My passion is mind blowing magic, it is also how I make my living. You will learn 5 of the best mind blowing magic tricks that use minimal props and are pretty easy to do.

• BILL THROUGH BILL
• TORN AND RESTORED STRING
• CARD TO SWEET’N LOW
• PEN PRODUCTION AND VANISH
• RUBBER BAND PENETRATION

I have performed every one of these tricks for real audiences and they always get amazing reactions. You can perform any one of these tricks by itself or you can perform all of them in a row, the tricks are completely different. These magic tricks are strong, practical, and mind blowing.

Bill Through Bill

EFFECT:  You borrow 2 bills and fold each in half lengthwise and then widthwise. One bill is placed between the folds of the other bill. You pull the bill straight through the other bill.

HOW TO DO IT

• Borrow 2 bills.
• Fold them in half the long way.
• Fold them in half the opposite way.
• Place one of the bills between the other bill.
• Cleanly show the bills.
• Grip the bills at their edges with your thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers.
• Sharply pull the trapped bill straight down.

SECRET: This trick is amazing! You actually do exactly what is written and exactly what you say you do. What happens is when you pull the bill down it bends and briefly comes out of the other bill. Since you do it in one fast motion the eye cannot see the bill bending. Plus there is an incredible audio illusion that makes this trick believable and incredible.

IMPORTANT POINTS:  Cleanly show the bills before you do the penetration. Do it 2x and then move on to your next trick. You could go right into Balancing A Bill. This is another incredible trick. If you want to check it out click the link, it is the last trick on the page.

Check out this Free Video tipping my favorite 4 Ace Trick which I perform all the time at my professional events.

Torn and Restored String

EFFECT: You bring out a piece of string and show it. Your spectator cuts the string and you clearly show 2 strings. In their hand the string restores back together into one string.

HOW TO DO IT

SETUP: You have to prepare the string before you perform the trick. It is easy to do and well worth it. I recommend making a bunch of these at once so you will be set for multiple performances. You will need:

• Twine
• Scissors

PREPARATION: Cut off a piece of string (twine). Size doesn’t really matter. I like to use a piece that is the length of my fingertips to my shoulder. Here you will take advantage of the properties of twine. Twine is actually about 10 separate strands of string twisted together. Fold the twine in half. Untwist the middle and separate the strings into two halves. Pull them apart for about the length of your finger. Re-twist the halves.

Untwist the ends and interlace the strings. Re-twist them and then wet the twisted area. After you do this the twine looks perfect. The illusion is so strong. Get ready for a miracle!

• Bring out the string and casually show it.
• Hand your spectator the scissors.
• Grip the string with your thumb and 1st finger at the seam.
• Have them cut it right above the supposed middle.
• Cleanly show two strings- it looks so convincing!
• Flip the string over and have your spectator make a loose fist around it.
• Separate the ends.
• Wave over their fist.
• Pull the ends apart slowly and firmly.
• The string will magically restore.

IMPORTANT POINTS:  This trick is extremely strong and extremely clean. Don’t worry about your spectator seeing the seam. They don’t know what to look for and will not be scrutinizing the string. If you find the ends are separating before your performance you can use a little glue stick to keep them together.

PRO TIPS: The great thing about this trick is that you end clean. Everything can be examined. Don’t worry about the piece they cut off. They won’t suspect anything.

PROPS: You will need to get the right twine and a pair of scissors. I recommend using small round tip scissors. Here is an Amazon link for the twine. Here is an Amazon link for the scissors.

Card to Sweet’N Low

EFFECT: You place a sweet’n low packet on the table. Spectator picks a card and it is lost in the deck. You tell the spectator their card will appear in the sweet’n low packet. They pick it up and open it and there is no card in there. You pour the sweet’n low onto your arm and it forms into their card.

HOW TO DO IT

PREPARATION: You will need to write the card on your arm. You can use either rubber cement, chapstick, or a small bar of soap. If you use soap wet it a little. Write the card on your arm beforehand and let it dry. Go over it a few times so it is really on there. Experiment with this a little. Sometimes the sweet’n low is hard to see so I will use pepper.

I bought a magic product called Bare by the Other Brothers. It is a special clear liquid in a Sharpie that you write on your arm. It works great. You can get it at Penguin Magic.

SETUP: Bring out a sweet’n low packet and a deck of cards.

You are going to “force” a card. This is when you know what card your spectator will pick before the trick and you cause them to pick the card. I will teach you the Hindu Force. For completeness I will first teach you the Hindu Shuffle. If you want to learn all the best ways to shuffle cards check out How To Shuffle Cards – A Complete Guide. I am right handed. If you are left handed switch the hands.

HINDU SHUFFLE: Hold the deck from above with your right thumb and 2nd at the inner edge. Curl your right 1st naturally on top. From below you will take small packets off the top with your left thumb and 2nd. As you take packets let them fall into your left hand which acts as a cradle. Your right hand does all the moving. You can take off as many packets as you want. I recommend 5 or 6.

HINDU FORCE: Here you will learn a very basic yet very effective card force. Start with the force card on the bottom of the deck. Execute the Hindu shuffle taking small packets into your hand. Tell your spectator to say stop. When they say stop tap the right hand packet on the back of the cards in your left hand. Lift up the right packet and show the bottom card, your “force card.” Place the packet back onto the cards in your left hand.

HOW TO GET THE FORCE CARD TO THE BOTTOM

Start with your force card 2nd from the bottom. You can casually run through the deck and cut the deck so your force card is 2nd from bottom. Do a center Hindu shuffle- Instead of starting the Hindu shuffle with the whole deck, pick up half the deck and do the Hindu shuffle. This leaves your force card 2nd from the bottom.

