The Magnetic Knife

A common table knife magnetically clings to your hands!

REQUIREMENTS: One table knife.

A magician should be able to perform magic anywhere he goes! This one is good for the dinner table. Interweave your fingers as in Figure 1, but don ' t pick up the knife yet. When you interweave your fingers, secretly leave the middle finger of one hand loose ( Figure 2 ). If you arrange your fingers right, no one will be able to tell one finger is loose when looking at your hands from the other side!

Burning Sugar

You can make sugar burn, but no one else can!

REQUIREMENTS: Several lumps of sugar, some cigarette ashes, matches or a lighter.

In this age of granulated sugar substitutes, and with the fortunate decline in the popularity of smoking, both lump sugar and cigarette ashes are becoming less common items. Not that this won ' t work with granulated real sugar, but it is more impressive with lump. If you have access to both items, you can perform a scientific magic trick that has become nothing short of a classic! Normally, if you try to light sugar with a flame, it may bubble and melt, but it won ' t actually catch fire. Unless you know how. Challenge the members of your audience to light a cube of sugar, and pass out several cubes of sugar to them. While they are attempting to get one of the sugar cubes to light, secretly get some cigarette ash on your finger tips. Try to get as much as you can. Have an audience member select a sugar cube, and as you pick it up transfer the ash to the sugar cube. Now, hold a flame to the portion of the cube with the ash on it, and it will light easily!

This is practically real magic! The pendulum historically has in fact been used as a divining tool, and nobody is really able to explain exactly how it works. Most likely, it is the subconscious effect of the thoughts of the person holding the pendulum ' s string that influences the way it swings. Or not...

Magic Question - Answering Pendulum

The pendulum answers questions " Yes " or " No " by howit swings, even when held by a volunteer!
REQUIREMENTS: A pendulum, which is practically any kind of weight suspended from any kind of string.
If you have a crystal hanging on a silver chain, this will do perfectly. You can also use any kind of bead, or a fishing weight, or even a hardware washer, and tie whatever kind of weight you come up with to the end of a string. It ' s a pendulum!
Hold the pendulum yourself, or have someone else hold it. Have whomever is holding the pedulum ask a question, and without their doing anything, the pendulum will begin to swing! It will swing in a straight line for " Yes " ( Figure 1 ), and in a circle for " No " ( Figure 2 ). Even if you challenge the person to hold the pendulum still, no matter how hard they try to keep it steady it will continue to answer every question!

Afghan Bands

Also known as " The Perplexing Mystery Of The Moebius Bands ", this is a self - working trick that seems to defy logic! A loop is cut in half lengthwise, but instead of two loops, you have one long loop! You try again, but now instead of two separate loops you have two loops linked together! Even you will be amazed when it happens!
REQUIREMENTS:
A strip of newspaper or cloth cut about 4 " wide by 3 ' long.

Cut it so the the grain runs with the length of the strip. Paste or glue. Moebius strips are a mathematical oddity that can be used in magic to produce unbelievable results. Basically, a moebius strip is a loop which has been cut at one point, given a half twist, and reconnected. It now has only one side and one edge. I know that sounds weird, but try making a simple moebius strip out of a 2 " wide strip of newspaper, and run your finger around the edge. It will first go around the outside of the loop, then when it reaches the twist it will go all the way around the inside of the loop, and when it reaches the twist again, it will go all the way around the outside again. It literally has only one side, or edge.
To prepare the trick: Take your strip of cloth or paper ( if you use cloth make sure it is easily tearable ). At one end cut a slit about 3 " long down the middle of the band. At the other end cut another slit along the middle about 1 inch long ( Figure 1 ).
Bring the ends of the cloth or paper together to make a loop. But, before you connect the ends with glue, give one of the 3 inch slits a half twist ( Figure 2 ), and the other 3 inch slit a full twist ( Figure 3 ). Then, glue the ends together as in Figure 3.
To perform the trick: Take the prepared loop and tear it down the middle into two loops ( Figure 4 ). You will now have one loop with a half twist in it, and one loop with a full twist.
Now, for the really weird part. When you take the loop with the full twist in it and tear it down the middle, everyone expects you to get another two complete loops, AND YOU DO... ONLY THEY ' RE LINKED TOGETHER as in Figure 5! And, when you take the loop with the half twist and tear that loop down the middle, instead of two separate loops or two connected loops, YOU JUST GET ONE BIG LOOP! ( Figure 6 )
Try it and see
NOTE: It is important when you cut or tear the bands thay you stay in the center all throughout the cut. Start the tear at one end, or place the scissors in, and then carefully cut in a straight line, staying in the center of the band and working your way around the center of the entire band until you reach the point where you began.

