Im starting escapology just about x-mas time. I am onna get the Houdini Death Device and the Ankle Cuffs. I have had some experience with the siberian chain in the past (it was sort of a cheap one though) and i was just wondering if u guys thought it is a great type of magic to get into. I'm gonna start performing b-day parties n such in 2 years and i want to get some practice at it. Any opinions? (I already am doing street magic and some mentalism magic, but i want to do something new).

Escapology is not like magic. What you are doing is real. It can be quite dangerous. That is the first thing you have to realize.
You should start off doing rope escapes. Then work up from there. And it will take a lot of practice.

Okay SOME escapes are real; others are just clever dodges or mechanical gaffs. It depends on what you plan to do and how you plan to do it.

Either way, the laymen don't know the difference.

As to advice:

If the 'Houdini Death Device' is the collar-and-cuffs, don't bother; it's a poorly-conceived trick.

Read some good books on escapes, don't feel compelled to do everything 'for real,' and don't get 'full of yourself.'

Good luck.

Definetely start with ropes... even if you are interested in other kinds of escapes, I think it's wise to have a good grounding in the roots of the discipline (which I believe ropes are).

one thing get fast you can not keep an audiences attention today a long as they payed attention to houdini he had hours you have minutes

Not necessarily.
The claim that Houdini had 'hours' is a common innacuracy. TRUE, he was able, at the turn of the century, to take from 12 minutes to an hour and a half on challenges, but by the faster-paced 1920s, Houdini was doing faster escapes, notably the Water Torture Cell.

We live in a faster-paced society, but speed is a 'relative' concept.
I don't recommend going beyond two or three minutes for a release from a 'feature escape' item, except under unusual circumstances where suspense has been built and the spectators are biting their nails.

Simple escapes, like the Siberian Chain, should be 'impossibly' fast (seconds or a split-second), giving the impression that the restraint is 'child's-play' for the performer, and that he is just 'warming up.'

More serious devices, such as the straitjacket, Tom Horn Belt, etc. should take more time and far more apparent physical effort. As in TV wrestling, give the audience a 'battle to watch'; they love a good struggle and mentally struggle along with you.

'Dangerous' escapes should take long enough to make it look like you are in trouble (without taking TOO long).

On that note... I saw a street performer finish with a straitjacket escape... absolutely terrible.

Took him approx 10 - 15 seconds, and he was 100% silent and didn't really move about at all... then after the 10 - 15 seconds goes "THERE! I CAN ESCAPE A STRAITJACKET!".

Needless to say, the audience was not impressed.

I take at least 120 seconds, up to 240 seconds for my extremely violent straitjacket routine... it really puts people on edge.