When you are ready to have a card picked tell your spectator that you want this trick to be impossible so you will bury the top card and the bottom card. Take the top card and place it into the center of the deck. Then take the bottom card and place it into the center of the deck. Your force card is now on bottom. Do the Hindu Force. Place the deck down.

Tell your spectator their card will appear in the sweet’n low packet. Wave your hand over it. Have them pick it up and open it. They will not find their card. Take back the sweet’n low and pour it on your arm. Shake the sweet’n low off and it will leave an impression of their card.

IMPORTANT POINTS: The force has to be deceptive. Casually cut their card to 2nd from the bottom if it isn’t already there. Don’t make a big deal of this. Burying the top and bottom card is a strong convincer.

PRO TIPS: Go slow when Hindu shuffling so you don’t drop cards. Trust in the force, it is a good one. Whether you use chapstick or soap make sure you write it on with a thin edge so it can be clearly read when the sweet’n low is on it. Act surprised when their card is not in the sweet’n low. A little acting here will go a long way.

Pen Production and Vanish

EFFECT: You produce a pen at your fingertips, make it disappear, and then make it reappear behind your elbow.

HOW TO DO IT

PRODUCTION

RIGHT HAND: Hold the pen against your right wrist with your right thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers curled naturally. Relax your arm at your side and stand with the back of your hand toward the audience so the pen is hidden. Keep your right fingers together so you have no windows.

LEFT HAND: Hold your left hand palm up with your fingers curled naturally.  Rub your thumb, 1st, and 2nd together drawing attention to your hand.  

Bring your right hand up and over your left hand in a waving motion.  Take the pen between your left thumb and 1st.  Immediately spread your right hand wide open and continue moving upward in a waving motion.  Move your right hand out of play and back to your side after it leaves the pen. Wiggle and rotate the pen slightly and display it in your left hand.

VANISH

Hold the pen between your thumb, 1st and 2nd fingers of both hands in an upright display position. Press the pen between your thumb and fingers slightly bending the ends forward creating a little bit of tension. In a quick motion bring your arms down and rotate your hands palm down. Let the left side of the pen snap off of your left thumb and pivot the pen back into right hand starting position with the pad of your right 2nd finger.

Relax your right hand at your side. Turn your body slightly to the left so the back of your hand is toward your audience.

ELBOW PRODUCTION

Lift up your left arm and look at your left elbow. Keep the back of your right hand toward your audience and move your right hand under your elbow. Pivot the pen out from your hand and slowly bring it into view from behind your elbow.

IMPORTANT POINTS: Go slow, let the production sink in before you execute the vanish. Then let the vanish sink in before you do the elbow production. This trick is quick and super visual and you will get a great reaction. You might want to follow up this trick with Telekinetic Pen, an amazing trick where you move the pen by telekinesis. It can be found here.

PRO TIPS: Spend some time in front of the mirror making sure your hand looks natural. I recommend you walk around for a few days with a pen hidden in your hand so you get comfortable with it in that position. Nobody knows you are “holding out” a pen, especially before the trick has even started.

You could produce the pen and then just vanish it. I feel there is too much heat so I usually produce it again and go into another trick or casually put it away.

Rubber Band Penetration

EFFECT: You show two rubber bands clearly linked together. You slowly melt one right through the other.

How To Do It

You will need 2 rubber bands. I like using Alliance Pale Crepe Gold Rubber Bands Size #19. They are soft and stretchy. You can find them on Amazon here.

Stretch one rubber band around your left 1st finger and thumb at the base of your nails. Make a “C” shape. Place the other rubber band around the tip of your right 1st finger in the same position. Dip it down into the closed circle you made with the rubber band. Place your right thumb into the bottom of the rubber band so this band is now trapped.

“You can see the rubber bands are trapped together.” Clearly show your spectators the rubber bands. You will do a secret move to unlink them as you show and explain the situation of the bands. The choreography here is important. Follow along with rubber bands in hand. I bolded exactly what you should say.

SECRET MOVE: “You can’t pull them apart in the middle.” Stretch the bands against each other showing they are trapped in the middle. As you stretch them clamp the top of the band against the back of your right 1st finger with the tip of your right 2nd finger. Your right 1st finger will come out of the band. Place the tip of your right 1st into the other half of the same band. Keep the band clamped between your right 1st and 2nd finger.

Unstretch the bands and move them back together. When there is no more stretch let go with your right 2nd finger. Open your right thumb and 1st finger into a wide “C.”

“Or the sides.” In a continuing motion stretch the band against your left thumb and then against your left 1st finger.

“Yet if I rub right in the center…” Move the band to the center. It is already unlinked yet they cannot see this. Gently rub the bands together and pull them apart as if one strand at a time. The illusion here is incredible.

IMPORTANT POINTS: When the rubber bands are already unlinked and you are showing them in the middle, do not press them together. Rest them gently on each other, there should be no tension.

This is a trick you should do for only a few people at most. Otherwise it is hard to see. Tilt your hands so your spectators can clearly see the rubber bands and they aren’t blocked by the back of your hand. Do this trick two times, that is enough. You can follow it up with The Jumping Rubber Band and the Telekinetic Rubber Band. They can be found here.

PRO TIP: You should always carry a few extra rubber bands just in case you lose one or one breaks.

FINAL THOUGHTS: All of these magic tricks are extremely strong and practical. You can perform just one of them or all of the tricks in a row. The props are minimal so it is easy to carry everything you need. Good luck blowing minds!