Hood Wink - Torn and Restored Card
By Ben Harris
Effect: Your audiences will be tearing their hair out! It's one of the neatest, cleanest,
most visual torn and restored card effects ever - and it's completely impromptu. It's a
mind-blower that's totally unlike the very beautiful 'quarter at a time' restorations
popular currently. It's so offbeat and unique, you'll be tearing through entire decks
just to amuse and entertain yourself. Here's what happens - A card is selected and
signed. You fairly tear the card in half. The audience can see it, hear it and even feel it
tear. The pieces are displayed and held in a small packet. You then restore the card
with the signature in full view - instantly - or any time you want to. Only one card is
used. There are no extra pieces to add or ditch. The effect can be performed
surrounded. You can even use a borrowed card! This fantastic impromptu torn and
restored card effect is similar to the Kenton Knepper version featured on the
Convention At The Capitol '98 video.
Method: Any card is borrowed – even signed. Just four easy steps and you have
performed a miracle:
1. Fold the card in half across the short width.
2. Tear the card down the center – starting from the fold – and stopping half way.
Show the spectator the tear by “rocking” the opening back and forth.
3. Under slight cover fold the card against itself and create a tearing sound with the
empty hand by dragging a fingernail down the side of the card, and at the same time
make a tearing “motion” with your hands. Do not reveal that one hand has absolutely
nothing in it.
4. Bring the two hands together and you are now going to create the illusion that the
card is two separate pieces. With the card in half – and the sleight tear, push with
your fingers so that the top part of the fold “slides” to one side in a cockeyed position.
It will look as though one half is resting on the other. Show this to the spectator and
drive home the idea that the chosen card is two separate pieces.
Now it’s a matter of sliding the two pieces back and unfolding the card in a quick
flash. Just by pressing the “real tear” in the center of the card with your fingers,
working the crease with your fingers, you can make the tear seem to be just a fold.
Unfortunately, the card cannot be handed out, but actually tearing he card in fourths
and giving it to the spectator can mask the effect.
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