doable, legit, etc.? That's up to you and how good your bill switch is.

Ripped and Reversed Review: Ad Copy Integrity

The ad copy is pretty sparse. However, there is a simple phrase in there that is stirring up some trouble. The phrase is "borrow a dollar." The problem, which should be obvious, is that you can't exactly let the spectator keep the bill that you just changed. The ad copy doesn't claim that you can, but it does mention that this is done with a borrowed bill, so just to be clear. It can be done with a borrowed bill, but you'll have to fix it before you give it back. Well remember that you ripped their bill in half and then restored it the wrong way.

Well . . . since you can't give them your Ripped and Reversed bill, you have to switch it back. Well you can't exactly switch it back to the torn pieces of their original bill, so that means you have to switch it for a fully restored bill and give that back to them. This means that if you do this trick multiple times, you have to have a whole bunch of normal ones in your pocket. Also, at the end of the day you'll end up with a pocket full of torn dollar bills.

I mention all this during the ad copy section because of the claim that you use a borrowed bill. When you heard that, you likely came to one of two conclusions. You may have thought that the spectator gets the bill back and that he's come up with some bizarre method to accomplish this. Or you may have thought that there was a switch involved. Well the first assumption would be false, obviously, so now you know (i.e., I've clarified the ad copy). The second assumption would be true, so you're likely expecting the instructions to teach you how to do that, but they do not.

Ripped and Reversed Review: Product Quality

This is where my mixed feelings come in. I have no problem with vendors selling "just a prop" (e.g., a thumb tip, a magic wand, reversed bill, etc.). I don't expect instructions to come with a thumb tip or a magic wand, etc. However, if the ad copy for the magic wand said, "Imagine that with just the tap of the wand a coin appears at your finger tips." Then when you get the wand, the "instructions" say "tap your hand and cause a coin to appear by using your favorite coin production."

That's the problem I'm struggling with here. On the one hand, this is just a prop. On the other hand, however, the ad copy talks about borrowing a bill, ripping it and restoring it the "wrong" way. With that being the case, I think it's reasonable to assume that the instructions would provide a method for that. However, even without a method for the switch, at least some commentary about how to deal with giving the bill back to the spectator as mentioned in the Ad copy section. None of that exists.

On the positive side, Kyle does address a problem that exists with all mis-made bills, the serial numbers. He has a nice little ruse/way of handling things that would leave the spectator convinced that the serial numbers match. Everything about this product packaging suggests that you're buying an effect and/or routine. But you're really just buying a prop with a few pointers about it.

It's hard to say if the above stuff is a product quality issue or an ad copy issue, but either way, it's an issue. However, the dollar bill is excellent quality. First, it's real money. Second, the tear is done so well that it's hard not to believe that it's the original bill that was torn. The pieces seem to fit belong together (more on this in the video review).

Another problem, however, is that the borrowed bill, to some degree, needs to be torn a specific way. You want to tear the bill so that it looks like the tear on your gimmick. He made no mention of that nor gave any tips on how to do that.

When you open the package, here is the first paragraph of the instructions:

R&R is a combination of two classic plots. It is a combination of both the Torn & Restored bill & the Mis-Made bill plot. The performer tears a bill in half, folds i up, and when it is restored it is restored along the usually opposing straight edges, leaving the tears on the outside of the bill."

To me it sounds like you just purchased an effect. However, here's the next paragraph:

"As this is a utility item, you can use your favorite form of a bill switch to accomplish this. R&R can be used in place of any switch requiring a thumb tip ($100 Bill Switch), a tip-lees [sic] switch (Shuttle Pass), or even using a prop (Double Envelope or Gypsy Switch)."

So which is it? An effect or a prop? Also, what the heck is a Gypsy Switch. This feels very much like that magic wand that is advertised as being able to produce coins. The beauty and elegance and craftsman ship of the wand are kind of irrelevant if you are led to believe that you are buying a coin production trick, but upon reading the directions you are told to "just produce a coin."

Ripped and Reversed Review: Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a prop like this, get it. It's worth it. It's excellent. However, if you're looking for an effect or a routine or some handling ideas, etc. Then you may be a bit disappointed. To be clear, the bulk of the problem is the fact that the ad copy is telling what the effect is. But when you get the product, no method is taught. No pro tips handling tips are given. It felt more like you were buying a prop (which you are) even though the ad copy seems more like you're buying a product.

A simple write up of the switch he uses would have gone a long way to make this a better overall experience. If I were to rate this solely on the prop, it'd be 5 stars. However, due to the fact that you don't really get what it seems like you're getting, I cannot give it that high of a rating, but it's not rubble. The prop is still usable, and my guess is that if you're looking at a product like this you already have a bill switch. However you don't find out that it's a utility prop until you open read the instructions . . . the place you were looking for to figure out how the "coins appear" only to be told to figure it out yourself.

Final Verdict:
3 Stars with a Stone Status of gem.

Available Directly from Kyle Merck.