Magic Tricks

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Cut & Restored String
2007-06-02 19:00:00
A string or rope is cut into two pieces, and then magically restored into one piece!REQUIREMENTS:1.) One piece of heavy string or thin rope2.) A piece of writing paper.3.) A pair of good scissors.The Cut-and-Restored rope effect is a classic of magic.Prefold a piece of paper before the show so it looks like the paper in Figure 1. When it's time to present the trick, pull outthe paper and lay the string in it as shown.Fold the top of the paper (section A) down, then fold the bottom of the paper (section C) up. Now for the secret move:When you fold section C up over section A, use your thumb to catch the string as demonstrated in Figure 2. When you prefold the paper before the show be certain that section A is not so long that it will cover the string. Securely grasp the package as in Figure 3, making sure that the view shown in the diagram is seen only by you.Cut through the paper, as shown in Figure 4. Cut completely through the paper, dividing it and, presumably, the rope in half...
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The Self-Tying Handkerchief
2007-05-29 23:05:00
REQUIREMENTS: One cloth handkerchief with a knot tied in one Tell your friends that you can tie a knot in a handkerchief using only one hand!Pull the handkerchief out of your pocket, keeping the knot hidden in your hand (Fig. 1). Pick up the opposite corner of the handkerchief with the other hand, and grasp it as in Fig 2.Snap the handkerchief, releasing the end without the knot. Pick up the hanging end with the other hand as before and repeat, again releasing the end without the knot. On the third try, let go of the knotted end as shown (Fig. 3), instead of the expected corner. The movement of the hand conceals the switch, and makes this a very baffling effect.
More About: Handkerchief

Making a Topit
2007-05-27 23:16:00
The topit is a wonderful tool for a magician – it makes the impossible possible.What is a Topit?Basically it is a bag fitted inside an item of clothing in which you can ditch items.They can be made to fit inside shirts, waistcoats (Vests for our USA magicians), jackets, capes and coats.Whenever I use a jacket for magic I always get it modified with a topit.Looks Normal – But it is not.Topit is outlined in red.Note pin circled – this is used to fasten the top edge of the topit to my skirt or trousers. The outside pocket has an entrance directly into the topit to enable “Topited” items to be retrieved.The original pocket is left in place so that it still can be used.Maki ng a pin on topitRequired: -1. Material to match the colour of the inside of the item that you wish to affix the topit to. – Approx 18” (450mm) square2. Approximately 12 pins (Nappy/Diaper type)Cut the material to the following shape: -Sew or pin (A to C) and (B to D) to create a bag.The shorter of the t...
More About: Makin

THIMBLE COLORS
2007-05-05 20:01:00
The magician removes a red thimble from his pocket and holds it at his right hand finger tips. He picks up a silk handkerchief with this left hand, giving it a shake, opening it out to show it is unprepared. The handkerchief is draped over the left hand then the red thimble is placed on the handkerchief covered left first finger tip. The right hand brings up a corner of the handkerchief to cover the thimble. The left hand gives the handkerchief a shake and as the material falls away the thimble is seen to have changed color, from red to yellow. The magician brings up a corner of the handkerchief to cover the yellow thimble, the left hand shakes slightly and as the material falls away the thimble is seen to be red again. The magician takes the red thimble in his right hand and with his left hand tosses the handkerchief in the air and catches it. Props A red thimble, a yellow thimble and an 18 inch / 45 cm square silk handkerchief. The large, brightly colored plastic thimble...
More About: Colors

SHORT TERM MEMORY
2007-04-23 21:08:00
There are many theories as to how we remember things, says the magician. Usually memories come in two varieties, things we remember for a minute or two and things we never forget. Short term memories are interesting because we only seem to remember them as long as they are needed; and also because things we see tend to last longer in short term memory than things we read or hear. When short term memory encounters magic the result can be perplexing. What you see turns out to be not at all what you remember and possibly what you remember turns out to be not what you saw. The magician removes three coins from his pocket. Displaying the coins in his open palm, he approaches a spectator. Sir, he says, would you look at the coins in my hand and tell me what you see. The spectator reports that he sees three coins, one silver, one brass and one copper. Which of the coins do you find most pleasing to look at, asks the magician. The spectator says that he likes the brass coin. Alright, sa...
More About: Memory , Short-term , Term

