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The kind of scarves used in scarf magic tricks are actually called silks. The vary in size and color. They're usually made of either 100% silk, or a blend of silk and some other fabric(s). The colors are usually solid, but patterns are available as well. In this article, I'll introduce you to several of the most popular effects performed with silks.
Productions And Vanishes
One of the most basic effects that can be performed with a silk is a vanish. This is sometimes preceded by an appearance. The appearance (as well as the vanish) is often made possible by the fact that silks can be concealed in amazingly small places. One popular place to conceal a silk is inside a fake thumb, or "thumb tip," as magicians call them. Another device frequently used for vanishing silks is calleded a "pull." A "pull" is a cup tied onto the end of a length of elastic, the function of which is to "pull" the silk secretly into the magician's coat.
Transformations
Aside from making them appear and disappear, making silks change colors is also a popular feat. This can be accomplished with a thumb tip as well, provided the silks are small enough. Sometimes gimmicked silks are used which essentially turn inside out on each other, like a bag. Another "transformation" type effect that is seen from time to time is called "Blendo." In "Blendo," multiple silks of different, solid colors seemingly "blend" together into one multi-colored silk. The secret to the stage version of this effect is that the seperate silks are actually stuffed inside the big silk, which is really another "bag" of sorts.
Knot Effects
One basic knot effect is called "The Dissolving Knot." This is accomplished by means of a simple slip knot. If a slip knot is tied around a spectator's arm and then a real knot is tied, you can create the illusion of passing a silk through a spectator's arm! The most famous knot effect of all time, however, is one that Houdini himself used to feature in his stage shows. It's called "The Sympathetic Silks." In the most basic version of this effect, you start with four silks. Two are already tied together ahead of time, but thanks to a false count, the spectators are unaware of this. The two loose silks are tied together with an easily disengaged slip knot. The other two silks are now shown to be tied together as well! When these silks are untied, the second (Slip) knot vanishes also.
Other Effects
There are other effects in silk magic that don't quite as easily fit into any of the above categories. One such effect is the cut and restored silk. In this effect, the silk really is cut! It is first twisted in rope-like fashion. After the cut has been made, the "ears" of the halves are held together, then pulled apart. This creates the illusion that the silk has been restored. Another miscellaneous, yet classic effect in silk magic is the twentieth century silks. Two silks are tied together. A third one, of a different color, is vanished. It reappears tied between the first two! One of these silks is really a bag, which secretly contains a duplicate of the third silk, which is usally vanished by means of a pull. If you want to learn these and more scarf magic tricks in detail, I highly recommend "Rice's Encyclopedia of Silk Magic," vols. 1-4.
Kenn Ball is a magician from Greenville, SC, where he lives with his wife and sons. To skip to the good stuff in learning magic, subscribe to his free monthly newsletter: [http://www.awesome-magic-tricks.com/awesome-magic-monthly.html]. You'll get a free ebook just for subscribing! To learn even more free scarf magic tricks, check out [http://www.awesome-magic-tricks.com/stage-magic-trick.html].
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