Sensitive Soul

One of the great (and kicked around) principles of recent years is the idea for salt on a chosen card in order to find it by hitting the side of the deck with the shoe. While the trick has become fairly well known among magicians I have seldom seen it done because most performers never have the salt. This method of handling does away with that requisite and makes the feat entirely impromptu at any spot.

Crimp or bend the whole pack with the faces of the cards concave, and ask a spectator to insert the blade of a penknife anywhere he may please. Bend the cards back above the blade, letting him see the face card of the upper section. Bend them plenty, as you need a good opposite crimp in the top half. To avoid suspicion, turn your head while the spectator is looking at his card thus chosen.

Let the cards snap back into position. The break which would naturally show is hidden by holding the cards together at front of the pack. You will find that pressing down the front of the pack opens the deck at rear. As you step back, left hand tips the deck so the left side of it is upwards, right hand masking, and the noted card’s index at inner corner will be visible to you.

Put the deck on the floor and announce that you will try to find the card with your foot. Kick the pack sideways and it will spread out with a break at the noted card, the chosen pasteboard being above the break. A sharp kick will make the deck practically cut itself at this point, which is to be avoided. Try to make the break as little noticeable as possible. Go through move of sorting pack with your toe until you reach the chosen card, pushing it out from the rest.

Say that instead of asking the spectator to name his card, you will tell him what it was. Gradually name the card you glimpsed, and then have him pick it up and show correct. As a safeguard, you may pick up the deck while doing this, cutting at the break. If a different card is now at the face of the break you can be more inspired. Now go ahead and forget for evermore about locating a salt shaker.