SILK AND COIN STAR
2007-04-09 17:31:00
The magician picks up a small silk handkerchief, showing it and his hands to be obviously empty. Holding one corner of the handkerchief at his left finger tips, he runs his right hand down the handkerchief and to the opposite corner where, with a slight tug, he finds a large silver coin. This is repeated until four coins have been produced from the empty handkerchief. Silk And Coin Star is a visually pleasing manipulative routine that gives the spectators no indication of where the coins could possibly be coming from. Props & Setup Four coins and an 18 inch / 45 cm square silk handkerchief are needed. As this is a platform or stage effect, palming coins can be used, but because of the handling a thicker, heavier coin is less like to go for a walk. The ability to produce four coins from the Downs Palm is also required. Most performers will use U.S. silver dollar size coins for this (1-1/2 inches / 3.8 cm,) but, so long as you can Downs Palm them, any diameter coin can be used....

COIN WASHER
2007-04-03 11:17:00
The magician causes a borrowed coin and a metal washer to change places under apparently impossible conditions.A cup is shown to contain a metal washer. The washer is dropped out onto the table. The cup and the magician's hands are seen to be empty.A spectator drops a coin into the cup. The magician picks up the washer, works it between his or her finger tips and it is seen to change into the coin.The cup is tilted toward the spectators and the washer slides out. Again the magician's hands are seen to be empty.Props & Setup Two identical large metal washers, a cup or other container with the bottom slightly recessed, magician's wax or equivalent such as soft soap, or other putty like temporary adhesive. Prepare the cup by turning it mouth down and applying a thick layer of the wax to the center. The waxed area should be thick enough so that the side of the coin/washer toward the cup is not touching the cup bottom. The waxed area should not extend to the edges of the coin/washer. ...
More About: Washer , Coin

SUPERIOR COIN
2007-03-26 19:51:00
His open palm towards the spectators, the magician reaches into the air and a coin appears at his finger tips. This is followed by a second, third and fourth coin, the hand visibly empty as each coin materializes. Setup The number of coins used depends on their thickness and how tall a stack the performer can comfortably back palm. The coins should be the silver dollar size (1-1/2 inch / 3.9 cm) palming coins traditionally used for stage coin manipulations.Working the coins into back palm position, clipped between the first and fourth fingers with the second and third fingers hiding them from view, depends on when the effect is used in a routine. The coins can be stolen from a coin clip on the upstage side of the body or picked up from a table in the action of placing something down. Hand Position Presuming the coins are back palmed in the right hand, the performer turns stage right, extending the right arm, palm towards the spectators. The hand should be turned upstage at the...
More About: Superior , Peri , Coin

GOLDIN'S CUP AND BALL SLEIGHTS: HANDLING AND LOADING
2007-03-20 17:57:00
Horace Goldi n's explanation of the holds, handlings and sleights he used to work the Cups & Ball s includes unique and sometimes difficult variations from the manipulations commonly used. His techniques do, however, result in startling visual effects and, from the spectators' point of view, arguably more natural handling. In 1907 Will Goldston managed to get Goldin to perform his sleights and write up a brief, somewhat hurried description of them which Goldston published in the September 20th issue of his The Magician magazine. What follows is an expanded version of Goldin's Cups & Balls techniques based on the published explanations. Holding The CupI grip the cups by the edge so that the palm of the hand rests upon the table, and the forefinger and thumb encircle the mouth between the raised edges. This results in the palm of the hand resting on the table which improves the angles and to some extent keeps the cups further away from the hand than the usual grip. Palming T...
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