Final penetration by Mikame

[Rob Rand]

I overlooked this block penetration, because I thought it would work like all these other block penetrations, but when I read about it on the Magic Cafe, I realized this is really an unique piece of magic, unlike all te other variations.

Therefore I assume some member forums will have purchased this item already, it is also still easy available.

Tonight I could not resist and ordered one, but I am curious about reactions of others who already have this great prop.

[John B.]

Hi Rob,

This is fantastic- I showed it to John M. shortly after I first purchased it. Beautifully made and affordable too! Do you know how it works? It is brilliant and fully examinable.

[David DeTenyo]

One of the best penetration effects ever.
Do yourself a favour and try figure it out without looking at the instructions. You will NOT find it (perhaps by accident you will, you'll see what I mean after reading the instructions).
There's one step in the handling that isn't very easy to perform correct but I promise you'll absolutely LOVE the VERY clever way this one is constructed!
Once you own it we can discuss how to 'overcome' the more difficult part (it isn't THAT difficult actually, no sleight of hand or something) - I won't spoil your fun of opening it up and trying to figure it out

[SimonC]

Ok this looks amazing. I see there are 14 available at £100. Now do I ask mrs craze for this as my Xmas present?

[Rob Rand]

Thanks for the replies! Now I know I have ordered a masterpiece! And no JohnB, I have absolutely no idea how it works! And that's part of the fun, when I receive it. BTW I ordered it at WOM (for those who don't know: world-of-magic.co.uk), great prize and no shipping costs!

And thanks a lot David for your reaction - I already had a slight idea that you already had this

Will let you know my thoughts when I receive it.

[Rob Rand]

And Simon, convince your wife of the fact that this item is a bargain compared to the silly prices asked for pieces of plastic, only because there's Tenyo printed on it.

[Ralf R]

Mikame's Final Penetration is currently available again from some retailers and I was about to order it. But there were some posts at TMC about persistent quality problems with the current version. So I guess I'll refrain from buying it, as much as I would have liked to have this appealing prop...

[Rob Rand]

Mikame's Final Penetration is currently available again from some retailers and I was about to order it. But there were some posts at TMC about persistent quality problems with the current version. So I guess I'll refrain from buying it, as much as I would have liked to have this appealing prop...

Yes I also read about the quality issues of the new released ones…

But I saw that Dynamitemagic sells this now, and it seems it’s old stock… maybe you can ask them beforehand if that’s true. The ad says op=op …

https://www.dynamitemagic.nl/product/fi ... kame-6060/

Edit: i sent them a message and asked for it

[Ralf R]

Mikame's Final Penetration is currently available again from some retailers and I was about to order it. But there were some posts at TMC about persistent quality problems with the current version. So I guess I'll refrain from buying it, as much as I would have liked to have this appealing prop...

Yes I also read about the quality issues of the new released ones…

But I saw that Dynamitemagic sells this now, and it seems it’s old stock… maybe you can ask them beforehand if that’s true. The ad says op=op …

https://www.dynamitemagic.nl/product/fi ... kame-6060/

Edit: i sent them a message and asked for it

Thanks for asking them, Rob I would be happy if they had actually still old stock available (but I am sceptic, to be honest…).

[Olaf S]

I also like to have it and have also read about some quaity issus

I also saw it on Dynamite Magic and wanted to ask to test it

The versions that are sold now definitely look different !
Wooden blade for example has no more ornaments ...
And the whole wood quality seems simpler ...

[Rob Rand]

Yes it IS old stock at Dynamitemagic, it’s confirmed by them!

So grab them before they’re gone!!!

PS the pictures prove that they’re the original ones, with the ornaments on the blade…

[Rob Rand]

EDIT:

I received a more elaborated answer from René Geelen (owner of Dynamitemagic.nl).

At the moment all copies are sold out, but he will later receive some more ones.

There is a difference in the blade, no ornaments but the name Mikame printed on it…

Still it is old stock he says, must be a second batch…

If you want to mail him personally, his mail address is info@dynamitemagic.nl

[Rob Rand]

983401EA-46DE-457C-9A46-CA36D07D4FBC.jpeg

Here a picture from René, it is clearly not the first version of this effect but a second batch, yet old stock…

Here a picture of my copy

A4C7344B-50B0-455A-9A1B-9EF171FB1D63.jpeg

So well, ordering a copy (now sold out but some more to come) … at your own risk…

[Olaf S]

The "new" second batch looks also very nice in my opinion

In any case, the stable packaging does not look like new

[Olaf S]

At the moment some retailers are able to ship this trick
Hocus pocus seems to have the old model, better ask
And Joe Long has some too and says they work ...

https://www.hocus-pocus.com/magicshop/

https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S11987

[Rob Rand]

At Penguinmagic the post of the guy who writes he received defective ones dates from 2011…

The other posts of the reviewers who give 5 stars date of 2014 …

So what’s up with earlier / later versions?

When did Mikame passed away?

