Charlier Cut

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Charlier Cut or One Hand Cut^[1] is a method for cutting a deck of cards with only one hand. It is used by some card magicians as part of their act. In spite of this, it is considered a "flourish" rather than a card trick because there is no particular secret to doing it: all movements made are in free view of the spectator and there is no doubt as to how it has been performed. It is used simply as a demonstration of dexterity.

[edit] Method

To perform a Charlier Cut:

• Hold the deck with the thumb in the middle of one of the longer sides, the other three fingers on the opposite long side, and the little finger at the bottom. Hold the deck near to the ends of the fingers, a long way out from the palm of the hand. Make sure that the deck is angled in such a way that the edge held by the 3 fingers is lower than the edge held by the thumb.

• By angling your thumb slightly, allow a "packet" of cards to fall from the bottom of the deck into your palm of your hand.

• Remove the middle finger from its position on the lengthwise side of the deck and move it downwards and inwards to where it can push the furthest edge of the "packet" that just dropped into your palm.

• Use the middle finger to push the edge of the dropped packet upwards. (In doing this it should be gliding against the bottom of the main deck.)

• Continue doing this until the edge is higher than that of the main deck. The main deck will then fall down onto the upper half of the hand, and the dropped section will fall on top of it - the deck has been cut. Allow this to happen by removing your middle finger or thumb grip if necessary. Alternatively you can have your thumb completely let go of the former top part, and let that top part rest on your middle finger nail instead. Then you slowly pull your middle finger back (with top part still sitting on it), and once the top has cleared the bottom, you gently fold your middle finger, guiding it below the former bottom.

[edit] Literature

• Professor Hoffmann, More Magic ISBN 1-4254-9491-9

1. ^ Wilson, Mark [1975] (1988). Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic. Courage Books. ISBN 0894716239. One Hand Cut, pp. 149-153.

v • d • e Magic Magic General: Magic • Timeline • Terms • Manufacturers • List of magicians • Assistants • Exposure Types: Card magic • Street magic • Escape magic • Coin magic • Mental magic • Bizarre magic Stage illusions Aquarian Illusion • Asrah levitation • Assistant's Revenge • Aztec Lady • Battle of the Barrels • Bill in lemon • Bowl-A-Rama • Bullet catch • Cabinet escape • David Copperfield's laser illusion • Chen Lee water suspension • Dagger head box • Devil's torture chamber • Guillotine • Impalement • Indian rope trick • Interlude • Metamorphosis • Mismade Girl • Origami • Predicament escape • Quick-change • Radium Girl • Sands of the Nile • Sawing a woman in half • Table of death • Twister • Wringer • Zig Zag Girl Parlor magic Book test • Needle-through-arm • Vanishing bird cage Close-up magic The Best Coin Fold • Cups and balls • Chinese linking rings • Balducci levitation • Ambitious card • Card warp • Floating match on card • French drop • Palming • Retention of vision vanish • Scotch and Soda • Square Circle Production • Detachable thumb • Thumb tip • Glorpy • Healed and sealed • Zarrow shuffle Levitations Asrah levitation • Balducci levitation • Elevator levitation • Hummer card • King levitation • Sooperman • Super chair suspension • David Copperfield's flying illusion