Torre, Jose De La: Ascanio's World of Knives ©1975 Published by Jose's Studio, New Jersey, 2nd Ed Softcover, comb-bound, 6x9", 96 Pages

Image from Magicref

Comment: Photos by Fellipe Gomez, Edited by Marshall Johnson. Translation of selected parts of the Spanish book "Navajas Y Daltonismo" (Knives and Daltonism) written by Arturo de Ascanio y Navaz (Marcus) in 1958. With line drawings and B&W photos throughout.

Contents:

6 Foreword by Jose de la Torre
6 Portrait of the Author: about Jose
9 Acknowledgment by Jose
10 Prologue by David Bamberg (Fu Manchu): On Ascanio's original work, titled here as "Knives and Color Blindness"

13 Volume 1
14 A Few Words About Knives: The parts of the knife described (Ascanio uses a knife with a ring at the end). The parts of the hand described. Terms described.
16 What Knives Should You Use? Symmetric. Flush Blade. Ring. Size no longer than width of hand. How to make/get a gimmicked knife.
17 Equipment Needed: The routines utilize one red normal, one white normal, one white red gimmick, one white green gimmick, one green yellow gimmick, a bunch of miniature knives

19 Chapter I The Paddle Move or "Turn": intro
19 Classic Paddle Move (Modernized)
21 Rules (General Rules for All Paddle Moves): naturalness, not exaggerated slowness, small hand rotation, etc.
23 Variants of the Classic Paddle Move
23 Cleaning Paddle Move: knife held between end of 1st finger and tip of thumb
24 Passing the Knife from One Hand to Another
26 Appearance by the Pinkie: a push through the fist move
27 "Turn" With the Ring Finger: during the push through
29 Ultra Fast "Turn": a quicker than the eye move

33 Chapter II The Color Change
33 The Color Change: intro
34 Classic Color Change: through the fist
35 Half Turn When Introducing the Knife (Ascanio): in the fist
36 Bringas' Color Change (Mariano Bringas): in the hand
37 Color Change in a Spectator's Hand (Lewis Ganson)
39 One Hand Color Change: through the fist
42 Color Change with Normal Knives: color changes using two normal knives

45 Chapter III Several Passes
45 Manipulating the Knife as a Cigarette
46 Push Through Palm with Ideas
48 Two Fu Manchu's Passes: Holding the Knife at One End, Holding the Knife at Two Ends
52 Stealing With a Pull
53 Knife Changes
53 Change of a Normal Knife to a Gimmicked One: switching a palmed knife for a tabled knife
54 Fast Change (Ascanio): inside the jacket
56 How to use the "Fast Change": ideas

59 Chapter IV Tips and Ideas
59 A Good Method to Tell the Sides of the Knife At the Touch of Your Fingers: using the ring
60 How To Distinguish One Knife From Another: using ring positions
61 A Knife Classifier (Lewis Ganson): construction of a simple holder
62 Two Examples of Patter (Fu Manchu): first is a pseudo-scientific color formation patter, 2nd is about traffic lights

65 Chapter V Psychology
65 Psychological Aim of the "Turn": making a strong presentation
66 Three Psychological Procedures:
66 The Sharp Knife: opening the blade
66 The Breath on the Knife: rubbing a color change
67 A Psychological "Turn" (Fu Manchu): a comedic showing of the knife as plain
68 After the Color Change
68 Psychological Aspects of the Color Change: lengthy discussion

73 Chapter VI Routines
73 Previous Words: advice
74 A Fred Kaps' Routine: A white knife changes to red, and it is shown that two knives were used. The knives transpose in the hands, then another change happens under a handkerchief. Uses two regular knives and one gimmicked knife.
79 A Short and Easy Routine: Jose adapted this from Kaps' routine.
81 Knives and Color-Blindness (Ascanio): A white knife to be vanished turns green. 2nd knife is shown. White knife turns red, green knife turns yellow. Red knife turns white, and red knife is found in sleeve. Ends in a shower of tiny knives climax. Uses green-yellow, green-white, red-white, normal red knives, and a number of tiny knives.
91 Alternates: three variations presented
95 Muchas Gracias
96 Advertisement for publications and Tricks by Jose De La Torre, including Smash Climax mini knives and Jose's Kolorfusing knife routine and knives.

---