Graphite by Nick Mesmer

When Nick first showed me Graphite, my first thought was, “Someone must have thought of this before.”

It turns out he’s the first.

Graphite isn’t just a trick, it’s a tool. It’s something you can carry as part of your everyday carry (EDC) or include in your professional act, because at its a Sharpie, we all have them and use them! I call Graphite a tool because of its versatility and the number of effects you can achieve with it.

At its core, Graphite is a double-writing device. It allows you to create predictions out in the open without your participant having a clue. Your prediction can then be removed from your wallet or pocket, and they’ll see that you predicted their freely thought-of word, name, country, or anything else.

The prediction itself acts as evidence that it was written before the performance, as it appears not only in a different colour but also in a different material: graphite. Graphite works perfectly for close-up magic, but it can also be used for stage performances.

In the box you receive the Graphite pen, what feels like a lifetime’s supply of refills, and a link to the video instructions.

It’s also worth mentioning that Nick painstakingly makes every single gimmick by hand, ensuring that you receive a perfectly working Graphite pen.

For me, the real value of this project lies in the video instructions. Nick covers a huge amount: different handlings, routines, and alternative effects you can perform with Graphite. I genuinely believe that even without the gimmick, you would still walk away with real value from the instructions alone.

Nick is a busy professional performer with a wealth of experience, and he clearly knows what works and what doesn’t. It’s obvious that Graphite has been thoroughly tested in both his professional performances and more informal settings.

Personally, this now has a permanent home in my gig case. I don’t want to be at a gig without it. Why? Because it gives me options. You never quite know where the night will take you, and Graphite helps me feel prepared. At a moment’s notice, I can create a personalised prediction or perform an impromptu book or newspaper test.

If you haven’t realised already, I highly recommend this. However, if you’re a casual performer who doesn’t like to practice or only wants self-working tricks, this probably isn’t for you. You’ll need to practice the handlings Nick teaches and spend some time getting comfortable with the gimmick.

Is it worth the practice? Absolutely.

This is Nick’s first release, but I imagine we’ll be seeing much more from him in the future.

I reached out to Nick to ask if he would offer a discount for Svengali Club members, and the legend has given all members 10% off.

Follow the link to join the Svengali Club for free, where you’ll find the code in the “Special Offers” section.

If you’d like to learn more about Graphite, visit Nick’s website