Magically Break a Pencil with a dollar bill

Ask a volunteer to hold the pencil. For beginning magicians, pick a friend to hold the pencil. Once you perfect this magic trick, you can have a stranger hold the pencil.

Explain the phenomenon of a piece of straw penetrating a tree in a tornado.  That if an object is moving fast enough it can cause damage to something that under normal circumstances would be impossible. Tell them that you are about to demonstrate how that would work.

Adjust the volunteer's hands so that each hand grips an end of the pencil. Have the person make fists to hold the pencil. Then take out a dollar bill and fold it lengthwise, tell them this will give the dollar more strength.  (It’s actually better if you borrow the dollar, then they know it’s not a trick dollar bill.)

Hold the dollar bill with your thumb on one side facing the audience. Make sure the audience sees the tips of your pointer and middle fingers below the dollar bill.

Tap the pencil twice with the dollar bill to line up where you want to hit the pencil. Bring your middle and pointer fingers into a horizontal line behind the dollar bill. You need to do this quickly while you move the dollar bill toward the pencil for a third time. Keep your fingers level with the bottom of the index card. Karate chop the pencil with your index and middle fingers. Move your index and middle fingers so the tips show under the dollar bill. 

Their eyes at this point will be as big as saucers.  Bow for the applause.