Mystic Ash

The magician shows you a pack of cards and places it under a large handkerchief. With the cards now covered he asks you to make a cut in the deck. You keep hold of the cut through the handkerchief and the remaining cards are brought back out. You are then shown the top card which you cut to. The deck is put back together and you are handed a small piece of paper and a pen. You are asked to draw a picture of your card on the paper and fold it up as small as you can. This is then held over an empty ash tray and set on fire! The magician sprinkles the ashes on to his forearm and rubs them in with his hand. The card you selected is revealed in ash on the magicians arm! David Blaine has a variation of this trick, I have to say it’s been around a lot longer than he has but nether the less is a great trick!

The deck turned
around under the
handkerchief,
showing the bottom
card and the ash
on the arm at the
end of the trick.

The two secrets to this trick are as follows. The trick is known as a force, the volunteer is forced to select a card even though they think they have a choice. When the deck is put under the handkerchief turn the deck upside down, then after the cut turn it back again so the volunteer is forced to take the original top card. The forced card is drawn on your arm with wet soap prior to doing the trick. When the ash is rubbed into your arm it will stick on the soap even when it’s dry.