Elastic thread in magic: properties and uses
What elastic thread is, the properties that matter, and how magicians use it in pulls, gimmicks and close-up animation.
By The Online Magic Store
· Updated · 5 min read
In this story 8 sections
Elastic thread stretches and then pulls itself back to length, and that stored pull is what makes it useful in magic. It does two broad jobs: workshop elastic that lives inside gimmicks and pulls, and very fine elastic made to stay unseen while animating small objects. It is not the same thing as invisible thread, so always check what a product is actually made for.
Why is elastic thread worth understanding?
Plenty of magicians use elastic without ever thinking about it: a gimmick that snaps shut, a prop that resets itself, a vanish that happens in a blink. Once you understand what elastic does well and badly, you can choose the right one, repair a tired gimmick and even build your own.
It also clears up a common mix-up. Our guide to invisible thread mistakes explains why elastic thread and invisible thread are different tools, and our invisible thread guide covers the non-stretch kind in depth. This post is about the stretchy side.
What is elastic thread?
Elastic thread is a thread that stretches under load and returns to its original length when released. Older magic books use broader materials too: Professor Hoffmann’s Modern Magic (1876) mentions “cord elastic,” and The Art of Magic (1909) uses strips of flat elastic inside a card gimmick. Today you will mostly meet two families:
- Workshop elastic. Tough, clear elastic for building and repairing gimmicks. Elastic Utility Thread is this kind.
- Invisible elastic. Extremely fine elastic made to be very hard to see while it moves objects. Mesika Elastics is this kind.
How does elastic thread work?
Stretching elastic stores energy, and letting go releases it. The more you stretch it, the harder and faster it pulls back. Hoffmann shows why that matters. Describing a glove that vanishes up the sleeve on elastic, he warns the performer to straighten his arm before letting go, because otherwise the elastic stays slack and the glove, instead of “disappearing with a flash,” is left hanging from the cuff.
When you compare elastic threads, these are the properties to look at:
| Property | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | How far it extends before its limit | How much movement you get |
| Recovery | How fully and quickly it returns | Clean snaps and reliable resets |
| Tension strength | How hard it pulls and how much load it takes | Holding a gimmick shut or moving an object |
| Finish and colour | Glossy or matte, clear or black | How much light it reflects |
| Format | Spool or dispenser, stripped or not | How quickly you can use it |
Our two thread examples show the range. Elastic Utility Thread is described as clear, with high-tension strength and a low-gloss finish, and needs no stripping. Mesika Elastics is described as black with a matte finish to cut reflection, and able to stretch up to five times its original size.
When is elastic thread used in magic?
Pulls. A pull is a hidden elastic that draws an object out of sight, usually up the sleeve or under the jacket. Hoffmann describes the glove vanish above, and in Modern Coin Manipulation (1900) T. Nelson Downs describes a coin that is “instantly drawn invisibly up the sleeve” by elastic. These are century-old published principles, and modern pulls work on the same idea.
Inside gimmicks. Elastic makes things open, close and reset. In The Art of Magic, a folding card gimmick is hinged with flat elastic, and the book explains: “It is the tension of the elastic band that causes the opening of the cards.” Elastic Utility Thread’s own description pitches it at exactly this work: repairing a card gimmick or inventing a new trick.
Animation with invisible elastic. Very fine elastic can make light objects move or float close up. Looped invisible elastic is credited to Finn Jon in the mid-1980s, and Mesika Elastics describes its thread as custom designed for Mesika Loops and suited to Finn Jon techniques.
How do you learn to work with elastic?
Building with elastic is fiddly but low pressure, because you are at the workbench rather than in front of people. Performing with fine invisible elastic is more delicate and takes longer to get comfortable with. A good path:
- Start in the workshop. Repair or build a simple gimmick and feel how tension changes as you shorten or lengthen the elastic.
- Measure under stretch. Hoffmann sizes his glove elastic so the glove can be drawn down onto the hand yet still pull smartly up the sleeve. Length at full stretch is what counts.
- Secure every knot and test it. Give each join a firm pull before trusting it.
- Inspect often. Check elastic before every show and replace it the moment it looks frayed or loses its snap.
- Mind your eyes. Stretched elastic snaps back hard. Stretch it pointing away from faces, and keep it away from young children.
Which products help with elastic thread?
- Elastic Utility Thread: a tough, durable, clear elastic thread on a 656 foot (200 metre) spool, with high-tension strength and a low-gloss finish, ready to use with no stripping. It is a workshop thread for building and repairing gimmicks, not invisible thread for floating effects.
- Mesika Elastics by Yigal Mesika: a single 100 foot fibre of invisible elastic thread in a dental floss-style dispenser, matte black, and able to stretch up to five times its length. Made for loop-style animation.
- Modern Coin Manipulation by T. Nelson Downs (1900): a free public-domain ebook on palms, passes and vanishes, including the elastic coin vanish mentioned above.
What are common mistakes with elastic thread?
- Buying workshop elastic for a floating effect. A clear utility elastic is built for gimmicks, not for staying unseen while you float something in front of people.
- Too little stretch. A slack elastic gives a slow, lazy pull, exactly the dangling glove Hoffmann warns about.
- Repeating the same method. Hoffmann calls it a cardinal precept “never to perform the same trick twice in succession by the same means.” If a pull vanished one object, use a different method for the next.
- Ignoring wear. Elastic tires with use. A gimmick that worked last month may not snap tonight.
- Overstretching fine elastic. Stay within what the maker describes, and stretch gradually rather than in jerks.
Frequently asked questions
Is elastic thread the same as invisible thread?
No. Invisible thread is a fine non-stretch thread for floating and moving objects. Elastic thread stretches and pulls back. Some elastic, such as Mesika Elastics, is made to be hard to see, while workshop elastic like Elastic Utility Thread is for building and repairing gimmicks.
What is elastic thread used for in magic?
Mainly three things: pulls that draw an object out of sight, hinges and returns inside gimmicks, and very fine invisible elastic for animating small objects close up.
How far can elastic thread stretch?
It depends on the product. Mesika Elastics is described as stretching up to five times its original size. Check each product description rather than assuming.
How often should I replace elastic in a gimmick?
Whenever it looks frayed or loses its snap. Check it before every show, because elastic tires with use.
