Setup
Place the Joker on the top of the face down deck.
Cross Cut Force
Start with your force card, the Joker, on the top of the deck. Have the spectator cut the deck of cards anywhere they would like. Immediately pick up the bottom half of the cards, rotate it 90 degrees, and lay it across the top half (this will form a “cross”). Use time misdirection and explain to your spectator how fair everything has been, they freely selected a card, and they cut the deck where they wanted to. Pick up the top cards that are rotated 90 degrees and have your spectator look at the card that they cut to (the force card). Note: This was actually the top card but your spectator will not realize it.
Performance
Hold the deck of cards in your left hand. Riffle down the deck until a spectator says stop. Cut the deck at this point, and allow the spectator to freely pick a card. Place the spectator’s selected card on the top of the deck, and give the deck a shuffle, keeping the top two cards in the same position by letting them fall last.
Double lift the top card, showing the Joker with the spider on it. Turn the Joker face down, putting it back on top of the deck, and then take the top card (actually the selected card) and place it face down in front of the spectator, while you explain that you will set the Joker to the side. Have the spectator place their hand on top of the card.
The Joker is left on top of the deck, unknown to the spectator. Have the spectator cut the deck where they think their selected card is. Force the Joker on the spectator by using the Cross Cut Force. When the spectator turns over the card they cut to, the Joker, mention that is very strange because you just put the Joker aside a few seconds ago. Have the spectator turn over the card under their hand, revealing that it is actually now their freely selected card.
The Black Widow
You will be using Your blank face Ace of Spades & the Double Face Card showing blank Ace of Spades on one side and Spider Ace of Spades on other side. You will also use two regular cards from your deck, the Ace of Spades with a spider on its face and the Queen of Spades.
The set up is as follows; Regular Ace of Spades with Spider face up, Queen of Spades face up on top next, followed by double facers blank side up, and blank face Ace of Spades face up on top.
Hold the packet face up in elmsley count position, but you are not going to be doing the elmsley count. You are going to count the four cards as four but showing only the two blank faces as follows.
The left hand is holding the packet in the tips of the fingers and thumb. The right hand comes over and the right thumb slides the top card into the right finger tips and then under the packet in the left hand on the count of one, As the card goes underneath the packet you slide the single card under and to the left as the left thumb pushes all three top cards into the right fingertips on the count of two. Do the same thing again for the count of three, and then for the count of four, slide the top three to the right and then place the single card in the left hand on top of the cards in the right on the count of four.
You will be back in the same position of the original stack.
Place the top blank face Ace of Spades on the table face up. Turn the packet in the left hand face down, and then take the top face down card off the packet and place it on top of the face up blank Ace of Spades on the table.
Place the two in the left hand on the table to the left. Now pick up the two on the right side and place them in the palm of the left hand close the fingers aound them and turn the hand over. With the left thumb slide the two cards out of the back of the fist. You have just turned the two over by passing the cards through the hand. Place these two cards on the table and rub them, then spread them to the right showing that a spider has appeared.
Slide the spider card under the two cards that are sitting on the table face down. Rub the top of this packet of three cards and spread showing that a second spider has appeared.
Slide the top face down card (the Queen) to the right, and then pick up with the right hand the blank face Ace of Spades and slide it under the face down Queen.
Now pick up both cards in the right hand thumb on top and fingers underneath, and turn the two cards face up to show the blank face card. Turn the hand face down and let the top card (the Queen) slide off face down onto the table.
Turn the blank face Ace of Spades face up and slide it under the face down Queen. Place the two on the palm of the left hand and close the fingers passing the two cards through the fist with the left thumb. Then spread the cards as you say that here is the most dangerous of all spiders the black widow. Spread the cards revealing the Queen of Spades.
Turn the final card face up and place on the table.
Now the four cards showing will be two face up spider cards, the Queen of Spades and the single blank face Ace of Spades.
The Effect
A haunted key placed in your hand slowly turns over by itself.
Supplies
You receive the haunted key.
The Secret
The secret is in the handling of the key. Your Haunted Key has been made with a special balance, the weight of the teeth and head of the key help rotate the entire key. Here are 3 different handlings.
# 1. The Palm Method:
Place the haunted key in the palm of your hand with the handle of the key off the side of your palm and the teeth toward your arm. Now slowly tilt your hand downward until the key starts to move. Continue until the key turns completely over. This will take some trial and error until you find the right place on your palm and to make it turn without it looking like your hand is moving. After some practice you will be able to determine how fast the key moves.
#2. The One Finger Method:
Place the haunted key on the first joint of your index finger with the teeth pointing up the hand. Slowly curl your finger upward, this will cause the key to roll toward your body. The motion of the key hides the smaller motion of your finger.
# 3. The Fingertip Method:
Place the haunted key on the top of the finger tips of your thumb, first finger and middle finger, with the teeth facing upward. The motion used to turn the key here is a very subtle pinching action, just let the key balance on top of your fingers and turn the teeth of the key just a fraction away from or toward your body, this will help the rotation get started, now just start pinching your fingers together under the key. This will look real eerie when it starts to move. Practice with a slower pinch and get faster as you get more confident.
The haunted key is examinable before and after the routine. The Haunted Key is a great switch out key for the “Golden Key with the moving teeth“ made by Magic Makers, Inc found in magic shops world wide. Good luck and enjoy!
What is it? Basically, it is a “Fake Third Hand” that can be added to a variety of things to make it appear as if YOU, the Magician, are holding an object with two hands. When in fact you are holding the item with only one! This leaves you with one hand free to produce a variety of extremely magical effects.
Note: The hand comes both Right and Left hand versions, select accordingly.
Basic ideas: Note that you will have to attach the Third Hand to various things. I suggest the following as methods of securing the hand that cover the gamut of various situations.
# 1 – Staple the hand to both wood or cardboard. If you are careful removing the hand later if needed, the gaff shouldn’t be harmed in any way.
#2 – Use double stick tape to secure the Hand. This will allow the removal of the hand later to clean up the trick etc.
#3 – Velcro Dots might be used. If the dots have trouble sticking to the Hand, simply stitching the dot on with thread and needle will do the trick. This is not my favorite, but can conceive of any number of applications. in which this might be the best manner to attach the Hand.
#4 – The are probably any number of ways that you could attach the Hand for use. Be on the lookout for novel and clever ideas.
