talkmagic.co.uk

Ok in something I was reading it said I had to bevel the pack; I'm like what is that supposed to mean. Now when I go to do the pinky break if I'm doing it right, I just by luck I flip one card most of the time like 10 flip over. Even if I just need more practice I don't think I'm doing it right. I know most of you will suggest "Royal Road to Card Magic" or "Born to Perform." Also will Born to Perform and Royal Road to Card Magic teach me how I'm supposed to hold my hand and what I should be doing. I'm going to be getting born to perform but I would like to have a little experience to make it easier. I'm not asking for secrets, but could someone answer my question about the beveling the pack part or any tips. Thank you.

Not sure what you are describing here. Not sure what you mean by flipping the card.

If it is a straight pinky break, then hold the pack in dealer's position in the left hand (Royal Road has a good description of this, but so do a million other card books). Bevel just means a slight bend. I find you do not need to do that. The break then allows you to do a bunch of other good sleights, e.g. double under cut, pass, etc.

I don't know about the royal road dvd but the born to perform DVD does show you how to hold the pack correctly (mechanics grip), how to hold a pinky break correctly plus much more.

So should I just wait till I get Born to Perform.

Always keep practicing but still get born to perform as it will help you fine tune the sleights and flouishes you are working on as of yet.

With a pinky break as long as it does what you need it to and your audience doesn't see it then really that's the point. Saying that though to fine tune it and to get it better is always the path that we should all be taking within magic not just in the sleight but more importantly in the performance itself

Alright thanks alot I got like $15 dollars and I need about $15 dollars more but I think my parents are going to chip in like 5-10. Greed I'm going to do what you suggested thankyou.

Two clarifications to what you have already received as answers...

I think what you mean by "Flipping the card" is when you flip the double over, showing it as one, in a DL.

"Bevel" is not bending. To bevel the deck held in your left hand in dealer's position, you push the top cards a bit to the right. This leaves the right edge of the deck leaning to the right in a beveled condition. Each card extends to the right a bit more than the one below it. Without this push, the edge of the deck is at right angles to the cards' surfaces.

The reason you want to bevel the deck prior to obtaining the pinky break, is that it is easier to count off, or obtain the break below the second card. When they are beveled, you can almost count them one at a time. When they are NOT beveled, they come up in groups...which is the problem you are having.

The execption to this is the "Strike Break." See Mark Wilson's DVD on Double Lifts.

Hope that makes it clear.

Pmed you with some tips!

Steve

If you're talking about a pinky break for a DL, I use one similar to that which Mark Wilson describes in a couple of his books. Count two cards with your thumb and then aquire the break. Works nicely and if used with a tiny bit of misdirection never gets noticed.

I think the *bevel* ref is for a bridge, and the bridge merely helps obtain a quick break.

I had a lot of trouble understanding beveling the cards when I 1st started out, confusing ain't it

On the basis you want to do this for a D/L then search this forum as I'm sure there's lots of advice on offer. In the meantime my understanding of beveling is to hold the deck in dealers grip but instead of having them totally square there kinda sloping over but still decked, I just use the flesh between my thumb (which is on top) & my fingers.

Thus I can easily get a DL.

Hope this helps. By the way Born To Perform is an brilliant video & was my first starter out, can't recommend enough.