The Thumb Tip Vanish

What You’ll Need

• A thumb tip (a flesh-colored hollow plastic tip that fits over your thumb — Dick buys his in bulk)
• A silk handkerchief (Dick prefers red — it’s more dramatic)
• Steady hands

The Setup

Before the trick begins, Dick has the thumb tip secretly on his right thumb. “The audience should never know about the tip,” Dick advises. “Keep it hidden until you’re ready to use it.”

Dick’s Pro Tip

“Fit is everything. Dick has tried dozens of tips over the years, and the key is finding one that fits snugly but not too tight. You want to be able to slip it on and off smoothly. If it’s too loose, it’ll fall off at the worst moment. Too tight, and you’ll struggle to get it off. Dick recommends trying several until you find your perfect fit.”

The Performance

1. Display the silk — Pull out a small silk handkerchief and show it to the audience. Dick waves it around dramatically.

2. Begin the tuck — Start pushing the silk into your closed left fist. What the audience doesn’t know is that Dick is actually pushing it into the thumb tip.

3. The steal — Once the silk is stuffed inside the tip, withdraw your thumb (with the tip now loaded with the silk) from your left fist. Dick does this in one smooth motion.

4. The vanish — Slowly open your left hand to show it’s completely empty. The silk has vanished! Dick always gasps along with the audience.

5. The reveal — To bring it back, Dick reaches behind someone’s ear (classic!) and reverses the process — secretly ditching the tip while producing the silk.

Dick’s Final Thought

“I always tell beginners: start with the tip. It’s the easiest way to get into magic, and once you’re comfortable with it, you’ll find yourself reaching for it all the time. Dick never leaves home without his tip!”