10 amazing tricks with your usual objects
Wand Power
Effect: The magician makes some mysterious passes around a wand or pencil which uncannily starts to
move on its own.
Secret: The magician secretly blows on the wand, which causes it to roll.
Props: Use a wand or pencil. A smooth, firm surface is essential.
Preparation: Practice blowing toward the wand gently and secretly.
Presentation: Lay the wand on the table and very slowly trace circles around the outside of the wand with a finger. Then, as you move the finger away, the wand seems to follow. You claim to have created a static field that pulls plastic like a magnet. The trick is that as you draw the finger away from you and from the wand, you blow gently on the wand. The audience is so busy watching the movement of the finger, they won't notice that you are blowing towards the wand, which causes it to roll easily on the flat surface.
Find The Coin
Effect: A coin is covered with any one of three cups and the cups are then moved around. You can say immediately which cup is covering the coin.
Secret: Attached to the coin is a long hair. When the coin has been covered the three cups can be moved around as much as anyone wants. Although your back has been turned while this has been going on you can easily locate which cup hides the coin. All you have to do is look for the hair sticking out from beneath one of the cups and that tells you all you need to know!
Dice Deception
Effect: You read someone's mind.
Secret: Whilst your back is turned (or you can be blindfolded) someone throws a die on the table. Ask him to remember the number thrown and then to make another throw. Tell him to double the first number he threw and to add five to the answer. He has now to multiply his answer by five and then add on the second number thrown. Ask him what total he has reached. Mentally subtract 25 from the answer he gives.
You will end up with a two digit number – the first digit is the first number thrown and the second is the second number thrown. Now pretend to read the spectator's mind and tell him what numbers he threw.
Floating Beaker
Effect: A plastic beaker floats in the air.
Secret: On one side of a plastic beaker attach a strip of strong paper. It is important that the paper is loose along the centre portion. To make the beaker appear to float, you push your right thumb through the paper loop. Place your left hand near your right hand and then lift your hands in the air. With practice it will appear that the beaker is floating in the air. Keep the taped side of the beaker nearest your body so the audience do not see it.
Folding Money
Effect: A currency note turns itself over.
Secret: Hold the note in your left hand then fold it in half lengthways towards you. Next fold it in half away from you. Finally, fold the note in half again, this time towards your body. Now slowly unfold the note from the front, making each movement in the same direction. The note is now upside down! Strangely enough, this trick is more baffling if you do it really slowly but, like all tricks, you must practice it thoroughly to make sure you can do it perfectly before showing it to anyone.
Pencil Vanish
Effect: A pencil disappears.
Secret: Show a pencil or pen and drape a large handkerchief over it. As soon as the pencil is out of sight,
Secretly extend your forefinger under the handkerchief as you allow the pencil to drop down your sleeve.
Take the handkerchief with the other hand as if holding the pencil through the material. Throw the
Handkerchief into the air and the pencil has vanished!
Jumping Elastic
Effect: An elastic band penetrates the fingers.
Secret: Place an elastic band over the first two fingers of your left hand as shown. With the right hand stretch the band to show it really is over the fingers. Close the left hand, at the same time secretly allowing the tips of all your left fingers to go into the band as shown in the second drawing. Open your hand and the elastic band will jump from the first two fingers to the third and fourth fingers. Keep the back of your left hand towards your audience at all times when performing this trick and it will look like the band penetrates through the first two fingers.
Numbered Thoughts
Effect: While you are out of the room a three-figure number is chosen. On your return, you read your assistant's mind and reveal the number.
Secret: When you return to the room after a number has been chosen, you place your hands on either side of your assistant's head. Your friend now tightens and loosens his jaw for the appropriate number of times to signal each number in turn, pausing between numbers. As your fingers are near his temples you can feel this muscular movement so it is easy for him to transmit numbers to you without saying a word.
Dictionary Deception
Effect: You read someone's mind.
Secret: On the top right corner of each right hand page of the middle third of a dictionary write the word printed at the top of the left page. Hold the spine of the book in your left hand and ruffle the pages with the right. Ask someone to stop you anywhere. Make certain he stops you somewhere in the central section.
Open the book wide and ask him to remember the word at the top of the left hand page. You look at the word you wrote on the opposite page then pretend to read the spectator's mind.
Perplexing Pencil
Effect: A pencil adheres to one hand and then to the other.
Secret: The secret is a small pin pushed into the pencil. Hold the pin between the fingers of your right hand.
The pencil seems to stick to the fingers. Bring your left hand to the pencil. Turn to the left and revolve the pencil between your hands. This causes the pin to move from your right fingers to your left fingers.
Remove your right hand and the pencil is now apparently stuck to the left fingers. By reversing this movement, you can move the pencil back to the right hand.
