talkmagic.co.uk

Hi guys. I'm new here and have posted on the Introductions board and got some great replies, so I reckon you're the people to help me with this one!
I've recently got back into magic and am concentrating on card skills (again!). I was never a fan of the idea of 'magic decks' coz I just don't have enough pockets to carry around half a dozen decks to perform half a dozen effects (plus I'd personally like to rely on skill rather than gimmicks). I know you can perform some great illusions with some of these gimmick decks, but I really want to just carry around ONE deck. My question is...... is there a deck out there (the Rising Card deck, for example?) that can both produce a great effect, maybe as a finisher, but can also be used as a regular deck? I'm NOT asking for 'how things are done' here, just after suggestions for a deck that I can use every day but with that 'hidden' extra effect.
Any ideas people?

PS. If there is one you can suggest, I need it in Bicycle style. Probably obvious, but thought I'd better add that....

Why not remove the problem of the gaffed deck completely by just using an ordinary deck and learning some tricks with this.
This is also advantageous when someone catches you when you are unprepared, hands you a tatty, dog eared deck and says "Show us a trick"

I suggest you get either Oz Pearlman's Born To Perform Card Magic DVD or if you learn better from a book the Royal Road to Card Magic or Expert Card Technique are both good places to start.

Cheers for the reply Hodgkinson. I have RRTCM and am fairly adept with an ordinary deck. Just wondered if there was a good deck out there with that one killer effect that can't be done with a regular deck, but that also allows me to use it as a regular?

Well, I don't own the Rising Card deck, but I think that I know how it is done. Could you not just put the gimmick in your pocket and after a card trick show them a coin trick or something, and when you are putting the coin into your pocket could you palm the gimmick and drop it onto the deck??

If the gimmick is not a card, then my hole idea is wrong, so ignore me

Thanks Kev. I suppose that's an idea. A regular deck with a gimmick card. Good idea.
I just wanted to take what I can do with a regular deck (and I do enjoy working with a regular deck) that one step extra without compromising on the impromptu nature of an un-rigged deck.
Cheers matey.

You could try Kundalini Rising, by Jeff McBride - it's a 1-card gimmick that will give you a Rising Card deck.

Also, Ultimate Brainwave, I think, is a 1-card gimmick.

Kati

I recommend the stripper deck! It comes in bicycle like you want and it can be used as a normal deck for all the tricks you want and also has a great gimmick for some really cool effects which you can even include into your normal tricks.

Get the stripper deck its awesome!

ThatRandomFOol

question, isnt there some pants that have hidden pockets for magicians? i saw a link on this site i thought.. and i have some gaffed decks and i DO want to carry them around, but if not, i think i might be buying stripper deck if it as cool...

You may want to consider a marked deck, this will allow many effects not achievable with a reg deck but also allow you to use it as a regular deck.

There are also many tricks done that only need a single gaffed card, which can be easily added to the deck at the appropiate moment, so this is something else to consider.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Some food for thought there.
Funnily enough I'd been thinking about the stripper deck (I used to have one, but not the Bicycle design). I'll probably give that go....

Also tricks like Red Hot Mama (plenty of variations around) involve only one or two extra cards to your deck from another with a different coloured back. I always take my decks with me with that special extra one card, and the deck is left 'clean' once it's out of the way.

I think that all makes sense... PM me if it doesn't...

Try Jay Sankeys bigger finish- it really packs a punch. Also strangers Gallery by John bannon. Both end up with a regular pack of cards but are in leagues of their own in amazement. Just ditch the trick cards and whatnot at the end and go into something else!

I have to say that having been caught out in my early days and not being able to perform with a straight deck I now entirely depend upon one.

I use a Waddingtons deck because I like the linen finish which helps with sleights and also the deck is well known in my area (Yorkshire). To be honest, Bikes in this area would alert suspicion because they are not the norm.

That said, when I go out to perform I carry everything in my jacket pockets, and that includes 2 decks, a straight Waddingtons and a Keith Bennett Nudist Deck.

The later because its such a strong effect so damn easy to perform and boosts my confidence at the start of any session and the former because I can happily sit and do 2hrs non stop with a straight deck (not that I do ).

I also intermingle coin effects, ESP card effects, pen thro and Card Warp which is an absolute killer and never fails to get a strong reaction. As does Wiregrams.

Simple demonstrations of sleights also knocks people for six. One I do regulary with a pub deck is a demonstration of all the different shuffles possible followed by 20 or so different cuts and then dealing the 4 Aces off the top.

Yes, I know that I put them there at the beginning, and the spectators suspect it because I did it in front of them but after all the shuffles and cuts they are dumfounded that they are still there

I gotta agree with the stripper deck idea. It's a fantastic deck and with a competent imagination you can use it's gimmick to enhance the impact of your current "normal deck" tricks. Especially if you think some is sussing out your techniques - you can use this to throw them right off the track.

Marked deck is a good idea too for any amateurs (professionals will find this useless advice) when any trick where a selected card has to be in a certain position you can be confident that it is in fact there when you read the marking on it.

I always where combat trousers with double pockets in when I have the intention of doing magic, cause then you can put the deck in your pocket and show someone another deck. They're perfectly designed for a magician with the abundance of pockets and aren't vastly expensive (usually).

I'm know this is mentioned by loads of people in many forums but I would recommend an ID to anyone. It's the ultimate get out of jail free card to any select a card trick where you've accidentally lost their card.