Magic Product Review - Holy Wood By Hanson Chien & Yao

[@Bozzy2000]

One year later, I have finally come across this. Great review, as usual. :) I saw this done live at Magifest and it blew me away. *update - I couldn't resist. Went and ordered it direct from HC.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hey Jason, It is great to see you here and pumped that you were able to go to Magifest. I would love to get there one of these years. I am not going to lie this effect is one of my all time favorites. I love to perform it and just love the effect. I have become very comfortable handing out the gimmick at the end and no one discovers how it works. I had one gig where I had a sit down audience and just handed it out and let it spend a couple of minutes being passed to audience members and no one figures it out. I think it helps to act with full confidence that there is nothing to discover. By the way I am glad that you came across this eventually, always glad to have you here as a viewer. Have a great day.

[@Bozzy2000]

@@fiddlinjonny update: did walk around at a fall festival today. Closed with this and used their signed card to push through. It absolutely killed. Passed it around freely afterwards. :)

[@Bozzy2000]

@@fiddlinjonny update: did walk around at a fall festival today. Closed with this and used their signed card to push through. It absolutely killed. Passed it around freely afterwards. :)

[@mitchellcouger]

Great review as ever. Thank you.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Thanks so much Jeff, I am glad you are here and hope the reviews are helpful. Holy Wood has become one of my favorites and is something I just performed at my last gig. It always seems to get a good reaction. I felt like it took me a little while until I found a presentation that worked for me but once I got that it has been smooth sailing. Thanks so much

[@mitchellcouger]

Your reviews are always first class Jonny. Thank you for replying and keep up the great work. You legend!🙏

[@eversosleight]

You know Jonny, I have always liked these kinda effects especially the old one with piece of steel. However, with my main priority focused on card stuff, it's so cool to see HC develop this idea around a "deck of cards." Now I'm really interested. This was a great review and if I do purchase this, it's only because you have completely out my mind at ease. Great review👍👍

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hey Jorge, first of all just great to see you and hope you are doing well. I too LOVE this effect and all the different versions out there are really cool in their own right. But this version I honestly think has some practical improvements over the other versions. Of course that is my personal opinion and other versions may fit other folks better but for me the practicality of it not being heavy, uses a card box/cards and the deck transforms from cards into a block of wood. Is awesome and that the block of wood can be handed out. All great features in my opinion. I think it can fit nicely for guys like yourself who are primarily card people. Ok I am going into my rambling phase again. Take Care and great to see you.

[@mr.harmon2745]

Another great review 👏. I have always liked this type of effect so may consider this, thanks 😊

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hi Mr Harmon, I really have to say this is one of those effects that I really like and I think it comes down to a couple of things. Who's version of this you like the most, cost and practicality of the version you choose. I personally like this one on the cost level and practicality. It will be one I am using on a regular basis. Hey thanks so much for being here and hope you are doing well. Take Care.

[@chetcieliesz]

A great -in- depth review again. This is the Best version of this effect on the market. I still would give this 4 out of 5 stars only because this will not fly as much in Day-light only because the line pops and your spectators are focusing their eyes on the center of the block to much. As you watch your review you will notice it with the light coming in from outside. I like the added touches it has over the others on the market as well. Keep up your reviews i am a fan.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hi Chet, first of all thanks so much for watching, I really appreciate it. I am in agreement that this version is probably the best on the market currently for the multiple reasons I mentioned in the review. I can say so far that when people touch the gimmick I have it goes unnoticed. I think the feel is smooth and the grains are not perfectly straight so that helps create a stronger illusion of being solid. There will of course be spectators who see it as a puzzle and want to solve it. I would keep an eye out for them and do my best to manage them as I hand out the gimmick. I would also add that I think the more comfortable the performer is with being casual with the gimmick and a comfortableness with handing it out that it reduces the spectators suspicions and reduce their focus on the gimmick. Ok I am starting to ramble and are all factors to consider with this product. I appreciate the engagement. Take Care.

[@Davidblaine18]

@@fiddlinjonny what is your patter with this?

