Hot Magic & Parlor Tricks Posts

How To: Do the card in wallet trick

Are you a magician on a budget? Impressive feats of magic don't require an assistant to saw in half, or even a rabbit to pull out of a hat. You need only the slightest sleight-of-hand to perform this impressive magic staple.

How To: Do the Magicard trick

Want to impress some friends? This magic trick requires no sleight of hand, just a bit of setup. Using the Magicard application, you can make your iPhone mysteriously identify the card placed against it.

How To: Escape from a straitjacket

With the help of magician Dan Martin, you'll learn the steps to escape from a straitjacket! Hopefully you won't find yourself in a serious situation where you need to escape from a straitjacket, but if you want to simply impress your friends or put on a magic show, this video is a great tutorial for you.

How To: Do a forward three-beat weave in hoop poi

Sure, you've heard of poi, but this is not your standard fire poi… it's with hula hoops instead… hoop poi. Learn how to perform a forward three-beat weave in hoop poi. If you prefer the kindness of a hula hoop over the flames of a poi bag, hula poi is your answer. The forward three-beat weave is a great poi trick to learn.

How To: Perform a rigged impromptu matchbox game

This trick can be done anytime, anywhere, with one of the easiest props ever: a matchbox. The props couldn't be simpler: just find an empty matchbox that has the same design on both sides. Set it on the table with the inside tray facing up (we'll call that "right side up") and start making a simple game of balancing the box with one side on the edge of the table and the other on your fingertip.

How To: Escape from a zip tie and open locked doors

If for some strange reason you find your hands bound together by a zip tie, check out this video to learn how to escape from one! Using a little bit of slight of hand, you'll learn how to break free from a tight zip tie, and as an added bonus, how to open up a locked door using a zip tie. Remember: Don't cut off your circulation by tightening it too much.

How To: Get yourself out of thumbcuffs

Daniel Martin, a magician and escape artist, explains his technique for getting out of thumbcuffs. Disclaimer: We're pretty sure it's not illegal to know HOW to escape from thumbcuffs... but we're 100% sure it's illegal to actually escape when detained by law enforcement (just sayin').

News: Tongue clap

Tongue what? There's tongue kiss, tongue tied, tongue twisters, but tongue clapping? What? Meet Sam Taylor. He and the great minds at VideoJug give us the 411 on the new way to impress the ladies.

How To: Perform a thumb fan card flourish

Card flourishes are more of an art form, not really necessary for your magic card tricks and illusions, but really cool to impress your friends. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to perform a thumb fan card flourish, which shows you how to fan a deck of playing cards with... obviously your thumb. This thumb fan card flourish is an impressive card trick, no magic involved.