Magicians Arsenal Improv. Weapons.

[-=HeX=-]

I know, 2 threads started in one night... I hope it is ok! I apologise if I am breakng rules!

I have attached the link to Magicians Arsenal: Professional Tricks of the trade. I D/L'd it expecting to find magic tricks. I got a wonderful surprise. It contained a wealth of Improvised Weapons data!

I draw your attention mainly to 4 weapons: The 'Hand Flasher', the 'Walking Stick Gun', the 'Impact Smoke Bomb', and the various 'Flamethrower' or 'Hot Shot' devices. I have tied out the 'Impact Smoke Bomb' with good results. Soon I intend to try the 'Hot Shot' devices. I shall be making, and uploading, some videos of these devices.

I ponder the practicality of the 'Walking Stick Gun' which operates on the 'Trombone Principal'. If one could fake a limp, and add a safety catch of some sort, and use unmodified, or 'Dragons Breath' shotgun shells, one could end up with the ultimate improvised weapon for daily carry. I imagine that the 'Sleeve Cannon' would be the same. Any thoughts on this?

Also, the Hot Shot weapons, they would also be quite good. (Give the wiggers what they want, that being to look like a nig.) Just imagine 'flaming' with one of those... And the Flamethrower looks a lot like a 'Pocket Dragon'.

I hope this is in the right place. Any input or comments on these devices?

LINK; http://rapidshare.de/files/39160376/793.820_Magician_s_Arsenal_Professional_Tricks_of_ the_Trade_by_Lee_Scott__1993_.pdf.html

[Bacon46]

There are a few things in this book that have the potential to be converted into or used as an improvised weapon.

If the thing will actually work, using the mouse trap firing mechanism for a 12 gauge, (page 10) or any other center fire cartridge for that matter, has potential as a booby trap firing mechanism. Attach the mouse trap to a trip wire and the primer could be used to ignite any number of nasty devices. One could also just put the unmodified 12 gauge shell into an appropriately sized pipe (improvised barrel) and have it pointing in the direction of the trip wire and BOOM. Cheap, easy and effective. :D

[-=HeX=-]

Bacon: the mousetrap one works alright, a fellow magician uses it in his act. He was the one who told of about the cool. He has built a few of the devices in it. I got a scan of it in a torrent and stuck it on rapidshare. The devices featured are perfect for outdoor displays.

If the bottle Rocket gun was to be safe (I have seen a few videos of it on youtube) it would make a good crowd dispersal tool. Also, flash paper is so bloody versatile! I hate some and find it invaluable. Will I post a review of the book here?

[-=HeX=-]

My last post was unreadable due to my cell phones predictive text screwing it. Of meant me, cool meant book, and hate meant have. sorry. I have read more of the book in depth since and found a few more nice devices. The remove control guns could be used to improvise a telesniper. The measuring tape thing with the flash pot on the end really made of laugh. First you smack then with a whippy bit of metal, then you blind them with the flash cube! evil! I will post a review when I finish it.

[Bacon46]

Hex

Many of the items in the book sparked my imagination. Particularly in the area of improvised weapons as you said.

In the future I would avoid posting with your cell phone. We can wait until you get to a computer where you can see what you are posting.

[-=HeX=-]

I made my own 'Hand flasher' device yesterday. I will post a video on youtube soon. It is a tube filled with flash paper, ignited electrically with nickel chrome wire. The power supply was 4 AA Cells. Trigger is a small toggle switch. I also put a fishing weight in it and it shot at a wooden door. It did good enough damage. I will take photos as soon as I can.

[Logic Probe]

I have built a few devices that may be close to what you are calling a hand flasher, or perhaps something similar. A 1/2" brass tube, soldered closed at one end and about 2.5 inches long, held in a battery holder that is pop-riveted back-to-back to another battery holder (which holds the battery!) makes a nice launch tube for a folded piece of flash paper, driven by a small wad of flash cotton. I use a tiny push button switch from Radio Shock, mounted on a folded strip of brass sheet, to initiate the burn. The other end of the brass strip is gripped 'tween the fingers in an inconspicuous way. I didn't invent any of this; I blew up the nice, sharp digital photos on an online site and got the part numbers from the photos (Harry Gilliam has a nice site, skylighter.com), and built my own. Ban me if that's a bad thing, this is my first post. As far as I'm posting to the Magician's Arsenal, I may be wrong, but I saw the title as addressing tricks in the Magician's repertoire, rather than addressing Magician's tricks that could be reclassed as weapons.

[-=HeX=-]

Logic Probe: That was a good, informative first post. Could you post pictures of the device (I am a visual guy)? PM me your MSN next time you are on and we will be able to openly discuss magic. The title covers both concepts.

My photos are delayed due to lack of bandwidth. Google 'Merlins of Wakefield' they sell good magic stuff. Their 'Flash Paper' is very good stuff. As for your device, what ignition does it use? Nichrome, glow plug...?

I tested the first type of 'Impact Smoke Bomb' today on the 'Betl Clip' under my coat, indoors, on my unsuspecting brother. Needless to say he was shocked and awed, because it worked like a charm. I ran out of BP so I used KClO3 and SbS3 (A kewlish comp... I know... It was SAFETY match head powder, I dont reccomend it) and even that worked like a charm. I am waiting to get more estes engines to cannibalize for the BP, yes, I am THAT desperate. There is also a chemical version detailed in the book but I have not tested it.

When I get more ematches and flash (this summer) I will do many tests on the tricks. I find the 'Tape Measure Flash Pot' the best devise I have seen yet for simple surprize deployment.

[Logic Probe]

I use a glow plug from a model airplane for ignition (not my innovation, just another stolen idea). Take your brass tube, 1/2" OD, and snip the end in about a centimeter in, about every 1/8" (how's that for honoring both standards and adhering to neither?), then roll the end against something hard until it folds over into a dome. Dip it into some flux (mild acid to take the oxide off the copper, vinegar might work), then drop a bit of solder into the cup formed by the tube. Next, heat the folded over end until you see shiny solder on the outside of the tube (if you use too much solder, it will just drip off). Then let it cool until it doesn't hurt to handle it. Look it over to see that the solder has sealed all the "petals" of your brass flower into place. Then drill through your brass bud that you've made with a 1/4" drill bit, and run a tap through it to make threads. If you don't have a tap, try using your glow plug to make threads, or use a grease fitting (zerk) as a tap. BTW, the glow plugs use just 1.5 volts to make a red hot glow. I can think of a couple of other places that I'd like a red hot glow with only 1.5vdc, hmmm.

That covers how to make the launch tube. If I can figure out how this particular site wants photos loaded, the rest will be intuitively obvious. If not, I'll be posting a verbose description of how to do the rest, as time permits.

While I'm posting, I'll take the time to say that I've enjoyed reading your posts, HeX. What you sometimes seem to lack in formal training you make up for in inventiveness. Good reading, and thought provoking.