Vanishing Paper Clip

Join Magician Ryan Oakes as he shows you the amazing Vanishing Paperclip trick! With just a wave of your hand, you can make those extra school supplies disappear!

Paper clip
Long-sleeved shirt
3 or 4 thin rubber bands

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. To prepare, interlock your rubber bands. Place two rubber bands through each other to create a figure eight and pull them together to make a knot. Do the same with the third one and one of the attached ones.
2. Now you have a long rubber band chain. Clip the paper clip to one end of the chain, with the tips or spokes pointing outward to prevent them getting caught on your arm or sleeve later.
3. Wrap the other end of the chain around one of your arms above the elbow. This is the perfect length to make the paper clip reachable but concealable. You’ll need to be wearing a long-sleeved shirt in order for this to work.
4. To perform the trick, hold the paper clip (which is now attached to your arm) and present it to your audience. Hold it by the end at the base of your thumb with your palm turned inward so that no one can see the rubber band attached.
5. Open up your free hand and place the paper clip into the center of your palm, all while holding it with your other hand.
6. As you close your free hand’s fingers over the paper clip, let go at just the right moment and the paper clip will snap back up your sleeve thanks to the rubber band. This may take practice but once done right, your audience will never see this.
7. Close your free hand the rest of the way and bring your open hand out to show that there’s nothing there. Your audience will think the paper clip is now in your closed hand.
8. Wave your hand, snap your fingers, and open your closed hand to show that the paper clip is gone. To your audience, it will look like it vanished!