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Having read how to prepare cards in Card Control (Arthur Buckley page 124) I religiouly copied the instructions (rolled cards around a six sided pencil on both sides and clamped the deck together for 24 hours) only to end up with a pack that looked like I'd dropped it in the bath. Does anyone have a particular way of preparing cards that is effective. I have found that I have a number of bicycle decks that are exactly as I like them but I must have been using them for 20 plus hours before they start to come good for me. Any ideas?

Paul

Thought for the day: Why did Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

I usually do a 20 to 30 minute warm up with a new deck before performing. My warm up includes some shuffles, cuts and flourishes (springing, dribbling, fans etc.) but nothing too fancy.

I'm usually then ready. 20 hours to break a deck in seems a tad too much to me as is all of the clamping and pencil rolling.

If after this they look like they've been dropped in the bath, then why not drop them in and save the time?

it might be worth you buying a proper pack of manipulation cards.
As they are thinner, you dont have to prepare them in such a manner.
Personaly, i dont think its that important to do this anyway. It may be better to break in the cards by practicing with them from new.

I have a problem with my hands getting very dry sometimes so that friction is too low to make clean moves with pristine decks. I've found that a tiny dribble of E45 lotion rubbed well into my palms and fingers both helps with friction and seems to break in new decks very nicely while keeping them new. A tiny dribble, mind.

I suppose the point I'm asking is whether there is a way to make a new pack softer a little more quickly. I find that the feel of a new deck is distinctly diffentent from one I've been working with for some time and that it takes quite a while to take some of the stiffness out.

Thanks for the replies thus far.

Paul