Instructions for the magic.
1.THE THUMB TIP
The thumb tip is one of the most popular secret devices ever invented for magicians. It looks like a little plastic thumb but you can use this sneaky device to create some absolutely astonishing magic. The tip is worn on the end of your right thumb when you are going to perform your effects. It should be snug on the thumb, but your thumb should not go all the way in. There needs to be a space between the tip of your thumb and the end of the thumb tip to allow objects to be hidden inside. When wearing the thumb tip, never show it directly to your friends but, instead, keep it hidden behind your fingers. If you keep your hands in motion the thumb tip will not be seen or suspected! You can also point, briefly, directly at someone while wearing the thumb tip. If kept in motion the very tip of the thumb tip looks just like a real thumb. It is the sides and back of the thumb tip that you want to make sure they never see!
2.THE VANISHING HANDKERCHIEF
For many of the effects, such as the vanishing handkerchief, you will need to be able to secretly load the thumb tip into your left hand. While holding the handkerchief with your right hand fingers and with the thumb tip already on your right thumb and hidden behind the handkerchief, bring the handkerchief over to the left hand. At the same time casually make a fist with your left hand. Now, in one motion, stick your thumb with the thumb tip on it into the top of your left fist and quickly withdraw your thumb, leaving the thumb tip hidden in the top of your left fist. Now, immediately, start to push your handkerchief into the top of your left fist, using your first finger. You can also alternate using your middle finger or even your pinky. Push the handkerchief all the way into the fist, and, for the last push or two, use your right thumb. On that last push you will secretly stick your thumb deep into the thumb tip and withdraw it out of your fist. You now have the hidden handkerchief in the thumb tip on your right thumb. Do not look at your hands when you do this. Instead, look directly at your friends! You can now open your hands freely, to show that the handkerchief has disappeared. Just make sure that you are keeping your hands in motion and that you do not have the side or back of the thumb tip exposed. Instead, point your fingers toward the audience so all they see is the tip of the thumb tip! You can now make your handkerchief reappear in a number of ways, including by sticking your right hand into your pocket and leaving the thumb tip, while withdrawing the handkerchief!
3.THE LAST PUSH
This will take you a little more practice, but it is a technique favored by many professional magicians. Instead of using your thumb for the last push or two, you will apparently use your fingers. Poke in your right first finger as you did before, but this time move the opening of the thumb tip backwards so that it is sticking out of the back of your left fist with the left fingers keeping it against the left palm. Keep the back of your hand to your friends so that they can’t see it. Now tap the top of your left fist with your right hand fingers and, as you do so, let your right thumb enter the thumb tip from behind and remove it from the back of the fist. The beauty of this method is that the right thumb is never seen to enter the fist. Even if you are working with somebody who might know about thumb tips, this retrieval will fool them if done correctly!
4.RETRIEVING THE THUMB TIP
After the vanishing handkerchief trick, instead of ditching the thumb tip and handkerchief into your pocket, you can make the handkerchief reappear from your left fist. After you show your hands to be empty, close your left fist once again and, using your right thumb with the hidden handkerchief inside the thumb tip, stick your thumb into the top of the fist. With your right hand, make a magical pass over your fist, and then, using your right fingers and thumb, start to slowly pull the handkerchief out of your fist. Under cover of the handkerchief you are now holding with your right hand, casually stick your right thumb back inside your fist and retrieve the thumb tip. You can then casually place your hand in your pocket and ditch the thumb tip!
5.A FUN REPRODUCTION
Here’s a great way to reproduce your handkerchief! After you have made the handkerchief vanish say, “It must have gone somewhere! Let me look up your sleeve!” With your left hand hold your friend’s wrist at the end of their sleeve. Now put your right hand against their sleeve so that your fingers covering your thumb. Your thumb (with the tip on it) goes into their sleeve. With your left fingers grip the thumb tip (through the sleeve) and drag out the handkerchief by removing your right thumb. Once the handkerchief is free put your right thumb back into the tip and release their wrist. This astonishing effect is a favorite with many top professional magicians!
6.THE COST OF A HANDKERCHIEF
Have a quarter (or any small coin) in your left-hand pocket. As you go into your routine, put your left hand into your pocket and hide the coin in your hand at the base of your fingers. Keep your fingers curled in so that when you remove your hand from your pocket the coin stays hidden. Now perform the vanish of a handkerchief just as you did above. The only difference will be that you have a hidden coin in your left hand when you put the thumb tip there. At the end of the trick, the handkerchief will be in your thumb tip and the left hand will just contain the coin. Say, “Do you know how much that handkerchief cost me at the magic store?” Whatever they say open your hand to show that the handkerchief has gone and there’s just the coin. Say, “It cost me exactly 25¢!”
7.VANISHING WATER
Your thumb tip can make lots of other things vanish for you. It can even make a small amount of liquid vanish, if you do this effect do it over a bowl or sink and not over an antique table! Load the thumb tip into your left hand then pour in a tiny amount of water making sure it goes into the thumb tip. Steal the thumb tip just as you have done when making the silk vanish then say, “People have said that it is impossible to do magic with water but today we prove them wrong!” Open your hand to show that the water has completely vanished! You can use any liquid here, magic pals!