Effect: You display a length of rope to the audience, which may be handed out for examination. The rope is then unmistakably cut in half with a pair of scissors. With a flourish, you magically restore the rope to its former condition. It may once again be handed out for examination.
Secret: Some preparation is necessary in order to perform this baffling effect. First, you will need a magician’s thumb tip, a piece of rope approximately four to five inches in length, another piece of rope about three feet long and a pair of sharp scissors. The small piece of rope is folded in half and placed in the thumb tip so that the loop end is sticking slightly out from the bottom of the thumb tip. Put the thumb tip on your right thumb. Everything is opposite if you are a leftie.
1. Take the long piece of rope and display it to the audience, offering to hand it out for examination. Tell the audience that they are about to witness a small miracle.
2. Find the approximate middle of the rope and make a loop, pinching it with your thumb and fingers. The back of your hand is facing your audience, hiding the thumb tip.
3. Bring the long rope loop over toward your left hand. As you do, place both the long rope loop and the thumb tip into your left hand. Both should be temporarily hidden from the audience view.
4. Holding the thumb tip in place in your left hand with left third and fourth fingers, pull the short rope loop up from the thumb
tip into audience view. It should look as though all you did was transfer the long rope loop from your right to left hand in order
to cut it. (see accompanying picture)
5. Now take the scissors in your right hand and cut the small rope loop. Cut it again, tossing all the pieces of the short rope loop away, claiming that you want to get rid of the messy ends. Place the scissors down.
6. Reach over with your right hand, secretly slipping the thumb tip back on your right thumb and bring the long rope into full view again, demonstrating that the rope has been magically restored.
