Magic Lessons #47 – Sheikh Mabooty

Sheikh Mabooty Pamphlet The card stab trick or ‘mid-air’ card stab as it’s also know has multiple variations by so many well known magicians.

The premise is a card is picked from the deck by a selected audience member. The card is then returned and shuffled so it is lost in the rest of the deck. The magician is blindfolded and takes a sharp knife and plunges into the deck of cards and as it is sprung into the air, the audience member’s card is seen to be skewered to the magician’s knife.

There are many variations, some of which include blindfolds, no blindfolds, knives, swords or skewers. Sometimes the cards are spread across the top of a table and the knife is plunged into the pile of cards. The cards that remained are taken away until one card remains, the chosen card that is pinned to the tabletop.

Check out these Magicians Versions of the Card Stab Trick:

There are so many variations on this card stab magic trick but I enjoy this simple version that is in this video. This is my own creation and it has been influenced and sculpted by other magic tricks I had learnt over the years. It is rare that I discover an original idea or move in magic. What tends to happen is I look at what is already out there and find ways to alter and see how they can be combined to form an entertaining magic presentation. This Sheikh Mabooty trick is a great example of that.

Creating a Connection:

In my early days I stumbled upon a magic trick called “Cleopatra’s Needle“. I found this trick in a book by UK magician Jon Tremaine. The ribbon and needle where used to locate the card chosen by the audience member. I liked the way that it was easy to get the chosen card into the position for it to be skewered. Easy methods have always spoken to me and they still do.

I love checking libraries for old books on magic. This has turned into a great way for me to find some great ideas and inspiration. It was in one of these books where I came across an idea on how to animate a handkerchief and turn it into its own character.

I put two and two together and I came up with the Sheikh Mabooty magic trick. I call this an impromptu magic trick as the props and materials needed for the trick can be found in your average house or workplace.

So enjoy my version of the Sheikh Mabooty / Card Stab magic trick.

Sheikh Mabooty Graphic #1 Download