[@johnowen5686]

A really in-depth review as usual Jonny ,I am really tempted to purchase it,if I wasn't retired I would buy now ,but my audience these days is mainly family who would no doubt submit it for forensic examination,still that said I am tempted for sure,things here in UK virtually back to normal.stay safe

[@pinballwizard666]

I hear you John 👍 Where in the UK are you? . I'm from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hey John, It is a tough call given cost and you are correct with the family examination. I will add that I have performed for my family and they so far have not felt the compulsion to explore the gimmick. This is unusual for them but so far so good. We are definitely not getting back to normal here. We are having rising covid rates and are moving back into masking. Hopefully normal will return soon. Take Care.

[@johnowen5686]

@@fiddlinjonny Hope everything soon gets back to normal, we've been out for a meal and I'm back watching Bolton Wanderers ( football)

[@johnowen5686]

@@pinballwizard666 I live on outskirts of sunny Bolton ,Peter Kay territory

[@alanlawler6106]

Great review Jonny...cheers☘👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hey Alan, great to hear from you. Hope you are doing well. Thanks so much. I hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

[@alanlawler6106]

@@fiddlinjonny Yep all good hear in Co Clare☘ Jonny.....You are brilliant at reviewing the magic products....one of the best, love how you cover every angle of the trick....Good or bad...really honest 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼☘🍺🍺🍺🍺....pints by the way would be a Guinness for ya Jonny boy☘

[@fiddlinjonny]

@@alanlawler6106 Thanks Alan that means a lot to me. You know I have a connection to Clare. The priest who married me and my wife is from Clare, to be exact Ennis. The same priest married my parents who are both from Ireland. My dad from Donegal and mom from Kildare. So lets raise a pint to Clare and the Irish. Sláinte

[@alanlawler6106]

@@fiddlinjonny Wow!! lovely to hear that Jonny....I'll have a pint of plain in your honor and your parents today watching Dublin beat Mayo in the All Ireland semi final....God be good to you Jonny boy♠️♥️♦️♣️☘☘☘☘☘☘

[@fiddlinjonny]

@@alanlawler6106 Cheers

[@BAM_magic]

Which magic creator has the best packaging? Nice review once again! Loved the fiddle tune.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Thanks BF I really appreciate it. That is a good question and it sometimes changes but right now I think there are three that are at the top and that would be The 1914, Hanson Chien, and occasionally Abstract Effects. Between the three of them they are putting out some nice packaging. I am probably missing someone but right now the three of them I think are at the top of their game. By the way I continue to enjoy the content on your KZbin channel. Finger through ear looked cool. I hope you keep posting stuff.

[@BAM_magic]

@@fiddlinjonny Thanks! I am bulk filming right now so I have a lot of content to unload!

[@fiddlinjonny]

@@BAM_magic I am looking forward to seeing it.

[@BAM_magic]

@@fiddlinjonny Thank you

[@nosatellites7218]

Great vid. So, there are NO playing cards included? I have to use my own Bicycle playing card/s?

[@fiddlinjonny]

That is correct there are no playing cards involved but let me tip a little secret. You only need two cards to do this trick and the appearance of a full deck is a visual illusion. You will need to provide two of your own cards and I happen to use Jokers for mine. I hope that helps some.

[@nosatellites7218]

@@fiddlinjonny Thanks!

[@fiddlinjonny]

@@nosatellites7218 You are welcome and please feel free to ask any questions. I will always do my best to answer them Take care.

[@pinballwizard666]

Hi Jonny, hope you're well. I really like this effect. Considering the engineering I think the price is justified (I've spent too much money on tat in the past). I've no problem in paying for quality. My only consideration is as a hobbyist can I justify it to myself ..... And the answer is "Of course"" 😊

[@thefancystache3793]

Before dropping the hundo on this, I highly recommend checking out a few other performances. Johnny has the nicest one I've seen. All of the others have a VERY obvious line in the end pieces of the wood where the grain isn't flowing with the gimmick. A good way to gauge whether it passes the eye test is seeing whether or not Prop Dog carries it. If they sell you one, it's probably as good as the one Johnny has... I'd be scared ordering this type of thing from anyone else who wouldn't take the time to inspect what they're sending out.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Gary that is the right answer. Of course. I can totally relate to this dilemma of purchasing things that I know I won't use that much but I like it and want to know the workings more. This however is a product I will be using. Have a good one.

