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I have recently come up with a trick concept that requires a perfect faro shuffle, the only problem is, I am horrendous at it.... Does anyone have any hints and tips on how to execute a decent faro shuffle (also some tips on how to do it without naffing up my cards would be good)?

Laurens

Same here Laurens. The faro shuffle is something that even the best cardman don't always get right. I have been trying for years, and it sometimes works 1-3 times, and other times never.. I suggest you just keep at it and hopefully you will see a better improvement, same say a new deck of cards also helps?
Regards Garry

mr invisible wrote:Same here Laurens. The faro shuffle is something that even the best cardman don't always get right. I have been trying for years, and it sometimes works 1-3 times, and other times never.. I suggest you just keep at it and hopefully you will see a better improvement, same say a new deck of cards also helps?
Regards Garry

Cheers. I will keep practising!

The trick I have in mind doesn't necessarily need all of the cards to be weaved perfectly together, its just the first 8 that I need to get the trick, but even that is hard enough! I'll have to keep my trick secret until I can do it competently or else I'll look like a fumbling fool...

'Hang on a second whilst I shuffle these'

[twenty minutes later]

'Okay I'm ready now.... Oh wait where did you go?!'

I don't consider myself an expert with the faro, but I think probably the most of important thing is to have a good deck of cards. If they're slightly too old (or even a bit too new) then it will make faros so much harder. I tend to find that a brand new deck of Bicycles doesn't faro that well, but after breaking them in with shuffles/springs and general stuff like that they faro much better. Then after using them for longer the ends start to get slightly tattered and they once again don't give me the perfect shuffle. So I think there's a period when the cards are broken in just enough to give the optimal faro performance. Of course, this is just with standard Bicycles - it may be that there are other decks which are more consistent or just better in general. Other than that, I can't really offer any specific tips other than the obvious 'keep practising and experimenting'.

3 ♣ wrote:The trick I have in mind doesn't necessarily need all of the cards to be weaved perfectly together, its just the first 8 that I need to get the trick, but even that is hard enough! I'll have to keep my trick secret until I can do it competently or else I'll look like a fumbling fool...

The best way to do this is...break off the top say...20 cards, less than half anyway, then "faro" them into the bulk of the deck left but do not line up the top cards.
In other words, the top card of the original deck is buried somewhere into the middle of the bottom half packet. It will be a lot easier to get the first 8, or however many, cards to shuffle perfectly.

Once you've done this, push the packets together so they are intertwined about an inch and a half...then place your left hand (assuming you usually hold the deck with the left hand dealers grip) and place the outer packet (the original bottom half) into the palm...essentially you are then going to tip all the excess cards above the cards you faro'd into the left hand and place the still intertwined packet on top which can then be squared up. The top x amount of card will be perfectly shuffled at the top of the deck and you won't have had to fumble around trying to match the top few cards, which is probably the hardest bit!

If this makes absolutely no sense, I'll send you a video or something...I think it's normally called the Straddle Faro...it's a great way to learn to be able to do it perfectly anyway, master the straddle faro and slowly work your way up to getting it perfect.

The problem with a perfect faro, both tabled and in the air is it really is just a knack. Once you get the knack it becomes almost automatic. But because it is a knack it is hard to learn and there is the possiblitly that you just won't get the feel for it. Although I believe most will. Also try not to practice your mistakes. When you have been trying for years and still don't get it, then you have probably practiced your mistakes. Don't just sit for hours trying it over and over again. Try a few times, put them down and then try another time. Like a pressure fan, or flicking a card out of a deck, or the muscle pass, one day it just happens.

The trick is:
One have a good deck with good edges, at least when learning. Too new and you will have issues, to old same deal. So break open a deck and just break it in a little.

Second issue is pressure. It is all about the pressure. So the two halves are in the air, butted up against each other, you can push all you want but they won't weave. While they are butted up against each other, add a little pressure and slightly bevel one of the packets. Add some pressure and if they start to weave relax the pressure and let the cards do what they do. They know how.

A tip I learned, when starting out is not to have the decks flush against each other perhaps it is because then you have to contend with all the 'suface' space pressing against each other. Instead press the inside corner (closest to you) against the edge of the other half and that way you only have to get that one little corner to start to go and of course the rest will follow.

also keep one hand steady, let the other, (in my case the right hand) add and relax the pressure.

Really hard to explain. Hope it helps a little.

I know I said that I couldn't think of any specific tips, but since then I've tried a few faros and realised that there is a little thing that I find helps. I don't know if it's obvious to others, but I thought I'd better share it anyway in case you find it useful. I've made a short video for it, both because I think that's the best way to demonstrate it and because doing so has provided a welcome distraction from my chemistry tutorial work!

http://youtu.be/kq8Y505tsgI

Mike Close's e-book on the faro is very good. He *teaches* the knack!

Off the top of my head:

Weave the two halves using one corner only. Once the weave starts, you can push the other corner in.
Use Tally-ho or mandolin decks. The current quality of Bikes is a bit iffy.
Use a new/ near-new deck
Make sure that you apply pressure to the short-edges of the cards to begin the weave. Do not try to push them together using pressure from the sides only.
Practice at least weekly, if not daily. This is a sleight that requires a fair amount of 'maintenance'.

Thanks for the responses people!

I'm getting better results now I've been weaving using the corners, and I'm also getting the knack of how to control the pressure to make the shuffle.

I'll keep on practising!

Cheers

Laurens

Don't rush it. It took me a year before I was happy with my technique.