talkmagic.co.uk

I recently came across a very original mentalism effect that involved a stripper deck, not having one of these I purchased it from Discount Magic.co.uk though it was manufactured by Murphy's Magic.
Unfortunately as soon as I got a card out of the box the gimmick was far far to obvious.
Anyway, I'm now looking for another stripper deck, preferable one that can't be identified at 20ft and I was wondering if anyone could recommend one? I've seen in other similar topics that the official USPCC ones are the ones to go for, but I've not seen any shops that sell genuine packs of these.
Any help/advice is appreciated, I'd also be willing to buy a stripper deck from someone here if they had a spare one floating around.

I've just looked at discountmagic.co.uk and found that they have now removed the Murphy's Magic stripper deck from their site. Shame they didn't do that a week ago.

http://www.cards4magic.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2ecards4magic%2eco%2euk%2fcgi%2dbin%2fss000001%2epl&WD=taper&PN=copy_of_Bicycle_Trick_Decks_Poker_Size%2ehtml%23a4911#a4911 Bicycle Stripper Deck - USPCC try thease.
this gimicked deck gets better with use and age as the boldness of the gimick lessens and your confidense at using it asa regular deck increases.

I've got a Murphy's Stripper Deck and have had no problems with it whatsoever. Of course YOU can see the gimmick from 20ft - that's because you know it exists.
Try a few simple non-stripper effects with someone, handle the deck naturally without paying attention to its orientation. They won't call you on it.
I'm no expert on Strippers (not the decks at least) but one thing I often do, in order to mask the gimmick, is when holding the deck, don't hold if squared up, thumb the deck into a slight wedge to the right (assuming you're holding the deck in your left hand with the gimmick to the front and left) - this 'blurs' the gimmick perfectly.

Thanks for the replies.
Van_der_Belt: I understand what you're saying about being able to see the gimmick because I know it's there. Looking at the deck again I think that the spot cards are probably quite difficult to tell, but the court cards I'm sure stand out a mile. I have an old stripper deck that I used a couple of times to practise with and I even now I have to look very closely at those individually to see the gimmicked part (unfortunately they are also a marked deck, and the most obvious way of doing the trick would be to use a marked deck, so I'm reluctant to use that pack). Because of my previous deck I didn't expect to be able see the gimmick when casually dealing the cards, and so was rather surprised when it first jumped out at me.
I'm not using the stripper deck in a particularly conventional way. A major part of routine is dealing the cards face up rather slowly, and at least of the first few cards dealt, they'll be quite a bit of heat on them while the trick is ongoing. Thanks for the tip reguarding how to hold the deck though, I'll be sure to use that.

I always recommend USPCC factory cut stripper decks. They're about as perfect as they come.

I don't understand why a lay spectator would ever suspect a stripper deck is anything other than a normal deck of cards? Am I missing something?

Dalin wrote: (unfortunately they are also a marked deck, and the most obvious way of doing the trick would be to use a marked deck, so I'm reluctant to use that pack).

Wouldn't it therefore be easier to use a marked deck? Or if that would be TOO obvious to the spectator then won't the spectator suspect that that is what you are doing even when using a stripper deck? You'll be a bit stuck if the spectator says "Yeah, but it's just a marked deck." What can you say? "No it's not marked, it's stripped," ?

I suspect I know the routine that is in your mind. The spectator will indeed suspect a marked deck. Perhaps look at the routine from another angle???

Sorry, I'm not really explaining the effect very clearly. This is largely because I've just explained the gimmick used, and the effect is very straightforward and clear cut. Thus now explaining the effect would, I feel, be giving away far to much information as the trick is currently being sold by a very well known mentalist on penguin magic.
I guess all I can say is that it's an on going effect, not just a *bang! there is your card* effect. As such at the start of the routine the most obvious method of doing the trick is to use marked cards. Thus the magician in question suggests giving some of the cards to spectators so they can check the backs for marks. After this the trick continues with a *ramped up* variation.

Wouldn't it therefore be easier to use a marked deck?

No, The card to be identified needs to be at the bottom of the pack, thus ruling out the possibility of any visible markings. The markings I was referring to earlier where kinesthetic markings, ie coating a card in roughing fluid or something similar.
I realise everyone reading this will now be shouting at their screen "what kind of lay person would suspect you of coating the card in roughing fluid?!" Again, I can only say that it's the obvious conclusion when you see/hear of the effect which I can't say for reasons mentioned above.

I have purchased the effect you're talking about and have used it many times. No-one has ever suspected a special roughing fluid or similar. Certainly hand a card or two out for examination, but don't make a big deal out of it. You're not being chased, so stop running.

The general rule of thumb is that if you are worried about it, you will project your worry to your spectators. You have got to get passed that, remember that what they don't know, they don't know! T'is the beauty of magic.