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apologies if this seems like a dumb question...

i have been looking at buying a card trick that requires the spectator to write their name on the card, thing is when they have written their name is it possible to remove it after? or would i need to replace the card? or is there a pen that can be used that is not permanent and would not mark the cards?.

there are quite a number of card tricks that benefit from having the name written on a card but i dont want to end up with a pile of unusable cards.

would appreciate any help or advice

Hi pb,

I do a couple of routines where you have specs write on cards ... you're best bet is just to spend a bit of cash and get a MASSIVE number of decks ... when i do a routine and have the spec write on the card i always hand out the card as a suvenier.

If you are buying packs of bikes a few packs as a time its only about 80p a pack or somthing ... and even if you have a card or two missing from a deck, just make it a spot card you can still use the deck afterwards, a few missing cards isnt really an issue.

Rob

I think it's good to have one deck to have for signing or rip ups. I find it's actually it's a convincer that the deck is normal if there are several cards that are signed. e.g. I do the Ambitious Card routine alot and I used to have a whole deck that were full of signed cards (at least 20 I'd say). I would tell the spec that I've done this trick many times... Let's have you pick out an unsigned card and sign it yourself. Then just go on with the trick!

StEvEbO!

Thats a nice approach Stevebo .. i'll have to try that one ...

I would tell the spec that I've done this trick many times... Let's have you pick out an unsigned card and sign it yourself. Then just go on with the trick!

I think this is the best approach, and this is what I do. If I don't hand out the card, I just put it back in the deck.

On a related topic, always bare in mind that signing a card is a really absurd thing to do as far as a spectator is concerned. So make sure they understand why you're doing it. Also, make sure it is worth it because signed card effects are some of the strongest around; as soon as they put their signature on the card, it's become personalised and unique. You need to take advantage of that, and to do that you need to use the strongest material possible. Personally, I think that signed card to impossible location is the strongest application of this idea. Not only is the card utterly unique and personal, but it has disappeared from the rest of the pack and reappeared somewhere incredible, rather than just rising to the top of the pack. If you add a mutilation to this aswell such as the card folded up, this increases the the strength tenfold because again, mutilating a card is totally ridiculous to a lay person. If you're interested in these ideas PM me and I'll be happy to pass on some good resources to pick up.

SirRawlins wrote: a few missing cards isnt really an issue.

but missing a good 30 cards is a minor issue

i usally use a worn out deck to do my ambition card routine or any tearing/folding trick (mercury card fold, torn and restored, cardwarp (that gets rid of cards FAST))

then i goto costco and buy bricks of cards

I've found a novel way of doin this. If you don't wanna waste cards in your deck then get a blank face deck. Have them sign a blank card and add it to your normal deck and perform the ambitious card trick. After this they can keep the card and you're left with a full deck afterwards. This is how I do it but my AmbCard routine is pretty poor anyway - still needs alot of work.

Hello PB

I asked that question a while back and was told about Crayola Erasable pens. The ink can be wiped off with a moist cloth. but I haven't tried them myself. Available from Woolworths etc

Rushie

Erm...wouldn't a deck of cards react unfavorably to a moist cloth:?:

Anyway, if you need to keep a whole deck but want to have cards signed, you can get a one-way force deck and just force the duplicate then replace it after every trick...

Kati

Bicycle cards in particular have a textured finish which makes it very difficult to fully remove even 'erasable' inks. If the ink really is truly erasable then it might not even stand being shuffled in the deck after signing.

Mandrake wrote:Bicycle cards in particular have a textured finish which makes it very difficult to fully remove even 'erasable' inks. If the ink really is truly erasable then it might not even stand being shuffled in the deck after signing.

Yes, that is what I was thinking. It wouldn;t be a great trick if the signature disappered off the card. They would think dupes straight away

In my tablehopping act, I do my version of the AC. At the end, I either give them the card as a souvenir or pin it on the wall, with their signature showing.
Thus, I use up a fair number of cards.
To get around this, I combine part decks. (Since I only use blue Bikes, there's no problem in matching backs.)
I first show the deck face up and have them select a card (since I'm going to see it in a second anyway). At that time, they may notice more than one card of a kind in the deck (for example, several 4C or 8H or JS) because the deck is made of other, partial decks.
Even if the don't see duplicates, they might, and I make a joke out of the whole thing (just in case), explaining what I've done and saying, with a chuckle and in the nicest way possible, "I'm not going to waste a brand-new deck on you!"
That way three things have happened:
1: They get a laugh out of it.
2: I keep a deck of 50 at least on hand.
3: I use up all by extra cards and partial decks.

I always use biks (red & blue) so I began keeping all my extra cards, putting them together, and making a deck out of a couple of decks....now I have a ton of extras, and they are all sorted in order.....when I perform, I give out the signed card, and then simply look in my file card holder, and pull out a replacement and put it in the deck.....when I do not have a replacement left for the messed up card, I turn that deck into replacements, and put them in the file card folder! I find this allows me to have replacements when needed, duplicates when needed for various effects, as well as can create copies of my packet tricks, so I can practice the tricks without adding wear and tear to my performance sets......numerous options!

There's some good ideas - like moodini, i switch cards in that need replacing but a whole file system seems a great idea - one of these days i gotta get organizized - I also think the idea of using a blank card, is a good idea - although i use mainly Tally-Ho's and i've never seen anyone make blanks for those.
Ed.

Or use cards from a one way deck. Force the paticular card then replace it after.

Also gives you the oppertunity to do effects needing a duplicate.

I do like the blank card idea aswell though.