Cut and Restored Handkerchief

The job of a magician is to make the impossible look possible. They challenge the senses and bend reality. So join magician Ryan Oakes as he shows you a simple illusion.

handkerchief
scissors

SOMETIMES WE USE MATERIALS THAT REQUIRE ADULT SUPERVISION…LIKE SCISSORS SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY AROUND WHENEVER YOU DO MAGIC TRICKS!!

1. Show the handkerchief to your audience. Fold it in half corner to corner to make a triangle. Roll the handkerchief into a tube.
2. Pinch it in half, and fold it at the top. Hold it so that the ends of the handkerchief are right facing you. Cut the handkerchief right in the middle. The scissors should cut right through the two corners in the middle of the tube (now making four corners). Take apart the two halves to show that it is actually cut.
3. Hold the two pieces together. To make the handkerchief restore, grab two of the opposite corners in each hand. Wrap the rest of the handkerchief around your fingers. Two ends from each half of the handkerchief should be coming out of each side of the wrap. Now quickly pull the handkerchief apart from those 2 ends and it will unroll. Hold the handkerchief tightly now and it will look like both pieces have joined together! To make this convincing, you should keep the ends hidden in your fists.
4. Carefully put the handkerchief aside before anyone gets to examine it and see that it’s actually still two separate pieces.