magic secrets

[mr. piper]

i am sure that someone somewhere is as bored with watching magic tricks and illusions as i am, with this childish secretism surrounding how they are done. i am happy to admit that the tricks and the performances are brilliant, but i am more interested to find out how they are done. why do they that know insist on this secrecy, most of us would not have the dexterity to steal their act and there will always be children to amaze. so if anyone knows where i can find these secrets i would be very grateful!

[Mattk]

if you knew how it was done,it wouldnt be 'magic' would it ?!

there are progs on that reveal the secrets behind tricks but personally im happier not knowing or trying to work out how they do it

[Marsh]

You could try your local library.  They should have some books on conjuring.

[smorodina]

A lot of it is obvious. Close-up magic is mainly based around sleights and, sometimes, gimmicked cards or coins. but with a skilled performer you won't spot the trick. The big illusions are generally just cleverly built props and a dramatic presentation.

If you love magic, it's pretty easy to go along to a magic shop and find books and tutorials on most of the standard tricks - if you don't like it, why do you need to know?

[Phantaxus]

Karl Fulves does some very good magic books. Look him up in your local library.

[grwales]

Most old tricks you�re going to have to pay money to find out, unless you see it on TV. The real complicated magic you'd have to be a long time practicing magician and get into the magic circle to find out how to do them.
Buy secrets and tricks go to www.penginmagic.com
But here's one for free,
Take all the royal cards out of a deck, Kings, Queens, Jacks and Ace's.
Now place them in for piles, each pile containing the royals of one suit, i.e., the first pile could be the K Q J and A of Diamonds.
Make sure you lay them down in that order KQJA and face up.
Tell your spectator that there are four families and they all go on holiday together, at this point turn all the piles over so there face down and then put them on top of each other, it doesn�t matter what order you do this.
Now you say, 'when they all get to the hotel they go to the bar, have a few drinks and go for a dance in the hotel disco.' now ask you spectator to cut the deck once, (you'll now have to piles in front of you as your spectator will have split them) then ask the spectator to take the bottom pile and put it on top of the cards that where removed in the split. Then repeat this as many times as you like(don�t split the cards twice, one split each time or it wont work), say that this represents the family's mingling.
When the spectator is satisfied that the deck has been cut many times and is well shuffled, pick up all the cards in your hand and deal them out face down into four piles dealing left to right when you've placed for cards down place the fifth card on top of the first card, the sixth card on top of the second card and so on, and keep going in that manner until all cards are placed in four piles as when you started, except now they have been shuffled and they are face down. Say that all the families argued and no family member wanted to stay in a room with another family member, turn all the piles over one by one. Enjoy....... Totally self working.....