"Eruption" by Illusioncraft
Suggested Retail USD$70.00
Available from your favorite dealer
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

"Eruption", by Illusioncraft, is a brilliantly simple, extremely well made device that is a perfect solution for reliably and practically producing fire from the hand.

Okay, so you probably know I don't like fire effects for any number of reasons, but I absolutely love "Eruption". It's simple design, ease of maintenance, and small size make this a winner for anyone wanting to produce a burst of fire from their hand.

"Eruption" has a truckload of good things going for it. It's small, fitting in the hand comfortably and easily carried in a jacket pocket. It's also self-contained: you're not required to run tubes and hoses and ignition systems here, there, and everywhere in your clothing and around your body. Repeating it is instant as there's nothing to reload between bursts. The flame is entirely under your control; make it as large or small as you (and the device) can manage. Even maintaining the device is quite an easy affair.

For my money, this is also the safest method of producing flame. Now, note that I said "safest", not "perfectly safe". Anybody with an ounce of common sense will tell you that playing with fire always carries a risk of danger with it and "Eruption" is no exception to this. However, "Eruption" is based on lycopodium powder (you'd probably be more familiar with it by it's "magic name", "Dragon's Breath"), a much safer substance to store and use than those usually employed by performers to produce flame (flash paper, flash powder, lighter fluid, and the like).

As for the quality of the flame, it's excellent. Out of the box, a three-foot long burst of flame with "Eruption" is typical. Smaller blasts are, of course, possible and easy enough to produce. If you need longer blasts, you can adjust the gimmick for that easily enough.

The gimmick itself is very well made and should last a lifetime with care and maintenance. Don't run over it with a car or put it in your back pocket and sit on it or other such silliness you can only imagine and it'll hold up just fine. As for maintaining it, well, reloading it is not a problem whatsoever and will take little time at all. Once loaded, it will last for a number of blasts before you need to reload (said number depends on the length of the blasts you produce -- I've gotten over a dozen huge blasts from one load). There is a piece that will need to be replaced eventually that might have you looking around a bit, but you won't have to replace it for ages and when the time comes it won't cost a more than a buck or two. You will need to replace the lycopodium powder eventually (you are given a large bottle of the stuff, so you won't have to worry about that for a while) and that can be problematic depending on where you live and the ever-declining popularity of the powder in the pharmaceutical industry. According to my own personal oracle (pun intended) about such things, former science teacher Larry White, there are a number of cheap, common substitutes you can use, though, if you run into problems; I hesitate to list them here and they aren't in the instructions, but if you drop me a line I'll be happy to send them to you.

Overall, "Eruption" is a brilliant little device, well-made, that is as practical a method for fire production as you could ask for. I don't like using fire, but I'm still giving this one a huge thumbs up.

"Eruption" by Illusioncraft
In a Blink: 10 Out of 10

Practicality: 10
Simple to maintain, a breeze to carry, extremely easy to adjust and use... This is an extremely practical way of producing fire at a moment's notice. While all fire effects have an element of risk, this is probably the safest method out there.

Workmanship: 10
The "Eruption" device is very well made and will last a lifetime with proper care and the necessary (and cheap) maintenance.

Documentation: 10
This is a gimmick and nothing else; the sheet reflects that, detailing the care and use of the gimmick excellently.

Effect: n/a
It's all in what you do with it, of course, which is up to you. So it the...

Presentation: n/a
... Which again depends entirely on what you do it.

Shane

Available direct from your favorite dealer. Dealers, please contact Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-853-7403 or visit Murphy's Magic Supplies website.