Demon Safety Pin and Rod

The performer gives for inspection a large safety pin and a wooden rod with a hole in the centre. The pin is pushed through the hole and fastened. The rod is then moved so that one side is underneath the other arm of the pin. Instantaneously, the rod is made to appear to penetrate the arm of the safety pin. The effect is quite startling. Davenports were still selling these rods and pins in the 1990s, complete with instructions. Also illustrated here is an early Davenport advertisement for this trick in two sizes: Pintrix Small for 4d and Pintrix Large for 6d. Note that the rod has DEMON SERIES L.D. LONDON FOREIGN on it. The rods would have been imported from Germany. This particular example and instructions came from Davenports in 1994. See N3010 for a smaller version of this trick.