3 Stars

Cap is worthless

The workmanship is somewhat crude but that’s fine for my reenactment needs. The gimmick does work.

The cap is worthless. It doesn’t screw on and doesn’t fit snugly. Don’t consider wearing it in your pocket. If you need to do that, throw away the top and buy a cork that fits.

Click here for more information.

Hexed Ring Box

Having a diameter of 6.5cm (2½ in), this ring box comes from FunTime Magic of India. Although easy to understand, it is a little stiff to use and requires sleight of hand. It should not be shown to audience members as the secret is obvious on inspection. Although attractive in design, it is clearly hand-made and is not of the highest standard.

Click here for more information.

Woodwork is Great, but Leaves Something Lacking Elsewhere

The woodwork on this Mikame prop is great! However, I was disapppinted with the black ribbon that is used as the rollers. Specifically, I have experienced problems with two of these and both showed signs of fraying along the outer edges of the ribbon. There are comparable versions available that have better ribbon but not as high quality framing. So make your choice depending on your priorities.

Click here for more information.

Very beautiful, but not practical for regular use

Mr. Mikame makes beautiful wood magic and this silk cabby is no exception. However, for regular use, this is not very well made. I have had problems with the hinge pins on the gimmick load box coming loose and wriggling out of their holes. I applied a dab of super glue on the outer edge to keep them in place and this seems to help. Another problem is the size of the gimmick load…it seems to be smaller than the load space on other silk cabbys. For example, I have a 50 foot x 4 inch streamer silk that I use in several other cabbys, but only about 3/5 of it will fit into the Mikame load box. Also, one of the doors does not have enough friction to stay closed on its own so I have to hold my fingers over the edge of it to keep it closed during performance. This is a pretty piece for display and occassional performances, but the price is quite high if you are looking for a good silk cabby for regular performances.

Click here for more information.

Beautiful piece, but not very functional

Mikame Craft is known for beautiful magic apparatus and Mr. Mikame does not disappoint with this hand-made mirror cabinet. However, due to the hand-made nature of this prop, it is not always functional. I have had the opportunity to "play" with three different cabinets and each one seems to have its own minor problems. On one of them, the inside mirrors did not properly align, so their was the tendency for one side or the other to prematurely spring open. On another cabinet, the hole on the top for the sword appeared to have been drilled too large, so the sword moved around too much…once again causing the mirrors to spring back too soon. The third cabinet had no problem with the mirrors, but the front doors did not properly align and the hinges on one side left about a 1/16" gap in the door because it would not fully close. Again, this is a very beautiful prop for a shelf or desk–and occasional use. But for regular use in performances, this prop is probably not the best option…especially given the very high price.

Click here for more information.