Pen through EVERYTHING!

Three originals and countless rip-offs...

For those interested in the background of the 'Pen Through' effects, read the following piece by Doug Atkinson. You can read more at his website HERE.

There have since been many knock-offs on these three basic designs. The following is an incomplete list of some of the currently available pens in each of the three categories:

Style 1: Original Pen Through Anything. (These are the pens that require a switch).

• John Cornelius Pen Through Anything. The original. The pen is a well made, metal executive "Cross"-style, thin pen. Well made. $25
• Electrofun: Sam Dalal (of India) manufactures several inexpensive knock-offs of this style. The pens are flashy looking and not quite "normal" looking. $15-20
• Magic Max Laser Pen. Grey PaperMate Flexgrip style pen. $30
• Penguin Magic Pen Through Dollar. Pen is a grey PaperMate Flexgrip Pen in style of Magic Max Laser Pen. $30
• Ronjo: Pen Through Everything/Pen-A-Trating: Large Black fountain pen style w/pocket clip. $30
• The Sharpie We Use (not sure of manufacturer). Pen is a Sharpie marker as used by many magicians. $30
• Also Sharpie Thru Bill by The Magic Cavern and SR-71 Blackbird (aka Sharpie Thru Bill) by Penguin Magic.

Style 2: Perfect Pen. (These don't require a switch, and do not require a sleight).

• John Cornelius Perfect Pen. This is the original and the best. It is suggested that the pen not be handed out for "examination", but for common use. The gimmick will not be discovered. $50
• Magic Makers The Pen (also seen as "Deluxe Pen" and "Ultimate Pen". This is a knock-off version of the Perfect Pen. The quality is not on par with The Perfect Pen. Get the original. About $25

Style 3: Wonder Pen-A-Tration: (These don't require a switch, and require only a simple sleight to allow the pen to be fully examined. Not all of these can be used for the Double-X or Electronic Rating Pen effect).

• Doug Edwards Wonder Pen-A-Tration. This is a Bic-style ballpoint pen. Highly rated. $30
• Perfect PENatration/Penetration Pen/Write Thru Pen (not sure of manufacturer). This looks like the Wonder Pen. $20
• Empire Magic Pen Penetration. An inexpensive version of the Wonder Pen. The pen is a slightly thicker, black roller ball pen. I've heard mixed reviews. $12
• Penguin Magic Stealth Pen. In the Wonder-Pen style. $15
• Richard Raven Voodoo Pen. Pen looks like Empire's pen. Comes with a video by Richard Raven. $28

ALSO, many people ask about the origins of John Cornelius' original Pen Through Anything, often suggesting he got the idea from Tenyo's Wandering Hole (1979).

Here is the story direct from John himself:

"The Tenyo Wandering Hole was a piece of plastic with a moveable hole. Sure it included a pen with magnets but I doubt you could do the pen through anything with that pen. If you could, Tenyo had about ten years to put the trick out.The inspiration for the pen through anything came from John Kennedy's cigarette through coin.Before I marketed the pen through anything I asked John Kennedy if this would bother him. He told me it would not bother him at all, because it was two different effects using two different objects."