How To Do The 'Cut And Restored String' Trick
A very effective but easy to do cut and restored string trick fully explained. Ideal for the novice magician.
- You Will Need
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Step 1:
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Display loop of string.
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This is what it looks like to the spectator: You display a loop of string. There's nothing here. And nothing here. There are no extra bits: just the loop of string. You invite the spectator to cut the string in half. The cut string can now be placed in the spectator's hand. Close the hand around it.
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Step 2:
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Get two volunteers.
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Now you can get two spectators to pull on each end of the string; this makes your act look bigger. I do not have two spectators to help me, so I'm just going to do it. You just pull this. And without you having to do anything, or the spectators having to do anything, you have a totally restored piece of string. No bits to get rid of; no sleight of hand. A smashing little trick!
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Step 3:
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You will need:
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To do this rather neat magic effect, you require a piece of string approximately 50-- maybe 60 centimeters long (which is something like 20-22 inches)--not critical, whichever feels best for you. The string, you need is known generally as 'parcel' string; it's a smooth string that you should be able to find in most hardware stores, and the like. You need a pair of scissors, some rubber cement (such as CopyDex) works well, and a little matchstick applicator.
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Step 4:
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Find the strings center.
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You need to find the center of the string. Now, all strings and ropes, are made up of thinner strings wound together. And all you have to do is to carefully tease out the strands: like this. Try to get them as even as possible, so this side will be the same number of strands roughly, as this side--you just tease them out like this: to about there.
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Step 5:
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Twist and tease.
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Now, all you have to do is twist these teased out center bits: like so. Now you can see that the center of the string looks like two ends, and you could present the trick like this, but there's a way that you can make this look like just one continuous loop.
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Step 6:
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Even up the ends.
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And, for this to look best, you just even-up the ends. Get your CopyDex rubber cement, and just put a little bit on each end: like so. And you need to leave those two ends with the glue to dry thoroughly. Once the glue has dried on the ends here, all you have to do is just butt the two together. But, make sure when you do this, the string is orientated in the right way--in other words: don't do this--or it will get twisted.
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Step 7:
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How it works:
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For it to look as good as possible, just lay it out like this: so there's no twists. And all you have to do is butt these two ends together. Roll them between your fingers like so, and you will get a very neat join that cannot really be seen. Just as dear old Eric Morecambe used to say, "You can't see the joint!" So there we have your prepared string. These look like the ends. And this looks like the middle. Sneaky eh? Now I'm sure all is clear to you.
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Step 8:
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Practice your technique!
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The string is cut, and the ends placed in here. You keep your finger there as they close their hand, and then withdraw: so that they don't see this. And as I'm sure you've guessed now, all that happens in the hand is: as the ends are pulled, those false ends disappear. Get them to rub their hand a few times along it, and then draw it out.