Hey everyone, I'm riicks, and I'm a beginner in card magic (I've been at it for about a year). Since I've learned a lot of sleights, sometimes I wish I had them all well-organized in one place where I could quickly access them. And since I also know a bit about programming, I came up with the idea of making an app. This app has the following sections: My Tricks (where you jot down the effects you know, classify them by difficulty and how much practice you've put in, and add your patter), Sleights (where you list the sleights you know and the ones you want to learn), a section for different types of decks, a logbook to record your practice sessions and performances, an 'Ideas' section where you can store ideas, patter, and routines. Another section is dedicated to organizing your patter and routines for stage performances (where you can note the duration, what you'll be doing, and the date), and finally, a section that helps you create and practice a Stebbins stack. The app doesn't ask for personal data, doesn't require internet access, and has no ads. It's designed so that if you switch devices, you can create a file with all the info you had saved on your previous device, open that file in the new app, and have all your stuff. (It's worth mentioning that the app doesn't reveal any magic secrets whatsoever; it just helps you organize the sleights you know and the tricks and effects you want to learn…) Right now, it has a few minor bugs that don't affect the app's core functionality, but they do impact the user experience and overall convenience. Also, for now, I'm the only one who has it on my phone. The plan is to eventually upload it to the Play Store so other magicians can have an easy and fast way to organize all their repertoire and knowledge on their phones. I still need to make some improvements to the app, and that's where I thought maybe this community of magicians could give me some advice on what features to add, which ones might not make much sense, or just tell me what you think about the app. Sorry for the super long post, everyone. Huge thanks to all of you!!

Hey everyone! I've been working on The Cheating Gambler effect lately. I'm really stuck on the Hamman Count. Even though I have several books that explain the finger placement and handling, I'm having trouble getting it smooth. Do you know any alternative moves for the Hamman Count? I've read about doing an 'elevator shuffle' somewhere, but I like that less. I don't know, maybe it's just a matter of practice, practice, and more practice. All the best!

I wanted to tell you about this wonderful powdered substance, zinc stearate (known commercially as Fanning Powder ). It has many uses (even in daily life) and is great for cards, especially for: · Fanning: If you treat a deck with a fine layer of zinc stearate , the cards will glide much more easily. The stearate is transparent and is used by magicians and casinos alike. · Cleaning Decks: You can apply zinc stearate to a cotton pad to clean cards that might be dirty or marked by hand grease or heavy use. Because of its fine texture, it fills in any minor scratches the cards might have. This fills them in, making the deck handle smoother and faster. Seriously, it's a fantastic substance. Not to mention, if you're like me and your fingertips tend to get sweaty (especially in the summer), you'll appreciate a thin layer of this powder on your hands. It's, no pun intended, magical. On a personal note, I couldn't get a good Spring flourish (smooth and consistent, from a distance) until I started using this powder. Anyway, like I said, this product is cheap if you buy it outside the magic industry 🙄 🤫 😅 (I checked Julio's shop and didn't see it, which is why I decided to share this 'open secret'). -It's easy to find at any online chemical supplier. -It's not a dangerous or toxic substance, unless you ingest a large amount, so... DON'T EAT IT (or lick your fingers after handling it). -And the best part? The more you buy, the cheaper it gets. In my case, a 2kg tub was 13 Euros plus 7 for shipping (20 Euros total), which works out to 1 Euro per 100g. That's a steal compared to Fanning Powder , and I guarantee you'll have enough for a lifetime (or maybe not 😂). Here's the link to where I bought mine (for those outside of Spain, it might be better to buy it from a local store to avoid higher international shipping costs; I don't know, you'll have to check). ( I've seen it on Amazon, but it's more expensive there ) This is the 2kg size. Obviously, a container that big isn't practical to handle every time you want to use it. In my case, I used two empty baking soda containers and a smaller vitamin supplement bottle. I washed and dried them beforehand, labeled them (my personal touch), and filled them with the powder. I've got powder for days ... Cheers everyone, good magic and great flourishes!!!

