Slice a Banana Before It Is Peeled

As the title states, this is a clever trick where you can hand an unopened banana to a friend or family member, and as they peel the layers off, much to their delight and surprise, they will find it to be already cut in perfect slices.

Steps

 * 1)  Be stealthy.  Since this is a trick for your friends, the first step is to make sure no one sees what you are about to do.
 * 2)  Secure a banana that is ready to eat. You don't want one which is too green, or has too many dark spots. The idea is that your friend or family member will actually want to eat it.
 * 3)  [[Image:sliceabanana1.jpg|thumb]] Find a small needle, which is at least as long as the diameter of the banana.
 * 4)  Locate one of the seams of the banana, and insert the needle at the starting point. When bananas are peeled, we usually pull them apart along seams. This point can be at the top or bottom of the banana.
 * 5)  [[Image:sliceabanana2.jpg|thumb]] Push the needle carefully through the skin and into the banana. Push it far enough to reach to the other side but don't puncture through.
 * 6)  Without rupturing the entry point of the hole, move the needle back and forth, creating a clean slice inside the banana.
 * 7)  [[Image:sliceabanana3.jpg|thumb]] Once you are satisfied that the spot has been cut, carefully pull the needle out of the spot, move up (or down) the banana about 1/2" / 1.2 cm, along the seam, and reinsert the needle. Repeat steps 5 and 6.
 * 8)  Continue this process until you are finished.
 * 9)  [[Image:sliceabanana4.jpg|thumb|Surprise!]]Present the unpeeled banana to a friend.  Watch their surprise as they peel it and as discover the banana is already sliced.

Alternate Method

 * 1)  Instead of using the needle to slice the banana, get some length of thread.
 * 2)  Using the needle and thread as in sewing, enter the banana at one point, and go 1 to 2 cm to one side, and exit the banana.
 * 3)  Enter the existing exit point with your needle and thread, and continue as in step 2 until you've gone all the way around the banana.
 * 4)  Exit the needle at your original entry hole.
 * 5)  Pull both ends of the thread, and the thread will slice the banana very cleanly.
 * 6)  Get creative:  Using this method you can create interesting patterns.  Try to make a spiral or triangle banana pieces.

Tips

 * Practice! Try this out for yourself before showing it to anyone else. Make sure you have perfected the slice, as the pieces don't always fall apart perfectly. And besides, you get a good, pre-sliced meal!
 * After performing the trick, don't allow your friends or family to examine the peels, as they might notice the tiny needle holes.
 * This trick also works great with little kids- they're too young to realize that it's not "magic" and they won't question your abilities, either!
 * Inserting the needle on the ridges and bruises, rather than the center of the plains, will help hide the entry points.

Warnings

 * Don't leave the needle in the banana.
 * Since needles can often acquire bacteria, be sure to obtain a clean needle, and if possible, boil it in hot water. Do Not use rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to clean the needle as they contain Isopropyl which is poisonous. If you're worried about any of this, try using a toothpick instead.
 * Needles are sharp, so be careful not to injure yourself.
 * Do not eat the needle.

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