talkmagic.co.uk

ok this is a long shot...

I met up with an old school friend a few weeks back, and he reminded me of a trick I used to do with two corks.

The only thing is I have comletely forgotten not only how to do it, but what exactly "was doing it" looked like.

As far as I remember you take two corks (or maybe it was done with match boxes) and place them in the crook of first finger and thumb. One in each hand.

You then grab the ends of the corks with the same thumb and first finger of the corresponding hands and show that they can't be pulled through each other.

Or something like that.

Does anyone know what I am talking about? I know I don't.

have absolutely no idea mate... sorry... heh heh heh

I know exactly what you're talking about. It's a kind of handcuffs type thing - and I remember being taught this by either an uncle or friend of my parents...

Here's the plan:
You hold the corks in the crotches of your finger and thumbs. (I've just tried this with two AA batteries - no corks available).

Batteries are handy, because the pips can be used as a navigation...

OK, with the '+ pips' upwards and your palms down, put the TIP of your RIGHT THUMB on the '- BOTTOM' of the LEFT BATTERY and vice versa with the other thumb.

Now, curl your index fingers to grab the pips. Your hands are 180 from each other, by the way.

Now, grip the corks (batteries) and separate.

Hey presto! Practice a few times, then bet someone they can't do it.
They will struggle like mad, while you casually (without revealing the secret) do the 'move'.

And there you have it.

Thats the one!!!

Thanks again Seige...

No probs.

I'd forgotten about that!!! Thanks for jogging my memory!

It can be done with corks, matchboxes or even cocktail sausages.

Lemons are tricky, but I suppose if you've got big hands...

I love tricks like this that can be done with everyday objects and you can show people how easy it is but they can't reproduce it - even after showing them a few times

Theres a similar one with a Pencil/stick/wand held in the crook of the thumbs above the hands - and with a quick twist it's in the crook of the thumbs but below the hands. I haven't painted a very visual picture, but I know what I mean. I think it was on the "How to do magic with everyday things" DVD.

Or the Rubber band that yo can pull through your thumb (on same DVD).

The one I really love though was something I picked up at a craft fair a few years back and have never seen it sold anywhere since. They are very easy to make though and very very impressive. If I had a web site I could point you to I would. (But I don't. So I wont). Effectively it is just a stick (dowling) that has notches cut all the way up the shaft, and on the end is tacked a very crude propeller (in fact just a flat piece of wood - tacked in very loosely with a nail).

You take a second stick and rub it up and down the notches - and the vibrations cause the propellor to spin round very fast in one direction. You then say that just by thinking about it you can get the propellor to spin the other way - and sure enough that is exactly what happens. You can change direction at will and no knows how you do it.

When you hand it out for others to try - at best they may get it to spin slowly and erractically (there is no way that is spelt like that) - but they have no chance of getting it to change direction. I have never had anyone actually work out how this is done. As I said. very impressive and all for about 2 quid. I'd make them and sell them myself - but I don't like stealing someone elses idea.

Anyway - I seem to be rambling.

Thanks again Seige for that magical knowledge/memory of yours.

I know this was a long time ago and you probably know evrything you need to know by now but I have a url of that effect, with pictures etc.
If you still need it pm me and ill pass it on

I could paste it here but I am still new and as it shows the method I'm not sure if I can.

Anyway hope it helps

OK, to be on the safe side PM it to one of the Mods and we can check if it's OK to publish 'in the open'!

Done

Bananafish now has it, if it conforms drop the url in here.
It does blow the secret but its hardly a secret and hardly a trick but might be of interest so somebody. Though on the same page there are links to other reveals, it is this that stopped me giving the url in the first place, I guess.


BaB

Edit :
Having just paid more attention to the page itself rather than the cork explanation, the fabled MO section only I should think. Sorry if I`ve wasted any virtual ink.

BaB

Thanks for the url BaBaBoom.

I have no qualms about the cork trick being exposed here or anywhere else, as lets be honest when it comes down to it, it's just a simple little bar trick.

Unfortunately though you are right - there are a few other secrets exposed there - and whilst it's nothing to extreme and readily available on the net, I feel we should obey the "magicians code" and not make it easy for exposure seekers.

I'll post it in the MO area for now just for reference.

Fair enough, nothing explosive on there but still, magic isnt magical if you know how to do it.

me longs for MO section

BaB