talkmagic.co.uk

After receiving Expert Card Technique (a book I would recommend ) I have been practicing a few sleights and effects, in particular shuffles and so forth.

However it has come to me that I can't cut the deck an even 26-26 for toffee. I know that only a few (please say if I am incorrect) can do this 100% of the time, but I know that I can get to a good point where I can do it every few cuts or so.

Has anyone got any tips on cutting the pack perfectly, and has anyone got a good method to practice it? It can be a bit boring counting 26 cards all the time...

Thanks if you can help.

A great method to practice is to turn half the deck around so half is face up, half is face down.

Practice Charlier cuts by 'guessing' exactly half the deck.

You can do this visually: both piles need to be the same.

Charliers are a good gauge because you can see a lot of the sides of the deck!

I also use the half-turned method to practice dead-cutting to the midpoint. Obviously you know when you've score a hit, or a miss.

It's just a knack, I guess. To cut exactly half in each pile is MUCH easier with brand spanking new cards, too.

or you could cheat and put a short card at P27
but that's the way i think about everything these days!

I'm either spot on or one card out everytime, it's as seige says, just a knack to pick up...i can look down the long side of a deck, and just cut to the centre...

it just takes a bit of getting used too..or just use the short card as lawrence mentioned to get used to the feel what half feels like in each hand...

yeah i would recommend a little extra "cheat" too^^
A short card as Lawrence said like one from a stripper oder svengali
but if you dont want to use gaffs try using crimps or bends
you know cutting exactly at 26... to what use? I cant think of any effect worth the time put in pratising such a slight...

greez

aavelyn

I use the half way cut in a trick which I think is called World's Best Magician and was in a PD book. I cut the cards in my hands and although its not a 'perfect cut' I can feed the odd card or so into either pile if I'm not spot on and it appears to be a cut because it happens so quickly. I hit 50/50 8 or 9 times out of 10.

The short card cheat is a great place to start. I started doing exactly the same thing but after a few months of doing it that way I found that I'd picked up the feel of where the middle is and am now able to cut to within 1 card of the middle nearly everytime.

I learned to estimate the position of a turned card in a stripper deck to the point where I can now do it within a card or two either side. I think the basic technique is adaptable to cutting. Just visualise the exact centre of the deck. For estimating where a turned card is, I also visualise the mid point between middle and top and middle and bottom, but for an exact 26:26 cut, you'd only need to visualise the middle.

I find cutting to a particular card relatively easy - unless I start thinking about it. For an effect I regularly do, I need to cut to the 17th card, get use to what sixteen cards feels like and your hands will sort of remember on their own.

If you've got the deck stacked, cutting dead-centre is obviously useful, so frequent 10min practices helps - or use a shiny knife like Al Koran.

Like many 'moves' it's a definite 'knack' thing and it'll suddenly just fall into place. Don't try too hard, be relaxed and let it happen.

If you're looking at the cards trying to guesstimate where to cut, something simple that might help is to cut slightly more than you think you need to. Maybe I've just got a rubbish sense of centre but it worked for me.

I try this not just with a 26-26 cut but with any number.

Im getting fairly good now at cutting to random numbers.

'' Sir, at what position would you like your card to go in at ? 17.. here you go Sir.. place your card here.. what? you dont believe me.. go ahead..count them.. ''

I was maybe unclear about the reasons for turning half the deck facing t'other way...

It gives a clear 'gap' to aim for, and gives you a feel for estimations.

This is due to the definate opposing curves of the two halves.

(Thanks to OEB for pointing out that I'd taken this for granted)

Thanks guys, it'll take a while but I'm getting there. Thanks for the tips everyone

Hi Cardshark.

Seige's idea of facing the two halves for a natural break is a good one, but if you need to practice with the deck in its normal state then have a go at this:

Place a card with a 'pencilled in' long side at the 26th postion. This way you can tell if you have a 26/26 cut straight away, just by looking at the side of the deck and seeing where the darker card is.

This saves you counting the cards after every cut.

or, practise your card sorting first, seperate them into all blacks and reds, then into suit value, then you know once the deck is reasembled, if you hit the King of Diamonds, you're half way through...

wierdly, i can do this blindly too, half a deck has a natural balance to it..

then once you have half down, split that half, into 13s, again, i can be useful for stacks, as well as after false shuffles and cuts, and you have by "magic", not only tracked one suit, but also cut to exactly 13...

hold two sets of 26 cards in each hand, you'll be surprised how easily you can tell the weight and feel going from a full deck, to a half deck...maybe you're concentrating on it too much? go with your instincts...