I ordered my copy in 2013 and it never failed…

[ØyvindK]

This is an interesting effect, and I actually started creating my own many years ago. I can understand how it may fail, and I never finished mine for different reasons. One being that doing the move was tricky to get right, and mine also made too much noise at that point. I think perhaps laquered and polished(?) wood is better in this regard.

[Olaf S]

I don't know exactly how the Mikame version works, but I have an idea and I think

that statements like: "Mine doesn't work and is defective" are simply rooted in not

handling the trick correctly but maybe i am wrong and it is a tricky business ...

[Rob Rand]

I don't know exactly how the Mikame version works, but I have an idea and I think

that statements like: "Mine doesn't work and is defective" are simply rooted in not

handling the trick correctly but maybe i am wrong and it is a tricky business ...

Yes some buyers didn’t fully understood the instructions and thought their copy was defective.

But if you perform it the correct way it is fireproof. The block has different ways of grain on the sides (sorry for my bad English!) and if you remember this very well, then nothing can go wrong.
The block is first dropped in the tube, and it goes all to the bottom.

Then the tube over and let the block drop on a preferably wooden table without a cloth.

CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED

Then you repeat the action of dropping it in the tube, and then the magic happens.

If you make a mistake with the positioning of the block, it doesn’t work.

That’s why some people sent it back and claimed it was defective.

My copy always worked flawless.

[Olaf S]

When I compare the pictures, I can clearly see that the first version is more finely crafted than

the ones available now. That the wooden slider no longer has a pattern I do not find bad but a

slimmed down wood quality bothers me a bit and is missing the Mikame quality !

[RogerD]

I have emails with a dealer from mid 2020. The dealer told me that the manufacturer of Mikame items was making more of the Final Penetration. And that they would be available around October 2020.

So the old stock could be like a year or two old. I did not follow the release or keep up with it back then. Maybe they got some built and they never sold or got released for some reason. However, two years old doesn't seem like the proper use of the term "old stock". I doubt they just found a bunch of Mikame Final Penetrations from when Mikame was still with us. I also don't think any of the Final Penetrations being sold for $135 where made before 2020.

Telling people it is old stock just seems like marketing. It gives the impression of scarcity. Causing people to think if they don't buy it now the product won't be available again. Which makes a sale.

If you look at the market there have been other Mikame items that were re-released in recent times. Everything I am seeing tells me they are re-releasing Mikame items that are either easy to make or are popular enough to go through the trouble of making.

So my thought is that this is a re-release of Mikame Final Penetration. With possible marketing ploys from dealers and scalpers to make sales. People maximizing profits is nothing new. People profiting off this release will get more Mikame items released. It's a good thing.

Now it could be a limited release. They could have judged the market and made a safe number that they know would sell in a short period of time. This way they don't have to sit on them for years until they sell.

Most of the people on this site understand these limited release and scarcity marketing tactics. Because we are collectors and deal with it all the time. Limited releases are not a bad thing.
When there is not a big market for an item, limited releases are a sustainable business model. It works for the manufacturer, dealer, and consumer.

A similar thing happened recently with Tenyo 4d Surprise. They released some. Then sold out for a while. And now more are available. I was told it was old stock at one point. But I was also told 4d Surprise was being manufactured again. The consumers will probably never get the full story. And we just moved on from 4d Surprise to Final Penetration.

I do like that the Final Penetrations being produced now look different from the original. This allows us to somewhat maintain the collectability of the original. Another option could be changing the Mikame Craft stamp for each release so we can know if it was released while he was still with us.

As for the defective nature of this product. Without giving away the method. Tricks that use these methods can become defective over time. And can even be defective at purchase. I've had Mikame Final Penetrations that did not work. Operator error was not the issue and I handled the trick correctly. But I've also had ones that work great. If it doesn't work, send it back for another one while they are available.

Mikame Final Penetration is one of my favorite versions of this effect. And it is one of my favorite Mikame items.

Hopefully someday a book about Mikame will be written.

[Olaf S]

I got a reply from Hocus Pocus that their "Final Penetration" is not the same as the original either

and so the image they use, like Dynamite Magic Shop, is not what the newer version looks like.

This will probably also be the case with other offers - Original is only available second hand.

[Olaf S]

Look is minimally different, but works flawless

[Ralf R]

Yes, in comparison with the older version the main visual difference seems to be the missing ornament on the stick. The prop looks really good in your picture, Olaf, and I am glad to read that it works flawlessly. Now I am eagerly waiting for my copy to arrive.

[Ralf R]

Got my copy yesterday. It came in a nice retro-style cardboard box and from the vintage-like smell that came out of the box it could well have been old stock. But according to the stick with the "Mikame Craft" logo it's the new version. Before reading the instructions I played a bit around with the prop and got no idea how it works. Therfore, I would say that it's fully inspectable. Had no problems with the instructions and the prop works reproducibly without any issues. So I am also happy with my purchase. This well made prop is a nice addition to my "magic that happens in the dark" series.