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TaiwanBen & SansMinds Alchemist Series Self-Bending Screwdriver Review
Two gimmicks, one DVD and $130 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
A screwdriver bends merely by your touch. It can be handed out in the bent position to be examined. Or a screwdriver unbends merely by your touch. It can be handed out in the unbent (i.e., straightened) position.
Method
You receive two screwdrivers. One is bent, and one is not. They are both temperature sensitive. Before performing, you take the straight one and get it cold and bend it. Then you take the bent one, get it cold and straighten it. During the performance, your touch will warm up the metal and cause it to go back to its original shape (i.e., the one you got cold and bent in advance will straighten, and the one that you got cold and straightened in advance will bend).
When you get them cold and change their shape, they'll hold that shape as long as they don't get too warm. If you're worried about them getting too warm too soon, the DVD covers how to deal with this. It's super easy. When performing, you bend the screwdriver and hand it out. You then need to switch screwdrivers before unbending. A switch idea is covered in the DVD, but I'd recommend you come up with your own.
The method is very good and is simply a matter of pre-bending (or unbending) the screwdriver in advance. Then during the show, the body heat of your fingers will cause it to unbend (or bend). The method is legitimate and very doable.
Ad Copy Integrity
I'm getting sick and tired of false advertising, and SansMinds is commonly one of the worst offenders, and this one is no exception. That copy, written and video, is crap.
Written Ad Copy
The written ad copy was doing so well, until the very last line. In fact, it's the last two words. If they had left those last two words out, they'd have perfectly honest ad copy. Everything up until that point was accurate (other than the claim that you're bending the metal with your mind — I don't have a problem with that claim since it's just the effect description). Then they make the following statement: "Magic happens in your hands, their hands or hands off." What? Hands off? What are you talking about? The only way for this effect to work is if you rub the metal on the screwdriver with your hands. If you're not touching it, then you are somehow raising the temperature of the room/metal without your body heat. If there's a way to do that, it was not covered on the DVD.
Video Trailer
The video trailer took it further and made it even worse. They showed Chris holding the screwdriver by the handle while the screwdriver just unbends automatically by itself without him touching the metal. Then a few seconds later is a clip of him holding a screwdriver by the handle as it bends by itself without him touching it. This is a total crock. It does not work that way. In fact, on the demo when Herman was causing the screwdriver to bend, he had to rub it quite vigorously to get it warm enough to bend. But it cannot be done without rubbing the metal. Or if it can, it was not taught on the DVD.
Product Quality
The screwdrivers are well made and work very well. They bend as you rub them. They don't bend just by holding the base of the screwdriver as the ad copy would have you believe. Looking past that, they will bend by rubbing them. They're well made props that can be examined during and after the effect.
The DVD is well produced, well lit, well mic'd, etc. The teaching, however, was a bit wonky. Everything was taught out of order and it seemed like they were trying to contrive to multiple DVD chapters. Rather than simply explaining things in one go, they explained things in confusing and out of sequence small bites that had fade ins and fade outs. It was just over produced in that regard.
Further, when Herman tried to give tips on how to effectively perform this, he sounded like he was just rambling on about stuff he was unfamiliar with. Those sections (i.e., "patter" instructions) of the DVD were not very helpful at all.
Final Thoughts
If you need screwdrivers that will bend (or unbend) visibly as you touch them, then you'll be happy with your purchase. They are very good at that one thing. They can be examined; they can be handled by the spectator; they bend visually (as you rub them). However, unlike the lies in the ad copy and video trailer, they do NOT bend automatically without you touching the metal or "hands off." If it weren't for the blatant lie in the ad copy, this would be 5 stars, easy.
However, I cannot tolerate companies trying to bilk you of your hard earned cash. This is unethical and fraudulent in my opinion. If you don't have an issue with that, and you like the what the screwdrivers CAN do, be my guest. Otherwise, I'd steer clear just on principle.
Final Verdict:
2.5 Stars with a Stone Status of Grubble (two gem props buried in a rubble of lies).
16 Comments
What is it with sansmind and false advertising fs not good man. Great review it was very helpful I thought I could be done without touching and for me it looked great , I think sansmind need to be told how they do things wrong.
