Just wanted to share an idea with my friends here at the Café. Although I mostly work with a regular deck, I still like to throw in a few packet tricks in my routine. One thing that has always bothered me, is pulling the packet out of single fold plastic wallet or envelope. During a performance awhile ago, a spectator said, "Oh, there he goes... he's getting his 'special' cards now..." This put more suspicion on the packet than I was comfortable with. So I came up with a solution which has worked well since then.

First, I threw away all those plastic wallets and envelopes. When I use up a deck of cards, I save the old boxes. Inside the box I put a piece of cardboard (corrugated), folded in half. This is cut the same width of the cards. I glue one side of the cardboard to the inside of the box and let the other folded side float freely. When I insert the packet, this floating flap acts like a spring which presses the packet to the inside of the box. This makes the box more ridged, even though there may only be 8 - 10 cards inside. I can also use it for packets up to half a deck with no problem. I also experimented with folding the cardboard in half but not gluing it. This allows me to carry 2 packet tricks (one on each side of the cardboard.)

Since I don't use too many packet tricks in one routine, I only need to carry one or two of the boxes for each performance. I just decide ahead of time which packet tricks I'll be using.

When possible, I usually try to integrate the packet trick in a regular deck, but for some packet tricks it's not possible.

Just by making this subtle change in how I introduce my packet tricks, it seems to have eliminated all suspicioun on those 'special' cards. If I try to analyze the mind of the spectator... maybe they're thinking, "Okay, he's pulling some cards out of a card box, so he's gonna show a card trick." ...Instead of thinking, "Okay, he's pulling some cards out of a little plastic folder... hmmm, there must be something tricky about them."

I'm not sure why it works better... I just know that there doesn't seem to be as much heat on the cards, since I've been using my 'utility' box.

Comments/ideas welcome.

Dave

Great idea Dave! I'm going to give that a try! Thank you!

One thing that I might add is that you can buy empty Bicycle boxes (in red or blue) from MJM magic at $0.37 each. I know that regular boxes tend to get worn rather quickly when using them to transport your deck. So the new boxes might help out and may last a while longer when just used for packet tricks.

Now that the USPCC has seen fit to change the look of thier bike boxes, I bought around 100 of the empty's from MJM to use for performance. (The boxes from MJM are the old stlye... For now).


Thanks again Dave.

V.

A shame, you could easily use those for revelations and mentalism effects or something else.

V.
Yeah, I know what you mean... some of my boxes look pretty worn. I live about 7 miles from Haines House of Cards, and I know I can purchase new boxes from them. I think I'll do just that.

MacGyver,
I must admit that I exaggerated a bit. I didn't physically throw them away. I just eliminated them from my routine. I still use them to keep my packet tricks organized at home. I rarely, if ever, use them for revelations or mentalism effects, however. Thanks for you 'point-well-taken.'

Dave

Here's a thought, and something I use. I just put the packet trick (seeing as they are usually not more than 4 or 5 cards) or even my gaffed cards right on top (or bottom) of my regular deck. If I'm doing a non gaffed "regular" (Ha!) card trick I just cut them to a place where it won't be a problem.

As a magician, cards ARE a tool of our trade, and to pull them from some nice looking or secure area is not a big problem.....I do it all the time when doing Tommy Wonder's version of Wild Card.

Obsidian52,

As I mentioned in my first post, "When possible, I usually try to integrate the packet trick in a regular deck." So I totally agree on that point. On your second point, "...pull them from some nice looking or secure area..." my question is... by pulling them from somewhere different than you pull your other cards from (the box), aren't you suggesting that THIS packet of cards is more special than the other regular cards? After all, you want the spectator to believe that there's nothing different about these cards than any other cards you use, right?

Don't misunderstand... I'm not implying that pulling packets from envelopes is the wrong way. I've just always been bothered by the extra suspicion it may draw from the spectator (even though 98% of the time, they will never voice their suspicion to the performer.)

Thanx for your input.

P.S. - Can you briefly describe Tommy Wonder's version of Wild Card... and is there a resource where I can see it?

I would agree with the notion of putting the packet trick cards on a deck and removing them from there when your ready to perform that effect.

Yes, yes, yes, but to be totally honest, I have never really heard any of the spectators that I perform in front of say "Oh, that must be a trick deck". The overwhelming majority of people never heard of things like a double facer or backer, cards indexed differently, things like that. And yes, I sometimes take the deck I am going to use (even with the gaffs enclosed)from a metal tin I found that holds a deck perfectly, sure it gets looks, but I let it pass or throw out a goofy line and it passes (like the other thread about avoiding saying) "I have in my hands a regular deck". Just ribbon spread and shuffle them and you're fine.