I'll start by saying this is just my personal opinion . 😊 Besides loving magic, I'm also a deck collector. These past few years, it's been torture watching manufacturers constantly pump out new decks, solely because they see a business opportunity (and I get it). Personally, I love all this, but at the same time, it's a real struggle if you're trying to collect everything. There are hundreds of different brands, many of them with hundreds of unique decks, each with their own color and design variations. (By the way, I still don't have any of Julio's decks 🙄) The simplest example would be Bicycle itself, with its color variations of the Rider Back design (except for the fuchsia pink, which is a Standard ). Clearly, this adds a 'visual' touch, making it more personal for everyone. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. When it comes to designs, there's enough to bore you to tears. Regardless of how "pretty and visual" they are, what should matter most to us is "functionality," which basically means practical utility. I'll drop a link here to Julio's post, where he talks about what he considers The 5 Best Decks for Magic , and since I pretty much agree, I'll save myself from repeating what he's already covered. 😅 So..., depending on what you're doing, what's the ideal deck??? I believe that for performing good magic with techniques that aren't overly complex (self-working/mathematical tricks, Key Card, peeks/glimpses, Control, false cuts, etc.), any deck will do, even those cheap ones from dollar stores. What's more, I actually consider it an ideal handicap if these types of cards are of poorer quality. Because when you use them to practice hard for a while, then finally get your hands on a deck like a Second or Standard Bicycle, you'll feel like a 'God' of card manipulation just from the feel of a normal deck. For example, decks like these: On the left, imitation Bee decks, the BCG from dollar stores (in my case, their utility is obvious: I use them as memorization tools), or decks you get for free from some random promotion. These types of decks are ideal for practicing for the first time. It's not the same if these cards fall to the floor compared to a quality deck. They're great for practicing your first shuffles and getting comfortable, working on card Control to the Top and to the Bottom, gaining confidence with genuine and false cuts, and much more in general. Advantages of practicing with them? As I said before, once you've trained with these types of decks for a while, when you pick up any decent quality deck, you'll feel like you can do anything... you'll *feel* it, but that doesn't necessarily mean you *can*... 😅, though you'll definitely feel a huge improvement in your handling and dexterity. Plus, these types of decks are the most common in bars and restaurants, perfect places to perform your first (and not-so-first) magic tricks. Being able to handle one of these decks professionally requires having used them before. If you start with Bicycle and *only* use Bicycle (or BEE, or Tally-Ho, etc.), chances are that when you get your hands on a cheap, crappy deck like these, you won't be able to do anything (except self-working/mathematical tricks) and your fingers will feel clumsy with them. So I believe, just like weights in a gym, these types of decks... are a kind of 'training weight'. Okay, but what if I want a good, acceptable deck? Which one would that be? Among the most well-known, we'd primarily be talking about Bicycle, and more specifically its Standard decks, although for just about 1 Euro more, we could easily get better quality. The lineup would look something like this: From left to right, clockwise: at 9 o'clock, the Second ; at 12 o'clock, the Standard ; at 3 o'clock, the Rider Back ; and at the bottom, together, at 6 o'clock (L to R), the Sello de Oro and the Supreme Line . Okay, from my point of view, the Second , the Standard , and the Rider Back are THE EXACT SAME thing but with different boxes and prices. Seriously, if I buy a pack of Second s, put them in a Rider Back box, I GUARANTEE you, I could hand them to a magician, and they wouldn't even notice. It's true that some Second decks come with misaligned backs or even faces (never happened to me), but for the most part, if they come out good, they're identical to Standard and Rider Back s. NOTE: The ones that come misaligned... have a wider white border on one side. Break out the paper cutter, and, if it's the long edges that are off, welcome your new Stripper Deck If it's the short edges, welcome your new Short Deck That being said, for me, the best deck to really put through its paces is the Second , since it's the cheapest, followed by the Standard , and finally the Rider Back The next step up for me would be to move directly to the Bicycle Supreme Line For their price point, I consider them by far the best in terms of quality/price – as good as (or maybe even better???) than Richard Turner's Gold Seals , and I say that without a doubt. They feel incredible in your hands for any kind of technique, and the Faro shuffles... oh, those smooth, buttery Faro shuffles. Pure bliss. And for Cardistry? Well, I haven't been doing Cardistry for long, but I'll say that when it comes to moves and especially glides, the Tally-Ho s are my favorite. I consider them excellent decks; they feel great in the hands, and their finish typically holds up to a lot of abuse, more so than 'normal' Bicycles. And obviously, for magic, they're perfect, no doubt about it. Other decks that work well for me for cardistry (and magic) are Bee s and... Phoenix s? ( 🤔) The Bee decks are more casino-grade and therefore have really good quality. Their borderless backs are perfect for starting to practice the ' Second Deal ' and not much else; a very good deck. And the Phoenix decks, 'made by magicians, for magicians' well..., what can I say..., I... I still haven't quite gotten the hang of this deck... My fans come out terrible (and I've opened several decks already), and I can't even get a decent Faro shuffle out of them. I've used them for magic and tried Cardistry too, but there's something about them that just doesn't click for me. I can't tell you what it is, because I don't know yet 🤫 It might just be my hands and ME, or some subconscious hang-up. As always, my personal opinion . Cheers to the whole community and good magic to all!!!

I found this trick on YouTube, and I'd love for someone to help me understand how it works so I can perform it.

and something under 30 euros 😅

Hey everyone, my name is Alex and I'm just starting out in the world of magic. My knowledge is pretty basic, and I'd love to learn the ropes and how to put together routines in general. My main interests are card magic, coin magic and magic with everyday objects, and I'd also like to delve into digital magic. I'm totally open to feedback, tips, and any help from the community to improve. Thanks a ton to anyone who reads this, and cheers!

Does anyone know how this trick is done or where I can learn it?

Hey everyone! My name is Andrés, and I recently joined this community. While I've always been a huge magic fan, I never actually put it into practice. Now that I'm retired, I've finally decided to take the plunge (and I truly believe it's never too late!). I've spent about a month now doing my research, reading, and practicing some tricks and cardistry (I actually just learned that word and what it means!). I'm hoping to get some advice on how to keep my decks in good shape. What's the best way to clean them (I use Bicycle decks)? Because with use, the edges get dirty and dark, they stop "gliding" smoothly, or they start to warp and bend, etc., which really makes handling them difficult, especially for learning. Thanks so much for being here to help guide us newbies!

Hey everyone, what thread do you recommend for fixing the Statick Market? I've looked at the thread with reference 977770, but I'm not sure if I should get it.

I'm having an issue with the Pinky Count. I'm guessing a lot of you have experienced this. I'm really struggling with it because when I hold the deck in Mechanic's Grip, my middle and ring fingers get really stiff, gripping the pack. This makes it really hard for my pinky to count/release cards because my ring finger keeps them pressed together. If anyone else has experienced this, can you tell me the secret to relaxing these two fingers (middle and ring)? I think I've explained it well, but if it's not clear, is there any way to attach a photo?

Hi, I'm new to magic, I've been doing it for about a year and I want to improve. Does anyone know of any card magic books you could recommend? I live in Colombia and not all of them are available here.