Thumbthing

Copyright © 2001 by Steve Fearson and DOWNLOADMAGIC.COM

Effect Your thumb is stuck through a hole in two red cards which are stapled face to face. A blue card is pushed between the cards and right through your thumb! Needed Items Pictured in photo 1 are things you need to construct this gimmick. A standard stapler, a scissors, a hobby knife, two decks of contrasting colors and the templates included with this manuscript.

2

1

You’ll need to cut out the four templates before you begin. Carefully cut around the edges of each of the four rectangular templates. Construction Start out by placing the two cards that you will staple together to make the “holder” part of the gimmick together face to face. For this example, the red cards will be used to make the holder and they will be referred to hereafter as the red cards.

ThumbThing

1

DownloadMagic.com

Take two indifferent cards from your deck and place them in between the two red cards as in photo 3. Now center template A against the red

3

4

card on the top of the packet and center template B against the back of the red card on the other side of the packet. Center the two indifferent cards crosswise in the middle of the two red cards as in photo 4. You are going to put staples through the holes in the template. The two indifferent cards in the middle will act simply as a spacer. Once you have stapled the red cards together, you will remove the two indifferent cards and that will leave enough space for a single playing card to pass through smoothly. You need to put three staples along each edge of the inner cards, running right next to the edges of the cards but not penetrating them. Start with the center staple on one side. (photo 4) Then make sure the indifferent cards are squared and flush against the staple you just did, and put another staple in the center of the other side. Now it should be a simple matter to put the other four staples in. The double cards can then be removed. Slip them out of the sleeve and put them aside for a moment.

ThumbThing

2

DownloadMagic.com

Now you must remove the circular area outlined on the template. You need to cut through both of the stapled together cards. Take your time and make a nice clean hole. (photo 5)

5

6

Flip the sleeve over and insert one of the indifferent cards into it. Cut along the lines on the template as show in photo 6. Nothing is removed in this case. You just create a flap on one side of the hole. When you have finished these tasks, carefully remove the paper template from each side of the sleeve. Be very careful not to bend or pull out the staples. (photo 7) The sleeve is complete, set it aside for now.

7

8

Now you are going to make the card that penetrates the thumb, or the “blade”. It is actually made up of two pieces and requires two new blue cards. Align template C to the back of a fresh blue card. Cut across the line, removing a strip at the bottom edge of the card as in photo 8. ThumbThing

3

DownloadMagic.com

Now align the small piece of template C to the small piece of card you have just cut off and cut along the two small lines in the card as in photo 9.

9

10

Finally make a bend in each of the tiny flaps you have made so the piece resembles photo 10. Set this piece aside for a moment. The main portion of the blade card is made as follows. Align template D to the back of a fresh blue card. Cut up the two long black lines as in photo 11, creating two long flaps.

12

11

Now cut along the two shorter lines as shown, removing the shaded rectangular corner areas. (photo 12)

ThumbThing

4

DownloadMagic.com

Finally, snip a tiny bit off of each of the outside corners as shown in photo 13. Be careful not to remove to much here. You just want to remove the very tip of the corner. Try to remove the smallest amount possible, and you have probably removed enough.

13

14

The Setup You need to insert the small piece of card into the sleeve, in the opposite side from the small trap door by the hole. Refer to photo 14. Start with one corner and carefully work the piece into the sleeve, finally pushing it inside, flush with the edge of the sleeve.

15

16

Now insert the blade card into the other side of the sleeve as in photo 15. Slide it through the sleeve, guiding the middle flap so it ends up underneath the small end piece. Photo 16 shows this situation. With

ThumbThing

5

DownloadMagic.com

the cards in this position, you are ready to perform. Or at least practice. The Performance

17

18

To begin, you can flash both sides of the gimmick to your audience, explaining that this is a small device used to punish bad card magicians. Pull back the blade card to the point shown in photo 17. With the right hand, grip the setup at the point shown in photo 18. This will hold everything in place as you insert your left thumb into the hole. Once you’ve inserted your thumb into the hole, the right fingers release

19

20

their grip and instead hold the blade card at the end as show in photo 19 above. Now you apparently push the card slowly through the sleeve, passing through the base of the thumb. Photo 20 shows what the audience sees.

ThumbThing

6

DownloadMagic.com

Photo 21 shows what is really going on from underneath. The fingers have been extended for clarity. You can see that the middle flap of the card curls down, riding against

21

22

the base of the thumb and into the palm. When the card has been pushed in far enough, the side flaps will contact the small fake end piece which is hidden inside the sleeve and push it out. (photo 22) The audience of course will think this is the actual end of the card, thus creating the illusion that the card has penetrated the thumb.

23

24

With the fingers curled around the piece, you can turn the hand over to briefly display the underside. (photo 23) To complete the effect, you must reverse the procedure. Carefully push the fake end in, which will push the entire card back with it. Pull the blade card back, and again grip it at the point show in photo 24. Carefully remove the thumb and reinsert the blade card into the sleeve.

ThumbThing

7

DownloadMagic.com

Performance Tips After you make a gimmick, practice with it for a while to “break it in”. The first few times you use it, it will be stiff. Working it a bit will teach it to bend and react the proper way. When you are pushing the blade card through the sleve, and apparently your thumb, grip it relatively firmly. Pass it through slowly and straight ahead. If you feel it bind, or hit against a staple, immediately apply a slight pressure to the left and/or right and again proceed straight ahead. After some practice you will be able to avoid the staples entirely and make a smooth pass through. Lastly, make up a duplicate ungimmicked version to leave lying around. They’ll go nuts examining it! Have Fun! WWW.DOWNLOADMAGIC.COM Click the link above to visit Steve Fearson’s DownloadMagic Magic tricks, videos and more available for download 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

* This document is not to be copied, reprinted or resold. This document is only available from DownloadMagic. If someone else sold you this document, please report that person by sending an email here. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated!

NO THREADS.. NO WIRES.. NO MAGNETS.. NO KIDDING!

CLICK TO SEE IT IN ACTION!

ThumbThing

A selected card levitates freely above the deck! You can wave your hand over and around the card, and even wave another card underneath it proving no support! You’re going to love this!

8

DownloadMagic.com