I've come across some quite nice stuff in a
case marked '2007 second best' - as usual the second best usually has stuff I don't see much
or do much with; so when I get them out they're often a surprise! This one here for instance
was a surprise. It's a card, fortunately I've got two of them, because I'm about to perform
with one of them, and it destroys the card in doing so. That's what it says on the card...
let's see if we can get it into focus first...
So I'm hoping for the best, because I looked at the back of it which has
got paper [on it] and I can just see faint writing there, mirror writing;
so with any luck if I bend this in half like this and snap it...
it's not going to crack that easily is it...
It should just snap, perhaps I should put it in the fridge first to make it [more brittle]
Snap snap snap snap... it's not exactly snapping is it... well it
is... it's trying to snap... I think I should tear it in half at this rate...
When I get something like this where I have to destroy it in order to make it perform, it's
always best to have at least one or two backups to make it work; I can't do this I don't think...
No... oh goodness me...
If I hold it up to the mirror I could probably actually read the writing,
but that really should snap by now shouldn't it...
No... the trouble is the plastic is too bendable; I thought plastic actually ages,
doesn't it? After a while it should age and crack without any extra effort, because it's been
exposed to sunlight; that's the other thing... exposing this to sunlight;
but this is not gonna open up I don't think; oh it's trying to do it? No it's not;
I can't get that to snap. Well we could run it again, in which I'll get
a very sharp knife and just slit it down there - that would be a cheat wouldn't it?
I don't think it's going to split...
It's too flexible; it's stuck very firmly in, you know; extraordinary;
but the plastic really should tear, but only if [one of] the corners starts coming off...
This is something you can't practice you see,
because if you try to do a dress rehearsal you've ruined the card and you can't use it...
Oh goodness, I don't see how to undo it
except with a very sharp pin or knife or something; I've got a blade that I could use...
I thought by now the paper would want to tear as well, but this paper's very very firmly
fixed to the card; they've obviously made this very very well... too well!
[TIM GETS A KNIFE...!]
Well I'll see if I can make a start... no, it's still not not really performing properly;
Is it gonna do it now? Ah...
Yes at last, it's... my gosh it's stuck all right; no, it's just cut the card in half!
And not revealed the secret! I'll see if I can get it in here... I don't think I can actually,
it's so well fixed on...
I think this is a failure... I've got to the point where it's cut in half, but the paper's
been cut as well... I couldn't stop cutting the paper as well, it's so well fixed in...
It's very firmly fixed in... I'm trying to get a little bit of the paper separated...
If I just strip that down there perhaps...
That paper is really firmly stuck on you know...
Goodness me.. and I couldn't rehearse this either!
No, it's not going to come; eventually I suppose, if I do a corner here, I might be able to peel it
I suppose; ah there we are... no no, it's cut through the plastic as well...
The paper is absolutely determined to stay on top; let's try a gentle cut,
just the corner, that paper is really firmly stuck onto the plastic...
So the gluing gets stronger as the years go by, not weaker;
it gets more and more fixed on, so it's completely fixed in now;
No I can't do it...
What a shame... that paper absolutely doesn't want to un-tear; it's been so firmly glued in...
Oh well, we've done our best; it's been too well made,
or perhaps it hasn't aged enough; but that's one of them that got away... a toy that doesn't work!