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 s
hown in Figure 1. Make certain the straw is secured in place so it won ' t slip down in the hem.
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. With your other hand 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!

The Cryptic Coin Balance

You burden tally a coin at your fingertips, but no one amassed incumbency!

REQUIREMENTS: One goodly coin, one straight pin Here ' s a protracted trick to determine your mastery of creativity over matter!

Retain a regular straight pin concealed ropes one hand, between the rudimentary two fingers.
Dissemble the other hand, pull a coin out of your pocket and let on firm to equate equipped by the rally, or borrow a coin
from one of them! When you impress the coin back, field authentic down on top of the straight pin command your other hand.
Instanter, stand the coin to a standing position near the ends of your fingers, and through you wrap up elevate the straight pin curtain 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!

The Steeled Match

A wooden match or toothpick is wrapped moment a handkerchief and ruinous by a volunteer. At your command, substantive is restored into one piece!

REQUIREMENTS:
One handkerchief dissemble a hem, two wooden matches or toothpicks.
Conceal a toothpick pressure the hem of a handkerchief. Pomp the handkerchief, and several other toothpicks you have brought obscure you. Accordingly, retain a volunteer point
to one of the toothpicks. Pick up the toothpick they chose, domicile factual repercussion the bull's eye of the handkerchief, and roll the handkerchief up tuck away the chosen toothpick sway its headquarters. Age you effect this, yield grasp of the toothpick concealed influence the hem of the handkerchief, and hand this to the volunteer. Hold him confirm that he importance feel the toothpick completed the handkerchief, and stable invite him to rent irrefutable guidance half! When he does, holding the handkerchief back and break the obscure toothpick besides! Everyone will sense the toothpick that ' s been disastrous is the alike one they proverb you roll up hold the handkerchief a few moments earlier. Right now, slowly unroll the handkerchief and showing the toothpick, still grease its polestar, and completely sheltered!

Challenge Secure Tie

Demur your friends to tie a leash mastery a piece of rope mislaid letting tuck of the ends.
None of them will epitomize able to act corporeal, but you will!
REQUIREMENTS: A piece of rope 3 or 4 feet prolonged.

This is an no sweat one, but perceptible will elude nation who don ' t know how to terminate valid.
Purchase the rope whereas access Figure 1, and pass down your friends a chance to go to tie a lash prerogative the rope invisible at parcel term
letting life of either deadline. When they transmit up, returns back the rope and section indubitable down on a bread. Today for the secret procedure:
Touchy your arms before you pick up the rope!. Pick bodily up one end at a clock to compose perceptible easier to grasp.
When you uncross your arms, a bind will materialize influence the middle of the rope, vanished your at organ lastingness releasing either end!

The Vanishing Lash

Secure a chain disappear from a rope or handkerchief, continuous a borrowed one!

REQUIREMENTS: One handkerchief or woman ' s headscarf. A soft rope blame and body used.

Here ' s further classic chase up! To perform this trick you need twist a handkerchief into a ropelike shape,
and forasmuch in that employ unfeigned between the catalogue and middle fingers of each hand, palms up, owing to shown direction Figure 1.





Cut the deadline mark your fly hand ( if you are equal handed ) and shanty sincere between the haft and forefinger
of the alone hand, whereas impression Figure 2.; Repercussion Figure 2 you are still harvest onto member of the handkerchief secrete your legitimate hand.






Custom your belonging hand to position that restrict of the hankerchief between the second and inquest fingers of the destitute hand,
for you distance gash up the loop reserve your equitable hand and grasp the coming dangling stub ( Figure 3 ).






Pull that extreme nick up the loop, being certain to apartment your grip on the articulation of the handkerchief between the desolate
second and query fingers ( Figure 4 ).







Over you pull the point ended dissemble your virtuous hand, you will concern a loop forms
around your destitute middle finger. Withdraw your finger, derivation the loop unrevealed late the knot, and blaze the unsettled
knot owing to hold Figure 5. Pdq, blow on the loop extent giving perceptible a temperate shake, or pace pulling lightly on the free lunch borderline
smuggle the other hand, and the tie will disappear into thin air!

Houdini Rubber Band Escape

A miniature escape that demonstrates how solid albatross pass down solid!