[@fiddlinjonny]

Thanks Fancy Stache. I couldn't agree with you more on the Propdog as a good indicator of consistent quality, good customer service and if they will even carry it. This product currently is only being sold to my knowledge on Hanson Chien's web site. He makes them in relatively small batches. So far I have heard of only one person with a poor gimmick and Hanson was able to resolve it. I have to be honest when I first opened mine up it was a little shocking how good the quality is. You can not tell with the naked eye even with close inspection. We will have to see over time if it maintains the look but for now it is really nice.

[@pinballwizard666]

@@thefancystache3793 Thanks for the advice. Gotcha !

[@thefancystache3793]

@@pinballwizard666 Well Jonny says that only the creator is selling them, so it's bad advice, lol. But I tried. I also went and watched more performances and all the gimmicks looked good... so I think it's a much safer buy than I was thinking this morning.

[@patmccaffery1543]

Worked the trick out at 2:55.....great for a kids show though 👍

[@fiddlinjonny]

Hello Pat. I perform this effect all of the time and love handing it out to my audience afterwards and never once have I had someone figure out the method. This is really one of my all time favorite effects. Thanks for watching.

[@patmccaffery1543]

@@fiddlinjonny Keep up the good work 👍💕

[@thefancystache3793]

I remember when I was a little kid, I had this die on about 2 ft. of thick thread that you would hold at each end vertically. The die would slide up and down the thread freely but you could make it stop whenever you wanted, seeming to defy gravity. What made this so great is that you could immediately hand it to a spectator and they couldn't do it, yet you could take it right back and do it again. What I'm getting at here is that I think there would be an easy way to take this trick from a 6/10 to a 10/10. There should be a small mechanism to slide over the slot so you could do do the effect, cover the slot then have the spec try and see that they can't, you take it back and do it again, then you secure the gimmick and unbox it. I'm not going to go too deep into problem solving here, but right off the top of my head a few possible solutions come to mind. Anyways, just my ramblings. Thanks for the review.

[@fiddlinjonny]

I appreciate the ramblings because my head has been spinning with thoughts on ways to make improvements. All of mine of course seem to involve probably pretty complicated engineering ideas of which I have no skill at but still play with them in my head. I think in the hands and head of a really good wood worker and mechanical engineer there could be some solutions to bump it up higher.

[@thefancystache3793]

@@fiddlinjonny I spent a couple hours working on it this morning using a drilled deck as a replacement for the gimmick. I've got one thing that works nice but leaves the box not examine-able, which ends up not being an improvement... and I've got another where you dump out the slot covering underneath the gimmick and palm it off as you pass everything out for inspection. It doesn't quite work either. In my head it was a lot easier, lol. If I can figure this out I think I'm going to purchase one... especially if you say they're most all as nice as yours. I couldn't see any break whatsoever in your end piece. It's making me wonder if I'm accidentally mistaking this for a different wood block effect that was released recently.

[@magiccorner2019]

Great review johnny. I have the old matchbook penetration trick and of course you can just pull it apart is this more like a puzzle? Is there certain areas that you have to press and hold for it to reset the gimmick or can a spectator just pull it apart if they wanted?

[@fiddlinjonny]

These are essentially the exact same. I have been able to have my spectator handle the wooden block and not one of them have been able to pull it apart. I they spent time they may be able to but the initial pulling it apart is a little hard. I suspect this will change a little over time but for now they are essentially the same. Hope that helps. Take Care.

[@Davidblaine18]

Can we use a knife?????

[@fiddlinjonny]

Great question which I should have covered in the review (my bad) and the answer is YES!!!! If you do use a knife you will want to make sure you do not poke or damage your gimmick but if handled well then yes you can. I hope that helps and thanks for asking. Take Care.

[@Davidblaine18]

@@fiddlinjonny how long did it take for you to get it? Are you in the States?

[@fiddlinjonny]

@@Davidblaine18 Hi David, Yes in the states and I think it took at least two weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if things have slowed down in the last week or so as COVID cases are rising in a lot of places and probably slowing down deliveries. I know that for a number of people the deliveries have been a little slow given the international delivery. Hang in there and thanks for engaging here.

[@Davidblaine18]

@@fiddlinjonny is It worth it?

[@Davidblaine18]

@@fiddlinjonny looks like you pushed hard!!!

[@KingO.K]

🔥

[@fiddlinjonny]

Thanks so much.