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Deceptus by Jimmy Strange Review:

One gimmick, one DVD and $35 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.

Effect

Anything that will fit into a soda can, can be magically inserted into the can. It doesn't have to be able to fit through the mouth.

Method

A little bit of sleight of hand, a PK ring and a clever, super smart gimmick. There is one major problem with the method, however. In America, soda cans are made out of aluminum, which, as you know, isn't exactly magnetic. There are work-arounds covered in the DVD, but it's not as clean as the version with steel cans - apparently in the U.K., cans are made of steel, not aluminum. If you have access to steel soda cans, then this thing is a no-brainer . . . get some. The end. If, however, you don't have access to steel soda cans, we've got a couple of things to discuss.

For Aluminum Cans:

Even though your can is not magnetic, there are still two handlings you can use: the PK ring version and the non-PK ring version. Yes, even though your can is not magnetic, the gimmick is. The problems come in when you have to prepare the can to be able to work with your gimmick. It's still doable, but the set up takes longer and it's a little bit more of a pain to set up another can.

For All Cans:

The gimmick is smart, well made, and a beautiful concept. That said, there are some considerations. First, you have to set up the can well in advance. You need some time alone with a sharp blade, a protective glove (and some glue dots if you're using aluminum cans). The other catch is that you can only have one can set up at a time. At the end of the effect, you can either magically remove the penetrated object, or you can cut the can open to remove the object.

In the case of cutting the can open, you have to now prepare another can for your next performance. This is not a 2 second job. There are, however, some things you can do in advance to prepare the cans. This is not covered in the DVD, but basically, you can prepare several cans in advance to be ready to receive the gimmick. Then once you've destroyed one can, you can then go set up the partially prepared can with the gimmick. It still takes a little time, but much less.

If you're strolling from table to table, I would recommend magically removing the item rather than destroying the can to remove it. All of the prep work is pretty straight-forward, but it is a little bit more of a pain for the non-steel cans. It's not enough of a pain to make me not recommend it, but just be aware of the fact that you'll need a little more work to be able to do this.

Any standard size soda can will work just fine. There are some cases where the gimmick is a little smaller than the can. This is ok. In those cases, I just wouldn't hand the can out to be handled. However, even in this case, it can still be shown on the top and bottom. Whether they're aluminum or steel, it will work just fine. The only catch is that with the aluminum cans, you have one more step of preparation; but it's still totally doable.

One last thing to consider regardless of can type. There are both PK ring versions and non-PK ring versions as I mentioned. They both can be done with either type of can. However, in the non-PK ring version, you cannot remove the object without cutting the can open. So if you don't want to destroy the can each time, you'll need to use a PK ring.

Ad Copy Integrity

Ad copy is solid with a couple points of clarification. They refer to the can being examinable before and after the effect. That's somewhat true. I would choose the word "handled" rather than "examined" by the spectator. The gimmick on the can is very smart and well hidden in plain sight.

The other minor point is the claim that "Ben does cover how he likes to be drinking from the can as he approaches a group, drains the last drop and uses the can for his opener." Keep in mind that this is all acting and that there's no soda actually in the can. However, as mentioned in the ad copy, there is a handling where you "find the can on the ground" and there is some liquid in it. This claim is accurate. Due to the nature of the gimmick, you can't have liquid in it if the can is upright, but on it's side, no problem.

Product Quality

The gimmick is well made and works great. I tested it on the aluminum cans and it works just fine. The DVD is excellent. They cover tons of handling tips, ideas, presentations, etc. It's well shot, well lit, well mic'd and easy to navigate.

Final Thoughts

For $35 bucks you get a well made gimmick that allows you to do some powerful effects. Plus, you get a lot of tips, routines and presentational ideas. It's hard to give this a bad rating. The only real negative in mind mind is that if you don't already own a PK ring, you'll need to purchase one.

Final Verdict:
4.5 Stars with a Stone Status of Gem.