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I have trouble sometimes with cards sleights. For instance the move for Mercury. I can do the move well enough, but sometimes my fingers do not seem to grip the card well enough, or two cards will drag instead of one. Do you guys put anything on your fingers for a better grip? Or do you not want anything on the cards?

honsetly for me it just took some extra practice to get the feel of the cards sliding off. At first i had the same problem bu i tried experimenting with sliding the cards off from differnt areas until i found the most comfortable place. Just keep practicing a bit more and it will come to you pretty soon.

It just that sometimes I can do the move with no problems at all. Then other times cards drag out of alignment. I think this happens if my hands are dry. Sometimes lotion helps, or if I just lick my fingertips. But I dont want to junk up the cards either. I know I need fresh cards to do this right.

again i wouldn't worry too much about how dry or wet your hands are its more a matter of feel for me. Just give it a couple more days and it will really come natural to you.

Well I think moisture on your fingers has a big effect. If you try just counting one card off a brand new deck with completely dry fingertips, it's alot harder. If you have dry fingers then you have to push down on the cards harder, and if it's a nice new slippery deck then... well it's just harder.

I agree that there is a 'feel' you have to get, but dry ands are a distinct disadvantage for alot of sleights. But I think that sauruman is right that you shouldn't worry about it. I have to lick my hand everytime I do the erdnase colour change though

If you can do the spread sometimes and not others then it's down to technique and practice.

The more that you work on it, the more that you will increase your consistency.

Start slow and then build up your speed but not too fast This is one of those tricks that is as much about timing as technique (in my opinion that is )

Get a bottle of "Glycerine and Rosewater" from Boots and use a few drops on your hands.

Many of the greatest card workers suffered from dry skin and quite a few used a solution similar to G&R.

I dont know if G&R is available here in the States, I have never heard of it. Is there something else like it that I could try?

If practice isn't enough, try buying and using a new deck. I find it easyist to work with and handle new cards.