sleight of hand – MagicShow.Tips

Three Shell Game Ending

One of the endings that I’m doing with my three shell game routine is using a small cap that goes under the shell to replace the standard shot glass. I got the idea when I was on a flight and realized the tiny liquor bottle cap would fit under a shell. (you can read the post about it here)

Here’s a demo of what it looks like:

You could put a shot glass on top of the cap and shell for a triple cover! I really didn’t want to use the shot glass, as it’s bulky, heavy, and semi-fragile. This is a good solution for me!

-Louie

What is the Greatest Packet Trick of All Time?

Of the hundreds of packets tricks I’ve learned and tried, last week I took out an old one that I really haven’t done since I was a teenager, and was amazed at how much people loved it! That packet trick is COLOR MONTE!

While it’s not my style to do, I also can’t deny how great it is! It’s really the sponge balls of packet tricks!

There’s so much action in it; you get a lot of magic effects in a short amount of time. Plus it has a story that’s easy to follow and makes sense. Not some wacky story about bigfoot or splitting breakfast with a football team.

This post is just a shout out to an amazing routine!

-Louie

A Simple Cell Phone Magic Trick

Personally, I don’t like using my cellphone for magic tricks. It’s too easy for an audience to say something is an app or AI. The other reason is that so many magic specific apps get abandoned by their creators, and they just stop working.

Here’s a little magic trick that I came up with that uses a cell phone:

The video above was the test of the trick, I’ve tightened it up and removed all the double lifts from it.

Honestly Evaluating The Magic Trick

What I like about this is that it doesn’t use any magic apps, so I’m not relying on some magician in their basement in Alabama to keep it updated!

What I don’t like about it, is that the effect is fairly slow. Removing the double lifts speeds it up a lot and takes out a lot of unnecessary process.

One last thing, I found the trick is stronger when it’s repeated a second time!

When creating magic tricks, I think it’s important to evaluate what’s going one. Figure out what you like and don’t like and what makes it hit harder for the audience. Try things, take risks. .

-Louie

Magibank by Tony Chaudhuri and Johnson Products

A few weeks ago I got this cool coin box set when I bought a box of vintage magic tricks.

This is a really cool and rare coin box set. I can’t find any reference to it online, aside from a couple of old sites that offered only the instructions.

There’s not one main effect, but several that you can do and a lot of cool moves to switch the boxes!

I just listed this for sale on my Vintage Magic page.

-Louie

Magic Show in Seattle!

On Monday I popped by Magic Monday in Seattle. This monthly magic show has been running for over twenty years! The show is currently run by Jim Earnshaw, and it usually features 3-5 magicians each month. Then in August, they do magic show that’s all young magicians performing.

This week it was Jim Earnshaw, Sven “The World’s Tallest Magician”, Monty Reed, Me and Master Payne.

This is a fun show to do because it’s a fun hangout…and because it’s a fun crowd! Here’s a table of magicians in the back watching the show:

Then after the show we go downstairs to pub and hang out.

Whenever I’m in Seattle and this show is happening, I always pop by!

Here’s some posts of visits to Magic Monday:
https://www.magicshow.tips/magic-show-tips/magic-monday-in-seattle-3/
https://www.magicshow.tips/magic-show-tips/magic-monday-in-seattle-2/
https://www.magicshow.tips/magic-show-tips/magic-monday-in-seattle/
https://www.magicshow.tips/magic-show-tips/magic-mondays/

If you’re ever in the Seattle area on the second monday of the month, be sure to check out this show!
Details: Ravenna Third Place Books. 7.00 p.m.

-Louie

A Good Card Trick for Emergencies!

Last week I finished reading Card Man Stuff by Al Leech and this week I started reading another card magic book by Al Leech called Super Card Man Stuff. This book is pretty good. I’m about halfway through it, and while I don’t think it’s as good as Card Man Stuff, it’s still pretty good and a worthwhile read.

Here’s a Card Trick I Love!

In the book, there’s a gag that’s essentially an impromptu novelty card, like the ones that came in a FAKO deck. Here’s what it looks like:

I think this is a great trick (gag) to have in your brain for emergencies. I can see many opportunities where knowing this and having it in your mental toolbox, ready to be used, would be helpful!

Many times knowing little bits like these have bailed me out of situations or enhanced them!

-Louie

The Best Card Magic Book for $10

A few weeks ago, I started reading the booklet Card Man Stuff by Al Leech. This booklet is full of card tricks that feel modern. In fact, I’d have no problem doing all of them (except for one) at a close-up magic gig! The effects are direct and have solid methods. It was written in the 1950’s so if you update a few methods to techniques that didn’t exist then, you have even better tricks!

One of the tricks, I updated by giving a theme and changing a couple of moves and the sequence, and ended up with a new trick that I call Discount Transposition.

Want to Watch the Card Tricks?

On my Facebook and Instagram, I’ve documented the whole book with the original techniques. Here are some of the videos:

Where Can I Get the Book Card Man Stuff?

This book is still available from Magic Inc in Chicago for $10! It’s totally worth the ten bucks, and you’re supporting a brick and mortar magic shop! I don’t make anything if you buy from them, I just think this is a really cool “forgotten” book and a hell of a deal at $10!

-Louie

Discount Transposition!

I’m really enjoying going through Al Leech’s card magic. His card magic is really direct, which I like. One of the tricks in his book Card Man Stuff is called A Quick Theft. It’s a transposition of a card in your pocket and a card in your hand.

Here’s what the original version looks like:

And here’s my version of the trick:

What I did was give the trick a bit of a premise with the coupon card. I also added the force of the coupon card to get the card into my pocket before the actual card was selected. Finally, I changed the card control, to something a bit more direct to get the selection in position for the trick.

I think it’s a better trick now!

-Louie

A Card Trick You Can See Thru!

In a box of old magic, I found a couple of card that were see through, but had the numbers and pips printed on them. I think they were from a trick by Astor, but they had no instructions.

Here’s what I came up with:

There’s not much to it. Force the 9 of diamonds, then steal it out of the deck. Simple and direct.

This was the obvious choice for a real world trick. What I really want to do is a snap change so a normal card visually turns clear! I’m working on it, but it doesn’t quite look right yet. This would be a trick for video.

-Louie
You can read a post about creativity and trick development here!

Close Up Pads as a Disposable Item

Close up pads used to last me for years, now not so much. The difference is that I use them frequently for roving magic, not just practicing at home. That means they have to look clean or at least not gross.

Between replacing these for my close up/roving magic and my stage magic show’s consumables, my show generates a lot of trash. I wish it was less, but that’s how it is.

I’m really liking the economy close up pads. They’re not the best, but for an item that I replace sometimes after a single gig, I’m willing to compromise for the price. Also they’re slightly lighter than the nice close up magic pads, so that’s handy if I’m flying to a gig.

If you use a close up pad in your work, really look at it closely and see how clean it is. Sometimes comparing it next to a new one will show you how beat up your old one really is!

-Louie