Friday, August 31, 2007

Trick #9: The Hypnotized Handkerchief

Hypnotize a handkerchief to move at your command!



REQUIREMENTS: One handkerchief with a hem, one drinking straw


In order to perform this effect you will need to take a drinking straw and flatten it out. This is easier with the old fashioned paper straws, but a plastic straw will do. Be careful not to mangle the straw as you flatten it. Next, sew the straw into the hem of a handkerchief as shown in Figure 1. Make certain the straw is secured in place so it won't slip down in the hem.
With your other hand When ready to perform the trick, grasp the corner indicated with an "A" in Figure 1. Tie a knot in that corner and let the handkerchief hang down from the knot. Announce you are going to "hypnotize" the handkerchief. take the middle of the handkerchief where corner "B" is, as in Figure 2, and drop the knot. Gesture with your free hand as if "hypnotizing the handkerchief. By moving your thumb on the straw, you can cause the handkerchief to slowly rise until it seems balanced on your fingers (Figure 3), and then gently drop back down!


Bookmark and Share

Trick #8: The Mysterious Coin Balance

You can balance a coin at your fingertips, but no one else can!



REQUIREMENTS: One large coin, one straight pin

Here's a great trick to demonstrate your mastery of mind over matter!
Have a regular straight pin concealed in one hand, between the first two fingers. With the other hand, pull a coin out of your pocket and allow it to be examined by the audience, or borrow a coin from one of them! When you get the coin back, lay it down on top of the straight pin in your other hand. Now, raise the coin to a standing position near the ends of your fingers, and as you do raise the straight pin with it, making sure no one but you knows the pin is there. Keep pressure on the pin held between your two fingers, and the coin will balance there as if held by unseen forces! You can talk about mind over matter, or wiggle the fingers of your other hand over the coin as if that was where your power emanated from! After a few moments, slowly release pressure on the pin, and it should let the coin gently drift back down onto your fingers! Don't forget to get rid of the pin while people are examining the coin again!


Bookmark and Share

Trick #7: The Unbreakable Match

A wooden match or toothpick is wrapped in a handkerchief and broken by a volunteer. At your command, it is restored into one piece!


REQUIREMENTS: One handkerchief with a hem, two wooden matches or toothpicks.

Conceal a toothpick in the hem of a handkerchief. Display the handkerchief, and several other toothpicks you have brought with you. Then, have a volunteer point to one of the toothpicks. Pick up the toothpick they chose, place it in the center of the handkerchief, and roll the handkerchief up with the chosen toothpick in its center. While you do this, take hold of the toothpick concealed in the hem of the handkerchief, and hand this to the volunteer. Have him confirm that he can feel the toothpick through the handkerchief, and even invite him to break it in half! When he does, take the handkerchief back and break the hidden toothpick again! Everyone will think the toothpick that's been broken is the same one they saw you roll up in the handkerchief a few moments earlier. Now, slowly unroll the handkerchief and show the toothpick, still in its center, and completely unharmed!


Bookmark and Share

Trick #6: Challenge Knot Tie

Challenge your friends to tie a knot in a piece of rope without letting go of the ends. None of them will be able to do it, but you will!


REQUIREMENTS: A piece of rope 3 or 4 feet long.

This is an easy one, but it will baffle people who don't know how to do it. Hold the rope as in Figure 1, and give your friends a chance to try to tie a knot in the rope without at any time letting go of either end. When they give up, take back the rope and lay it down on a table.
Now for the secret move: Cross your arms before you pick up the rope!. Pick it up one end at a time to make it easier to grasp. When you uncross your arms, a knot will appear in the middle of the rope, without your at any time releasing either end!



Bookmark and Share

Trick #5: The Vanishing Knot

Make a knot disappear from a rope or handkerchief, even a borrowed one!



REQUIREMENTS: One handkerchief or woman's scarf.
A soft rope can also be used.
Here's another classic effect! To perform this trick you must twirl a handkerchief into a ropelike shape, and then hold it between the index and middle fingers of each hand, palms up, as shown in Figure 1.
Take the end in your right hand (if you are right handed) and lay it between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, as in Figure 2.

In Figure 2 you are still holding onto part of the handkerchief with your right hand. Use your right hand to position that part of the hankerchief between the second and third fingers of the left hand, as you reach through the loop with your right hand and grasp the closest dangling end (Figure 3).

Pull that end through the loop, being certain to keep your grip on the part of the handkerchief between the left second and third fingers (Figure 4). As you pull the end through with your right hand, you will notice a loop forms around your left middle finger. Withdraw your finger, leaving the loop hidden behind the knot, and display the hanging knot as in Figure 5.
Now, blow on the knot while giving it a gentle shake, or while pulling lightly on the free end with the other hand, and the knot will disappear into thin air!


Bookmark and Share

Trick #4: Houdini Rubber Band Escape

A miniature escape that demonstrates how solid can pass through solid!



REQUIREMENTS: One medium sized rubber band.

This is sometimes also called the Hopping Rubber Band. You loop a rubber band over your first two fingers, and then it inexplicably jumps to the second two fingers. Begin by placing a rubber band over your forefinger and middle finger as shown in Figure 1. Bring the rubber band all the way down to the base of the fingers. Hold your hand so its back is facing the audience.
Pull the rubber band with your other hand to show that it is solid, and then at a point when the rubber band is still pulled a little bit out towards you, curl your fingers down as in Figure 2.
From your audience's view, it looks like the rubber band is still around only two of your fingers.
Pause for just an instant, and then straighten your fingers out. The band will instantly jump over to your ring finger and pinky (Figure 3)!
To make the rubber band jump back to your first two fingers, follow the same moves again. If you twist a second rubber band over the fingers above the first band, as in Figure 4, so that the fingers appear tied together, and then follow the same moves for the trick as above, the first rubber band will still be able to jump, seeming to penetrate right through the second band!


Bookmark and Share

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Trick #3: Coin Through Elbow

A coin mysteriously vanishes into thin air!


REQUIREMENTS:

1.) One coin.

2.) A table to sit at.

3.) A chair to sit in.


Magic with money is always of interest, and coin magic has the advantage of being done with something that can be carried, or borrowed on the spot!
Display the coin in your hand, and then rub it into your elbow, announcing you are going to make it disappear! After a few moments drop the coin onto the table and say it usually works better with the other hand. Pick the coin up and pretend to put it into the other hand. Then, pretend to rub "the coin" into your elbow, while the hand that is really holding the coin goes up behind your ear. Drop the coin into the back of your shirt collar, and then show that the coin has vanished, and both hands are absolutely empty!


Bookmark and Share

Trick #2: Cut & Restored String

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 rope
2.) 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 out the 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. In reality, only the paper is cut in half, the rope is still intact. Crumple up the paper, and pull the rope out slowly. It is restored into one complete piece! The paper may be examined, and it will be seen to have been cleanly cut into two halves!


Bookmark and Share

Trick #1: The Self-Tying Handkerchief

A knot instantly ties itself at the end of a handkerchief!

REQUIREMENTS
: One cloth handkerchief with a knot tied in one corner.
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 Figure 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 (Figure 3), instead of the expected corner. The movement of the hand conceals the switch, and makes this a very baffling effect.


Bookmark and Share