@Michael – Wait ’til you see the video (it should be live in about 15 minutes). I lay into ’em pretty hard.
I know the LDS policy on alcohol, but maybe after having to deal with this one you should prepare yourself a couple of Screwdrivers and get bent.
@Emory – And the winner for most hilarious pun goes to Emory Kimbrough! That’s funny stuff brother. Thanks for sharing; it made my day. 🙂
Jeff,
This is why I respect and use your reviews more often than others that I read. You do not pussyfoot around when a product or the hype about a product is faulty. I also like the fact that you do not play favorites with “respected” magicians… or their products. If it is good, you say so… if it is bad, you say so. You truly bring to the table what the MyLovelyAssistant website says… Blatent honesty in a world of deception. Thank you for your integrity.
Be well, my friend,
Rick
@Rick – Thanks for noticing brother. I appreciate the feedback. I’m glad the reviews are helping you make your purchasing decisions.
Thanks again as always Jeff. I truly appreciate your reviews!
@Adrian – You’re welcome, and thanks for watching/reading! 🙂
@Emory HAA HAA HAA.. good one. @Jeff.you are so cute when you get all fired up like that. Seriously though, it is a shame that what looks like a very good effect is over shadowed by false ad copy and a bad DVD. As my interests swing more towards mentalism I find metal bending fascinating, but there are ways of doing some great bends just using dollar store silverware. Banachek at a lecture once bent a fork literary inches from my face and blew my mind… and only cost the price of a cheap fork.
@Jay – You’re making me blush! I agree with you about Banachek. His metal bending is the best, and a few bucks at a dollar store is enough to supply you for years of metal bending to come.
Haha, it is good to see a honest magician so passionate at ripping a poor product into pieces. I had a play with this product when I was at a magic meetup in Taiwan late 2014 and saw this at play. My initial impression was that this piece is very environment based, you need to have the right environment and right timing for this to work. A poor product! We need one that works everywhere and anywhere… recommendations?
@Kevin – Hi. Thanks for the comment. I don’t know of any products other than the old school methods of silverware bending.
I have a similar product recently released by Taiwan Ben, not under the SansMinds brand, but he learned well from them how to produce an ad copy. Its the same lies as in this screwdriver effect. It is the ArcKey Bending Key.
It is a great effect, and it does have a place in my line up, but only because I had the ability to look past the nonsense ad copy, basically Knowing it was full of crap. I love the product as it is, so with that said, why not just be straight up with us? I know I still would have been all over it regardless if they think it won’t look as powerful without “TV” magic.
Of course the real world performance is right in the middle of the video for the ArcKey, but the rest of it is total fabrication, with the key bending itself without touching. Of course I knew that was crap, and just wanted the props, but still….what in the world is it with that crap! Someone unlike myself who may not know any better will see that and go crazy over it, buy it, then blow a gasket when it does not do what they implied in the trailers!
By the way, love the reviews Jeff, and thank you so much for doing this. Many, many years spent on finding and buying magic on a whim and a prayer, only to be let down quite a bit because of ad copy or more recently video ad copies. Thanks again man, your making it so much easier to decide on effects that are right for me!
@Michael – Thanks for the comment brother! Yeah. I’m not sure what the deal is with these guys. I’m tired of that kind of garbage happening.
Yea I mean its a great effect for what it is, there is no need to exaggerate it, especially to the degree that they do. I mean with any of these bending effects Taiwan Ben or SansMinds produce, they show it bending on its own. Of course they are clearly standing in front of a torpedo heater, because there would be no way at all its bending like that under normal conditions.
Its a shame really, because the effects for what they are, can be incredible to the audience when presented properly. I personally love the possibilities with these effects, but the misleading nature of the Ad copy or Trailers is just bold face lying to the consumer. The Arckey effect will probably be the first and last I buy from them again, until they change their attitude toward their ads for said products. Of course not because its a bad prop or what not, its actually very well made and makes for killer magic, but as you said, on principle alone. Take it easy brother, looking forward to the upcoming reviews!
I can go down to the Dollar Store and buy two screwdrivers and make it look like I bent one. $135 is a bit much, in my book (pocketbook).