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Apologies if this sounds stupid

Are there any decks of cards that have faces that can be wiped clean after a spec has signed one. You must get through loads of decks if not? (ok, I admit it, I'm a cheapskate and CUPS has got a hold of me and I want to save some money )

Rushie

Hehe, nice idea, haven't heared of it though. Again, bikes aren't that expensice....

Also, you only get through alot of cards if you give them away of mutilate them in some way. If you don't want to go through so many cards, steer away from effects which mutilate the card in some way and don't give away the signed card at the end.

Also, you only get through alot of cards if you give them away of mutilate them in some way

True - there's nothing to say you have to give them away. My InAFlash deck normally has each card signed about 3 times before I replace them.

Another common solution is to have an entire one-way bike deck. You can then force every selection to be the one with dupes, and at the end you can give it away easily because you have an entire deck of them in your pocket .

Kati

Another common solution is to have an entire one-way bike deck

A OW deck is probably more expensive than a normal deck though - so that kind of defeats the original request...

If only this principle of deck existed, Kenton Knepper would be selling it I'm sure!

The way I do it, is keep my old deck to use for signed/ripped effects. I just take one or two of the oldies out with me, in my new box. All I gotta do then, is force the older cards!

I have a stack of "oldies" about 2-3 decks high. I seem to be making "oldies" faster than I'm using them.

~Sym~

I never have been able to understand why everyone is so up in arms about having to pitch a signed card. Why do you have them sign the card to begin with? To prove that it is their card and not a copy, of course. So, if the card they chose already has a signure on it, and they co-sign it, isn't that card even more difficult to reproduce (thus, proving it to be their card)?

And, over the course of using the deck for multiple performances, you are getting a colorful deck that is a one of a kind. With all those signatures, you are even proving more so that your deck isn't a trick deck, without coming right out and saying it (you certainly wouldn't let gobs of people sign gobs of trick cards).

Also, and here's an extra hint - don't use a black marker for signing cards, use blue or green. Black doesn't stand out as well as blue and green do on the cards. Try it, you'll see what I mean, and you'll never go back to black markers for signatures again.

Anyway, don't throw away signed cards, they work just as well as any unsigned card.

Mike.

I'm with you there, Michael, but I really do find that sometimes giving away a signed card as a 'souvenir' is rather a charming thing to do.

It DOES leave you with 'holes' in your deck, but any working pro or serious performer takes that in their stride, right?

Aside from the obvious fact that signing a card is making it unique, I tend to think that it is also a good way of interacting with the spectator and also adds some natural misdirection.

I like the idea of re-cycling signed cards—eventually creating a sort of 'signed deck'. In fact, it's actually a good idea for an effect.

But for me, it's not such a problem to give out a signed card. Like Sym, I have stacks of decks of 'abused' cards which act as donors. I probably generate 10 incomplete decks a month.

Logically, the way to avoid throwing cards away is, of course, as suggested, to not deface them in the first place. Although it's almost an expectation these days (Signed Card to Lemon, Signed Card to Wallet, Signed Card to Shoe) etc.

The idea of a SIGNED card travelling to your wallet dispels any thought of using duplicates.

It just wouldn't be the same if it were "Just a regular clean card to wallet" I guess

Actually, I like the idea of having a 'signed deck' too - it's a nice idea and offers lots of ideas for patter.

Also, if you perform a signed card trick for a friend, then want to perform another, imagine what you could do with a duplicate signature! e.g. card to wallet where the spectator does everything (i.e. cross cut force and have the dupe signature in the wallet...).

Kati

... Or even, a nice 'sucker' effect... i.e. pull out a card with someone ELSE'S signature, and ask "Is it this one?", "OK, this one? This one? Maybe THIS one???"

Could be quite funny!

Not sure where I heard this but a Magish had a card signed, returned, lost, etc and finally produced a card with a different sig on it. When the spec said it wasn't his card or signature, the Magish put on a pained, Basil Fawlty type expression and said, 'Whaddya mean it's not your name - can't you go and change it by deed poll or something? It won’t take long, I know a good lawyer.'

seige wrote:I'm with you there, Michael, but I really do find that sometimes giving away a signed card as a 'souvenir' is rather a charming thing to do.

If you're giving them as souvenirs, that's a whole different story. I'm not against that - that's a good thing to do.

What I'm saying is that there's no reason to feel that having a signed card in your deck makes the card, or the deck, useless.

Mike.

This is not an answer to cards that can be wiped clean etc. But there are certain pens that can be wiped easily off a cards face. I have discovered this through having a very creative 2 year old who drew on some bikes at the weekend!

They are made by Crayola and come in a variety of colours. They are called "Crayola Erasables" You can buy them in Wilkinsons Woolworths etc. Only problem is that they are not permanent, so require a minute or so to dry! They come with an eraser that can be used to remove of paper card etc. But a "moist" (Great word!) cloth can be used to remove from a shiny surface eg. playing card.

Its not ideal, but a possible solution to your question!