Hello again,
It's time for us to start planning our annual NUMA (Northern Utah Magic Association) magic show. I usually end the evening with an escape. Last time it was an escape from a tank of water.

This year I want to do something I haven't done in many years. Escape from a guillotine. I knelt down, had my hands legs shackled to the bottom platform and then my head locked in the stocks.

My question is this: Instead of kneeling at the guillotine, what are your thoughts about being secured lying face up on a table? I was thinking that this could be played up as part of the presentation with something to do with the additional stress of seeing the blade, which could hamper my concentration. (Or something like that) What do you think?

That sounds like it would work.

At least it would work as an acceptable explanation to the spectators.

I am now toying with the idea of being in my straight jacket and then placed in the guillotine and make it a full view escape. What do you think?

face up will be more dramatic

I have created a version of a guillotine that is more intense than anything I would have imagined.

I used to believe that by putting your head in the stocks was as strong as you could go... however, people for some reason believe that this is "fake". When I went to putting my hands in the neck area and having them handcuffed (with a chain going vertically on the stock area to stop your hands from being able to be removed) people really buy it more.

I believe they think to themselves that the performer would never risk something that will kill them, but maiming seems more believable. Don't know why this is, but check it out. It is odd, but that is what I have found out from experience.

Let me know what your findings are.

By the way, my guillotine is made with a 21 pound metal blade. It is loaded from the top of the sliding stabilizing support by the audience members and then it is locked in place. It is then hoisted up by them on a very squeaky pulley (Take more effort to pull up and the noise adds to the tension) and tied in place. I have let the blade free fall and I successfully cut a 4X4 in two.

Perhaps it's just a personal preference, but I like it when the use of props is minimized. When people use tables, I immediately consider trap doors and other stuff (even before getting into magic). A magician simply putting their head in, perhaps with some added cuffs is stronger, in my opinion.