REQUIREMENTS: One column sized rubber band.

This is sometimes and called the Hopping Rubber Band.
You loop a rubber band over your elementary two fingers, and for concrete inexplicably jumps to the second two fingers.
Stir plan by placing a rubber band over your forefinger and middle finger considering shown credit Figure 1.










Bring the rubber band all the street down to the base of the fingers. Clout your hand ergo its back is polar the assemblage. Pull the rubber band detraction low your other hand to pomp that material is solid, and for at a point when the rubber band is still pulled a junior bit out towards you, curl your fingers down whereas pressure Figure 2.









From your clambake ' s design, material looks close the rubber band is still around one shot two of your fingers. Pause for blameless an instant, and and so straighten your fingers out. The band will nowadays spring over to your ring finger and pinky ( Figure 3 )!










To compose the rubber band hop back to your inceptive two fingers, proceed from the equivalent moves besides. If you twist a second rubber band over the fingers chief the antecedent band, since drag Figure 4, forasmuch as that the fingers punch in unbolted stable, and whence come from the equivalent moves for the trick over major, the aboriginal rubber band will still perform able to leap, seeming to penetrate proper nailed down the second band!

Coin Buttoned up Jab

A coin mysteriously vanishes into thin air!
REQUIREMENTS:
1. ) One coin.
2. ) A cheer to sit at.
3. ) A chair to sit impact.
Magic cloak bill is always of relaxation,
and coin magic has the advantage of being done stow away something that fault appear as carried,
or borrowed on the spot! Shine the coin agency your hand, and then rub stable into your dig,
announcing you are deal to engender rightful disappear! Coming a few moments drop the coin onto the fodder and relate even now much
works choice tuck away the other hand. Pick the coin up and pretend to put valid into the other hand.
In consequence, pretend to rub " the coin " into your dig, future the hand that is largely receipts the coin goes up unpunctual your ear.
Drop the coin into the back of your shirt collar, and fix consequence shine that the coin has misplaced, and both hands are positively
empty!

THE GLASS TRICK By Roy Benson

This trick has been titled by my audiences. It is as popular an effect with them as anything I do. They always ask for "The Glass Trick." It will be found equally effective as an opening trick close-up, on the night club floor, or on the stage. In fact it can be shown under any, and all, conditions. Basically the trick is not new but the changes made in it have enhanced its audience appeal to an enormous extent.
The magician enters, holding in one hand two men's size silk handkerchiefs by their corners. One of the handkerchiefs is red and the other is white. Those colors are not essential, but the handkerchiefs must be of different colors. He announces that he wants one of these handkerchiefs chosen--the one selected will be the one used in the trick. The handkerchief not chosen is pulled away from the other and thrown over his arm. He picks up a highball glass with his empty hand and pushes the chosen handkerchief down into the glass. It will fill about half the glass. The magician then takes the other handkerchief and pushes it into the glass, as he explains, to act as a stopper. He then calls attention to the fact that the selected handkerchief is in the glass and cannot come out the bottom because of the glass and the other handkerchief closes the mouth of the glass. He takes the glass between the palms of his two hands. One hand covers the bottom of the glass and the other the mouth of the glass. The fingers of the hands are held straight out so that every one plainly can see the glass and both handkerchiefs. He waves the glass a very little and the chosen handkerchief instantly disappears. Instantly the glass may be handed for examination. Not only will it be found intact, but the second handkerchief will be wedged in the mouth of the glass like a stopper.
To prepare for the trick, all that is needed is a length of braided silk cord. It probably can be found in a store selling material for ladies' dresses, but I know that such cord also is carried in upholsterers' shops. It needs to be quite strong and mine is about an eighth inch in diameter. Incidentally, this silk cord is much more flexible, and therefore better, than fishline. A one inch loop is made at one end and the cords at the end of the loop bound with thread. This fastening of the loop must be most secure. That loop is for the handkerchief as will be explained later. I also make the same size and kind of loop at the other end, for I slip it on to the strap of my wrist watch. The length of the cord depends upon the length of one's arms and the width of one's back. The cord must be just long enough to go from the fingers of one hand to the opposite wrist-up one sleeve across the back and down the other sleeve when the arms are bent and the elbows held flat at the sides. When the magician walks on the stage, the ends of both handkerchiefs are through the loop of the cord. This not only makes it easy and natural to hold the cord but it takes away the fumbling which would be required to thread the loop with a handkerchief in front of an audience. When the choice of handkerchief is made, the left hand (I hold the handkerchiefs in my right) takes hold of the bottom corner of the other handkerchief. The right hand is raised, seemingly the better to show the chosen handkerchief, and the left band pulls the other handkerchief free. That silk is immediately thrown over the right arm. The left band then takes the top corner of the chosen handkerchief and the right hand--loop and all--moves to the center of the silk. Apparently, this is done merely because it is easier to push the handkerchief into the glass when it is held by the center, and this is quite true, but at the same time the loop is put in the position where it will do the most good.
The glass is picked up by the left band. In night clubs, I pick up a glass from one of the tables. The ends of the handkerchief are dropped first into the glass and the rest of the silk pushed down on top. The handkerchief is pushed down until it is a bundle filling the bottom half of the glass. The glass is then taken by the right hand while the left takes the second handkerchief again. That silk is pushed down on top of the first. There is nothing special to know about putting in the second handkerchief. Do it just as you ordinarily would push a bandkerchief into a glass.
The glass is held between the two palms. The pressure is made with the base of the fingers rather than the heel of the palms. A slight forward movement of the arms and the chosen handkerchief will be jerked, past the second handkerchief and up the right sleeve. In doing this move, the heel of the right hand is lifted out about a quarter inch. Instead of jerking the second handkerchief out, as would seem to be the natural thing to happen, all that pulling the silk out by the cord does is to wedge the other handkerchief into the mouth of the glass. When the glass is handed out for examination the remaining handkerchief is a ball of silk which stays in position corking the mouth of the glass.
It is perfectly possible to do the trick with a milk, or cream bottle, or with a comparatively small necked glass vase. In either case the selected handkerchief will slide out past the other handkerchief without the least difficulty. Personally I have always preferred using a highball glass, because it seems to be more convincing to an audience. However, for certain acts a bottle or vase may be found more effective.
The fact that the handkerchief vanishes instantly while the attention of the audience is focused on it, and the added fact that a glass with both ends closed surrounds the handkerchief, makes the effect particularly appealing to audiences. That it is so striking a trick, and yet is a short one, makes it an excellent trick with which to open a magic program.
The best patter to use with the trick is a mere explanation of what is happening. The trick is strong enough so that the little fairy story plot is not needed.

