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Hi, my hands are very dry, and tend to slip when trying to push/pull cards, eg the glide.

What is the best way round this problem?

Cheers

JP

I use Sortkwik which is quite good but I find it doesn't last that long. You can get it from The Card Collection. More advice on these threads...

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic17582.php
http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/sutra111299.php&highlight=

Firstly, when and why are your hands dry?

If it's because you are nervous, then more performing will help. I used to suffer from damp hands when I performed, but it disappeared as my confidence increased.

If your hands are just naturally dry, then that is diefferent. Try using a cheap unperfumed moisturiser. E45 is good, though some people find it a little too greasy. Put it on a while before you perform so that it has a chance to absorb (although not completely - hence the 'cheap' bit). Normally 20 minutes would suffice. I would avoid using moisturiser if it's a confidence problem, however. It's not a good idea to rely on something like this.

In some cases, dry hands can be an advantage. For months I could never do the pass when performing because my hands would be sweaty and end up sticking to cards, pulling them from the deck.

I can now actually control the the sweatiness off my hands at will. Can anybody else do this? I don't know how, it's just something I've learned. If I'm coming to a sleight where sweaty hands would be an advantage I can make them go sweaty at will.

Am I a freak?

Yes you are a freak, lol Good skill if you can learn it tho, bet you can beat a lie detector too.

Yeh my hands (and my feet incidentally) just dont sweat, I think I am the freak....

Any decent hand cream should help you out, have a try with a few different ones and see whatworks for you, I find Simple works best for me.

Lady of Mystery wrote:I find Simple works best for me.

Mandrake, you've scored!

Oh dear, just when I'd moved on to 'Stupid' !

On a more serious note, try E45 Hand cream or Lotil hand cream (you probably have to ask for it from 'under the counter'!) from Boots or Lloyds. Lotil deals very effectively with hands left dry and cracked if you've used White Spirit or other solvents.

Hey. If you've still got dry palms, then just watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AdFA6WWJ7E

Nice try Marky, but there's no way I'm clicking on that link only to be faced with the Ginger Haired wonder

Lady of Mystery wrote:Nice try Marky, but there's no way I'm clicking on that link only to be faced with the Ginger Haired wonder

No seriously!

It's footage of the world's scariest path. I'm not scared of heights but this is like a bad dream - enough to get your palms sweaty.

Oh dear. Well usually you look for products which are glycerine based.
As a teenager & in my 20's i used Glymiel Jelly (in a tube) We last found it in London in 1971 as Glymiel. Great smell.

Since 1971 I have always used before performance and lectures, Nivea Creme The one in the blue pot.
It is very cheap/. You can buy a large pot for around £2:70. Obtain a small container & put some in it for easy carrying around.
You don't need much. Remember each pair of hands is different. Experiment . Use a little at first.
It also makes a very good moisteriser after shaving.
It will not last on your hands for 20 tables. Hence the small container in your pocket. Renew after an hour usually.
Allen Tipton

wow it sure is nice to get advise from such an experienced magician.

cheers

a good old gob of spit always works in my opinion.. sure specs will be a little grossed out but at least your glide will be perfect!! Or you could try lickin your hands and tell them you have excess salt that seeps through your palms.. they will be more understanding then..


for the sane people, sortkwik is a decent option

I.D wrote:a good old gob of spit always works in my opinion.. sure specs will be a little grossed out but at least your glide will be perfect!! Or you could try lickin your hands and tell them you have excess salt that seeps through your palms.. they will be more understanding then..

Hehe, sounds funny but I have done this myself sometimes, although admittedly not as dramatically as that. I've worried that my hands might be a bit dry for a decent erdnase change or similar, and I've just really nonchalantly brought my pinky to my mouth and back down and kind of rubbed it against the heel of my palm before the move (covered with patter and saying things like "Ooh, look over there while I don't lick my finger!" etc, etc).

sweaty hands would be the result of nervousness. if your hands are unusually dry alot of the time then this could be a skin complaint like exzema (though sounds doubtful), your hands being cold or simply the way you wash them (soap notoriously dries out skin).

moisturisers are ok, but just ok (you dont want your hands to be reliant on them).

you could try using some sort of petroleum jelly, like vasceline after washing and see how that helps. or simply squeeze your hand into a fist several times to warm them up.