Greetings again fellow Magicians,

I was going through my collection and looking for new effects to start new routines with and I've come to realize that I don't own a single Torn and Restored card effect. Now before I decided to post this message here, I went searching through numerous variations from so many different creators and I must say, with such a wide variety, I am completely lost as to which one I should buy. They all claim that their version is the best of all, and also claims that their signed or double signed version is the best of the best and is practically screaming (in text) to be bought.

So my question to you guys is this, without having this illusion in my collection; which one should I buy over all the rest? Or if it makes it a little simpler for you guys, you can name the two best Torn and Restored card routines that I should purchase. Price is really of no concern, but I don’t want to be spending over $100 dollars for one variation.

And also, if not too much trouble to ask, what would be the best SIGNED version of the Torn and Restored card routine be for me to purchase? Again, if it makes it simpler, you can name two of them. I am not so much interested in the double signed versions I think having one signature would suffice.

My thanks and gratitude goes out to all those in advance who are willing to suggest to me what would be the best one or two versions of this wonderful card effect, that I sadly lack in my collection and my close-up routines.

Start with J.C. Wagner's Torn & Restored Card (found in his 7 Secrets booklet and Michael Ammar's Easy to Master Card Miracles DVD set) and Paul Harris's Ultimate Rip-Off, found in volume 1 of the Art of Astonishment books. Both of these are flash restorations, not piece-by-piece restorations. You don't really have to go any further than these two unless you feel compelled to explore piece-by-piece restorations, which is interesting but not really necessary.

David Williamson's Torn and Restored Transpo
It's not piece by piece but it's done in spec's hands.
There's a video of David Blaine doing a variation of it in YouTube

Thanks you two, I will certainly look into those and see which of them would best suit my style. I have owned Art of Astonishment volume 2 for a couple of years now and have always wanted to buy either volume 1 or volume 3, but was uncertain which of the two I should buy first. And speaking of Paul Harris, I was reading about Daniel Garcia's Torn DVD, and in it Paul Harris was amazed at the routine Daniel Garcia came up with.

So I don't know if anyone has the Torn DVD by Daniel Garcia, but if anyone does, would you mind sharing your thoughts at all please?

Also, since there are two variations to the Torn and Restored card effect, the piece by piece and then the flash restoration, I wouldn't mind owning one of each and switching back and forth each night depending on how I feel and also what the atmosphere of the spectators call for.

Thanks again for the information, I truly appreciate the help fellow magicians are willing to offer.

Fire in the Hole by Huron Low, here are a few pointers:

Extremely visual.
The card is freely selected, no forces or duplicates.
The card can be signed on both sides by the spectators.
Only ONE card is used in the whole routine, the one the spectator keeps as a souvenir. An ingenious gimmick that can be used over and over again makes it all possible.
The card is fully examinable before and after the effect.
The reset time is a mere 3 seconds.
All the effects have MULTI-ANGLED studio performances and tutorials and explain everything in vivid detail.
Multiple handlings of Fire in the Hole including fire and non-fire restorations.

Another good one is Rehab by Cameron Francis:
Imagine better angles than Torn, can show the card at the second restoration (third piece) and was designed for the real world.

Another is Dee Christopher's Cinders:

From inside a borrowed deck a single card is selected and signed with no
forces involved.
The card is bent in half and a lighter's flame burns away the lower
section.
Though the spectators can plainly see the flames licking at their
signature, in a wave of the magician’s hand the card is fully restored and
given away as a souvenir.

100% impromptu|anywhere|anytime|any deck of cards (yours or a borrowed deck)

I also have my T&R which is an impromptu piece.by.piece only using 1 card named RAW, only purchasable through me.

Thank you all for the wonderful tips and advice by steering me into the right direction of purchasing the best of the best torn and restored card effect.

I decided to purchase 3 different routines instead of just 1, that way I can mix it up when I perform at my gigs.

Thanks again, and much appreciated!

I like the TNR gimmick in theory, but it tends to be fiddly in practice. If you don't get its measurements exactly right, the audience will notice.

"Torn" is is the most practical one in my repertoire at the moment, but I'll be looking at "Fire in the Hole" by Huron Low. If you want piece by piece restoration, don't buy "Torn Too". From what I heard it's not better than Torn.

So after doing some serious researching on find the right Torn and Restored Card effect, that fits my style.

I have looked up the items that were posted above by other helpful forum members, but I had a hard time finding them or from someplace that I have not yet ordered from. So here is what I've come up with, these will be the two effects I'll buy first, and practice them until I can do them blind folded.

Here is the short list:

#1 - MAKING AMMENDS by Wayne Fox DVD - $25.95

Effect: Do you like 'T n R' effects but the performing environment will not allow the long piece by piece routines? Are you concerned about how angles will work? Well, now at last, with 'Make Amends' the spectator signs a playing card that gets torn into quarters and placed in a pile on the table. The magician now taps the corner of the card box on the pieces and INSTANTLY the card restores. The box and signed card are left on the table to be examined. With many varied ways of performing the effect, you are even able to execute the restoration in the SPECTATORS HANDS. Once again, Wayne Fox has taken a classic effect of magic and changed it to suit a working environment. This more accessible method allows the freedom you need to concentrate on making the effect unique to you.

• A genuinely free choice of card!
• The card is shown in four separate pieces!
• No long piece by piece routine!
• No angles to worry about!
• Instant repeat!
• Perform surrounded!
• No set up!
• Ends clean with everything examinable before and after!
• All props supplied, complete with instructional DVD!

Running Time Approximately: 48mins

#2 - TORN DVD by Daniel Garcia - $33.50

Effect: Imagine ripping a signed card into four pieces. Then, as slowly and fairly as possible, you take two of the pieces and simply touch them together at the corners. They fuse rejoining together and visibly restoring. The process is repeated for the third and fourth corners, enacting a complete restoration of the SIGNED, freely selected card. If you are considering buying ANY magic DVD in the next few months, you need to put Torn at the top of your list. You will NOT be disappointed.


So I figured since these aren't too expensive, I'd purchase them both and see which one would get the better reaction. And then the one with the most reaction, I'll use more frequently, while the other I will use to have some variety.

What does everyone think, sound like a good idea?

I don't own either (I've got Torn too, TnR, and Torn But Not forgotten) but I thought I'd chip in a bit of defense for Torn Too. It's only a corner tear, so not as visual as others, but the handeling is very easy and the patter can be very funny. I think it's an underrated trick. See what you think about the two you are getting and then check it out. Because Torn too is only a corner tear perhaps you could be the guy who comes up with a torn and restored act? Tear up three cards in different ways and then restore them!

Believe it or not, the nice little TnR in Mark Wilson's CCIM always goes over very well for me.

Sean

I have actually done the same effect too when I first received Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic! That was quite some time ago, I think I was 11 or 12, although didn't get around to do the torn card effect till I was 13.
At the time it was pretty cool, then again I wasn't aware of any other versions, and I was also 13 so I was quite the happy magician in training.

HI, the best torn and restored card one piece at a time for real world is Rehab, but you can also do Torn for 1 to 3 people just watch your angles , the others torn card are tooo complicated to do, it's just for youtube, believe me i have got them all!!!

Hi, Impromptorn is a gooood one too, and Reincardation is great TNR with only one single card!!!!! I personaly love this effect, i collect them all, for the real world Rehab (cameron Francis) is easy to do and incredible for a lay people , go for it
Daniel from France

TNR by Mathieu Bich is one of the best looking TNR imo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwvgftKEZUc

But it has an absolutely horrible method. The gimmick is way too contrived and it is not practical. Plus you can't even sign the card or give it away at the end!