With perfect timing, I was going to post this today. It seems a shame to waste it!
The Effect
This is a utility item, which functions as both a peek device, and allows pocket writing. The effects are only limited by your imagination, to use a well-worn phrase.
Cost
$75 from
http://www.outlaw-effects.com
Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
1 for the peek. 1-4 for the PW element, depending on how you play it (and what you're wearing).
Review
The wallet is of slightly unusual design compared to many other similar items. Folded, it is slightly bigger than a credit card, but unlike many similar wallets, the fold is along the short side, so the Outlaw Magnum is like a miniature hip pocket wallet. I found this a little unusual, but only because I am so used to the other sort (including the original Outlaw Wallet). It makes no practical difference.
The wallet is made from leather. It's perhaps not great quality leather, but it's fine. I mention this in case it doesn't suit someone's personal taste.
The Magnum has space to hold a few credit cards on each side, although the logical thing to do is put credit or membership cards on the left (looking at the opened wallet), with business cards on the right. You could use it just for business cards. On one side of the outside of the wallet is a plastic covered window, a sort of ID pocket.
There are two things that the Outlaw Magnum does:
1. Peek. I'd say that this is the main function of the wallet. Obviously, it has all the usual problems associated with any kind of peek wallet (why is something written down and placed in the performer's wallet), but of its type, this really is astonishingly clean. The spectator places his card, face down, into one of the wallet's slots. The wallet is closed, and then either immediately put away, or left in full view. The peek has been made. Yes, you have the information without doing any other moves, including reopening the wallet.
I understand that the technology used in this function is the same as in the Telethought Wallet, which has had some good reviews. I haven't bought that and, as I am entirely happy with the Outlaw Magnum, I don't really intend to get a TW just to compare the two! The nearest commonly-used product I can compare it to is the Thought Transmitter. Imagine such a device in the form of a slim credit/business card case, which can never run out, can be used even more openly and which allows pretty much the whole of a business card to be viewed (the glimpse area is a lot bigger than the TT).
The peek is not absolutely without problems. I have found that it is sometimes a little tricky to get a clear look at what has been written, depending on the lighting. However, if you are flexible with your handling, you can pretty much have all the time you need, in full view, to try again. The only other issue is, for me, psychological. If you go for the open read, you may find yourself worrying that everyone else can see what you can! Again, careful handling and clever design means this is actually impossible, but if you are prone to magician's guilt, you might want to get your glimpse in a different way.
I give this bit of the wallet 10/10. There are minor issues with it, but really it's pretty much perfect. As mentioned above, the nearest comparison I can make is to the very popular Thought Transmitter, and the Magnum knocks that into the proverbial cocked hat.
2. Pocket Writing. As with the original Outlaw Wallet, the Magnum can be used for pocket writing. I found that the construction of the Magnum made using this aspect harder than it was in the original Outlaw Wallet, if you want to end totally clean and ready to use the peek.
One advantage over the Outlaw (and also the Sight Unseen Case, Chimera Wallet and Stealth Assassin Wallet) is that theoretically the Magnum can be shown very fairly once removed from one's pocket. However, I found the handling for that to be tricky and, it seemed to get slightly worse as I worked with the wallet, although I tried again just now and it seemed a bit better. It will be easier to remove the whole gimmicked section if you want to do pocket writing, but obviously you will have to reset it if you want to use the peek function. This won't take long, but will need you to take a moment aside.
I give this bit 8.5/10. It works fine, but I found that you have a choice of either removing an important part of the wallet, or struggling to get it back in place.
Overall
Overall: 9.5/10. I know that this isn't a strict average, but I feel this should perhaps be rated as a 9.5/10 because the peek is so strong. In many respects, I think that this is a peek wallet that just happens to do PW as well. It would be absolutely perfect if the handling of the 'superior' version of the PW gimmick were smoother.