I don't have any teaching videos of Tommy Wonder's version (and I forget the exact name) but him performing it is on YouTube, and if you know how to do Wild Card it will become obvious how to do his version. I personally like it.

I usually put all my packet trick cards in an empty card box. Then in my routine I switch the regular deck for the packet trick deck and you're ready to perform the most innocent looking packet tricks. I think the switch in for a packet trick deck was by bannon but not sure.

For me it depends on the packet trick. If you're doing a trick with cards that are seemingly normal then I'll just cop them onto the deck in use. If, on the other hand, the cards are something that you cannot normally get out of a deck, then I have no problem pulling them out of a special wallet. Wild Card is a good example of this. I don't have eight 9S (or whatever your WC set consists of) in my deck so it makes sense that they would have to come from somewhere else.

But if you're doing 'million dollar monte' it would definitely look odd to pull out an Ace, 2 and 3 when you could have just grabbed them from the active deck. This is a situation where I'll always cop or palm them onto the deck in use.

I was wondering if Paul Hallas' book, Small But Deadly, has any suggestions of how to bring in the cards?
It has been awhile since I read the book but it really is a comprehensive reference for so many Packet Tricks.

That is what I usually do. I have a whole deck made out of packet tricks. It raises much less, if no suspicion at all.

It works great!

Keep the bags for Mentalism, ehee.





@V

Thanks for the tip on MJM, by the way!

There is another way to introduce the packet trick :
I ask 1 or 2 personal questions to the spectator concerned (like where he's born, or his fist name or his mother's one, or zodiac sign, etc...), then I take out the plastic pocket just like it HAS to be THIS plastic pocket I had to take out because of his answers just like if I was reading something in his mind or feel some magic thing at this moment and I perform the trick; for B'wave or 8 cards brainwave especially.

One of the great things about the art of magic is the creativity that magicians display in solving problems. This is another example.

I feel if the content is build in the packet, like there's a justification, such as prediction type of effect works well when the packet is introduced as it is instead of from the deck. What do you think?

It's called 'Tamed Card' and can be found in The Books of Wonder volume 1 or on the DVD Visions of Wonder (volume 1).

MarvinWang,

I agree with you. If you're producing a 'prediction'... or, if you're introducing a packet which you claim is special in some way (i.e., cards that your grandfather gave you, or your friend David Copperfield gave to you,) then certainly a 'special' envelope would be logical.

The only time I use a card box is when I don't want to call 'special' attention to the cards. I want them to appear as though they just came out of a box of cards. My thought is that this implies that the cards are from a regular deck, even if they're gaffed or set up in some way.

LordFreddie - Thanks for the info.

Dave

What an array of great ideas! I certainly will try some of them. However, for a few small packet tricks I actually make a big deal that I'm going to use some special magical cards that have magical properties. At the end of the trick the spectators get to examine them because they are normal cards. I start with these and then move on to tricks that can't be examined, but use the same introductory line. At the worst they don't know which may be "special" packets and at best, since the first few tricks were normal cards, they assume they all were.

I just thought of another idea to introduce a packet effect with a little comedy. For an effect using up to 10 cards, tie a red shoestring around the packet and place it in a card box. Bring out the box and hold it for a second... then reach in and start pulling the end of the shoestring out. Then stop and say, "Oh, I bet you thought I was going to show 'another' card trick, didn't you?" Then continue to pull the string out slowly, exposing the packet tied to the end, and say, "Well, you were right." Untie the packet and proceed.

This idea is based on something I saw someone do on tv (maybe The Amazing Jonathan or Michael Finney... not sure.) Anyway, he comes out holding a card box and says, "Do you want to see a great card trick?" Then he pulls out a rope and says, "Sorry, I'm gonna show you a rope trick." (Not sure of the exact patter, but you get the idea.)

Comments?

Dave

I was using a twist for my wild card packet before I decided to get into Bernard Bilis' routine which is performed with an ordinary deck. I was simply explaining that I was the general secretary of a very select club of hand picked magicians (General secretary was for justifying why I would have several cards with me), and that, not surprisingly, our membership cards were looking like playing cards of this kind. Now one of the rule to become a member was to be able to do something exceptional (this to create a favorable prejudice on the trick) and unique with each membership card.

Then on with the packet trick... This was created because I, too, had a psychological problem with taking out a small packet which was screaming "gaffed cards". Actually being a friend to Tommy Wonder I could not use his line and his buzzer for taking the small packet of cards out. It show however that Tommy also felt the need to justify why we are taking out a small packet of cards instead of a full deck.