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I am struggling a bit with this sleight.

I am having a job to get my hand around the deck (bikes) and make a clean move. I think the pack is too big for me (or my hand is too small for the sleight), and to make the move I often have to use the finger twice (trying not to be too revealing) to get the recommended distance

I am learning via the Royal Road and whilst the descriptions are good the pictures aren't, just one line drawing from underneath.

Any advice? Should I use a smaller deck than bikes (if so what is recommended)? Will my action be detected if I don't get it first time? Is it a sleight I should take out of my repertoire because my hands are too small? (Don't really want to do this because it is a good effect)

Yeah use a DVD or at very least a well illustrated book.

The glide is not to hard, i find it quite easy. But try watching somone eles do it - maybe look underneath hehe.

Its not the technique I am querying, it is just whether other people have found the size of the pack a problem. I am finding that I am having to jam the pack really hard in to my hand to reach over it. This must look odd to a spectator

I also find i have a little trouble handling the poker sized cards There is a smaller size of bikes which are the "Bridge" size. They are the same height as poker size but a little narrower.

Even though i believe my hands are tiny and that is causing my problems, it could ( and i hope it is ) be just because i need more practice. I'd much rather use the poker size than bridge. Also a lot of tricks that require special cards only come in poker size

Anyways, grab a bridge deck and at least you can have a choice of which size to use

As with most sleights, the glide can be adapted to suit your own hand size/shape. In fact, you can pretty much vary the glide to suit different hand positions too.

Personally, I use a very loose grip, using only the thumb and index finger. This leaves the pinky, ring and ring finger free to do the work.

Getting to grips (literally) with the deck is the key to many of these moves... and realising that you need to adapt much of what you read in publications such as RRTCM to your own comfort is essential.

EDIT: I have just gotten home and done a 'glide'... my actual grip is, from above, predominantly with the index and thumb. I actually use all three remaining fingers to slide the card

see i always hold in the Mechanic grip or dealers grip.

Hawk wrote:see i always hold in the Mechanic grip or dealers grip.

You do what? Mechanic's grip or dealer's grip for the glide? I'd love to see a video of that. I can only manage it holding the pack from above as Seige has just suggested.

Thanks for all the advice. I am particularly relieved to read what siege says. I have been practising this sleight and have found that by varying the technique slightly I can manage it.

I was taking the instruction in RRTCM too literally and trying to do the thing only with my ring finger. If I use the middle as well I can make the move.

I think I need some variation to RR, I will try a DVD I think

I am glad you've cracked it!

I liken sleights to riding a bike or driving a car... we all do it slightly differently—which is why cars have adjustable seats and mirrors and bikes have adjustable handlebars and saddles.

The point being, we are all built differently. Due to differences in size, flexibility, muscle control and general dexterity—it is absolutely essential that instead of running out of patience and giving up, you just persevere.

Try and always see the mechanics of the move—examine the start, middle and end positions, and work out YOUR way of getting there.

So long as the end result is the same and the sleight is well hidden, it's really up to you how it's performed. Use the teachings as a guide only!

Zack wrote:

Hawk wrote:see i always hold in the Mechanic grip or dealers grip.

You do what? Mechanic's grip or dealer's grip for the glide? I'd love to see a video of that. I can only manage it holding the pack from above as Seige has just suggested.

Actually, I just thought of something. It's a bit of a knack but if you do a standard first finger buckle you can do a very convincing glide from dealer grip. The only problem would be angles.

Another thing is that it's quite possible to use the first finger to injog the bottom card and glide like that, again from dealer's grip.

Mods: if this is too revealing delete please

Kati

Ah-ha. Is this then a way of dealing the second-from-bottom card then? Maybe it could be used in card gaming...