Are you looking for more magic tricks to add to your arsenal?
Maybe your usual parlor tricks aren’t cutting it anymore. (Pun intended).
Or maybe you’re just someone who’s interested to know how these mind-blowing tricks work.
Whatever the case, we’re here to give you the 6 best examples of cutting magic tricks.
But hold up…
What are cutting magic tricks exactly?
It’s when a performer cuts an object (or person) into pieces and magically reforms them as if nothing happened.
That said, let’s dive into the 6 examples of cutting magic tricks…
1. The Sawing Trick
You’ve probably seen the Sawing Trick on TV or at a live performance.
While the origins of this trick are shrouded in mystery, some say it was first performed by a magician named Torrini in front of Pope Pius VII.
The trick involves a person being placed on a table or in a box and sawed in half by a large saw or blade.
The magician then separates the person into two halves before magically restoring them — much to the horror and delight of onlookers.
Now, many different magicians have their own unique spin on this, but they all follow a similar method.
The table or box in which the magician’s assistant lies is usually separated into two secret chambers.
It allows a flexible assistant to crunch up in one box, creating the illusion of being divided in two.
The ploy behind the trick is a set of prop legs used to sell the illusion.
Regardless of the method, though, this trick never fails to impress and has been repeated over the centuries to much fanfare.
You can watch how it’s done here:
2. The Levitation Trick
The Levitation Trick shares similarities to the first trick.
However, it adds a touch of a supernatural element.
Here, a person is first levitated in the air before being cut into pieces.
Of course, only to be restored to their original state.
The illusion of levitation is created by having a translucent or covered frame that the individual rests on during the act.
The frame comes apart with props in place of the limbs while the assistant crunches up in the main box.
The levitation trick is typically performed using various methods.
Methods may include using wires, magnets, and other levitation techniques.
3. The Dagger Box Trick
The Dagger Box Trick never fails to impress.
The unique method further engrosses the audience as an awe-striking spectacle.
Here, an assistant is put into a standing container or vessel with holes drilled through the surface.
The magician then plunges daggers into these holes, which prompts the assistant to yell in pain.
The box is then opened to reveal nothing inside, much to the amazement of the audience.
The box is then closed, and the magician reverses the process, allowing the assistant to reappear completely unharmed!
The trick often involves a trap door underneath the box, allowing the assistant to sneak in and out during the process.
Fake blood also helps sell the audience on the trick while the assistant yells from below.
They then reenter the chamber to create the illusion of the process being reversed.
4. The Sword Basket Trick
The Sword Basket Trick isn’t all too different from the previous trick.
Only the magician’s chosen instruments vary — but the technique remains the same.
However, the Sword Basket Trick is a variation performed in India.
It is also known as the Indian Basket Trick or the Hindu Basket Trick.
An assistant must enter a wicker basket, after which the magician repeatedly stabs it with a sword.
The trick ends with the assistant emerging completely unharmed.
This ancient trick can work its magic best by enlisting an assistant who isn’t too tall.
Their small stature and flexibility allow them to coil around the basket, leaving gaps where the blade may pierce through and allow them to emerge unharmed.
5. The Human Guillotine Trick
Perhaps the most horrifyingly captivating trick is the Human Guillotine Trick.
It involves a guillotine, which a magician uses to sever their assistant’s head!
However, the magician can lift the guillotine’s blade after it has already struck the assistant, reversing the horrific act in the process.
How does it work?
A lower blade activates as soon as the top blade comes down, preventing the head from being severed.
Know that this is a dangerous trick and heavily relies upon precision.
The rigged guillotine must activate the lower blade in time.
Safe to say, no one wants to get caught in the middle of this act with a rookie magician.
You can see another way how this trick is played out here:
6. The Zig-Zag Trick
The Zig-Zag Trick is another famous cutting magic trick popularized through live events and talent shows.
Here, the magician’s assistant stands in a chamber composed of equally-sized parts.
The magician then runs a blade between the parts, presumably cutting the assistant into pieces.
To further prove their point, the chambers are moved to the sides, creating a zig-zag pattern.
Here, the chambers also open up. It reveals parts of the eviscerated assistant before the magician magically reassembles them.
The trick relies on a heavily flexible assistant that can fit perfectly in a single chamber.
The boxes are made to look small but are actually larger than they seem, giving the assistant enough space to fit.
Props are then used to create the illusion of a completely severed body.
Regardless of the method, this trick requires tremendous skill to pull off, making it a crowd-pleaser like no other.
Check out this performance of the Zig-Zag Trick:
Conclusion
And there you have it…
The 6 best examples of cutting magic tricks!
Yes, all these tricks follow the same principles.
But the different variations make it more exciting for the audience.
If you’re a magician, go ahead and choose the one that you want to learn — and include it in your next performance.
Also, remember, a big part of these tricks is choosing an assistant that’s very flexible and quick. And a good performer, too.
Find someone that you can work with.
If so, you will, for sure, WOW many people.