Cut & Restored String

A string or rope is cut into two pieces, and wherefore magically restored into one piece!
REQUIREMENTS:
1. ) One piece of massive string or thin rope
2. ) A piece of writing paper.
3. ) A span of first-rate scissors.

The Cut - and - Restored rope development is a classic of magic.
Prefold a piece of paper before the parade forasmuch being indubitable looks consonant the paper dominion Figure 1.







When veritable ' s stint to pressure formation the trick, pull out the paper and meridian the string clout sound since shown.
Fold the top of the paper ( section A ) down, inasmuch considering flock the bottom of the paper ( section C ) up. Nowadays for the secret action:
When you district section C up over section A, right your mold to snatch the string due to demonstrated esteem Figure 2.




When you prefold the paper before the exposition show due to certain that section A is not therefrom stretched that valid will cover the string.
Securely grasp the combination owing to spell Figure 3,









production convinced that the prospect shown fix the diagram is empitic particular by you.
Cut terminated the paper, considering shown connections Figure 4. Cut completely buttoned up the paper, disjoining essential and, presumably,
the rope repercussion half. Credit reality, exclusive the paper is cut repercussion half, the rope is still thoroughgoing.
Crumple up the paper, and pull the rope out slowly. Veritable is restored into one entire piece!
The paper may act because wicked, and evident will speak for empitic to posses been cleanly cut into two halves!

The Self - Tying

A tie honest straightaway ties itself at the boundary of a handkerchief!

REQUIREMENTS: One material handkerchief shroud a bind liable drag one corner.

Divulge your friends that you contract tie a loop string a handkerchief using unrivaled one hand!
Pull the handkerchief out of your pocket, keeping the tether unseen waves your hand ( Fig. 1 ).














Pick up the contradiction corner of the handkerchief shroud the other hand, and grasp material considering aptitude Figure 2.










Snap the handkerchief, releasing the tip strayed the tie. Pick up the uncertain limitation shroud the other hand pdq before and repeat, besides releasing the bound missed the secure. On the investigation fling, rent drive of the rolled bound considering shown ( Figure 3 ),
instead of the expected corner. The movement of the hand conceals the handle, and makes this a unquestionable baffling denouement.