Any tips on using this stuff without wasting most of it or creating a mess? E.g. jostling the deck in a bag with FP?

Google "SOOZEE Fanning Powder Applicator".

Just a thought.

I got a "Powder Putter" which I guess is the same thing. The instructions do not tell you how to put the powder into the thing. I am assuming it gets dumped into the same side that the cards get inserted INTO.

Anybody use one of these?

"Jostling the deck in a bag" is what Jeff McBride recommends. But the idea is to jostle it a lot so it doesn't clump up. He suggests shaking the bag to Latin music lol. Lynn

I have tried a couple approaches, but had the most success with using a small shoe box in place of the bag method. I feel like it helped the cards not bend as much.

My current approach is to pour the fanning powder into a good sized glass salt shaker using a funnel. It sprinkles out just fine and you can see the amount left through the glass. I also have a bag of cotton balls, easily found in the Q-tip section of supermarkets.

I lay a small towel on my kitchen table and place the deck face down on the towel. I pick up the top card and lightly sprinkle the back and spread the powder gently and evenly with the cotton ball. That card is laid aside face up on the towel and the process is repeated with the next card which is placed face up on the tabled card. When finished the order of the deck remains unchanged, important for good fanning, and all the backs have been powdered. Some residual powder will also smear on the faces.

I will at this point fan the deck to test the results. If it fans well, I'm done. If it still gives me trouble, I will repeat the process once more to powder the faces. When done I will softly dribble the deck and gently riffle both edges to blow away any excess powder. If restraint was used when sprinkling the powder, not much should puff out of the deck when riffling and dribbling.

I might go through 2 or 3 cotton balls for one deck. The towel will wind up with some powder on it, just wack and shake it outside. This is the least messiest way to powder the deck and I've tried the bag method and the powder putter.

I'm an old school bag man. However, the shoebox suggestion sounds pretty good too. I'll have to give that a try on my next deck.

I have used the "bag method" mentioned above. A small amount placed into a paper grocery type bag is all that's needed. Spray the deck into the bag and roll up the opening so the powder won't escape. I'd go outside too. Now shake the bag around allowing the cards to mix freely and "fly around" in the bag. Finally, reassemble the deck and shuffle it. Again do this outside so you're not breathing the chemical. More important that breathing is to not get it in your eyes. It's an eye irritant but not listed as dangerous by the EPA if memory serves.

You can apply it with a cotton ball to each card but the bag method works great and is very quick and easy.

Mike

The bag and box method create the illusion that it is quick and easy. When you open the bag or shoebox, you have a puffing cloud of fanning powder and a mess of powdered cards inside that have to be removed and placed in the proper order and direction according to the back design. In addition, not all the cards will receive an equal amount of treatment.

:D I love illusions...

I wonder if this "fanning powder" is non-toxic, cause I like to put my hand in my mouth a lot, so if I use this for my cards...

I checked the EPA guidelines for Zinc Stearate (fanning powder) a while back and I think they listed it as an eye irritant but not dangerous. I think a google search will likely provide the info you seek.

A quick look online shows that it's recommended not to breathe it or get it in your eyes. I'd check for yourself in order to get comfortable or not using it.

Mike

I recently switched to PTFE powder used to lubricate the knuckles of piano keys:

http://www.howardpianoindustries.com/micro-fine-ptfe-powder/

I haven't noticed a substantial difference from zinc stearate. Perhaps I might mix it with the remaining fanning powder and check the results.

Glad you love illusions Richard, me too. But remember--it's not real.

Thank you Mike Powers.
Looks like I should not use it.

Today I received my murphys fanning powder and I applied it to 35 fairly worn Bee cards but still usable. I used the garbage bag method and wiped off the excess. The cards are unusable now, I can't even peel off a single production without several cars coming up. The cards clump together when making a fan. The cards aren't slick and don't slide now, it actually seems to have created more friction. Oh well live and learn.

I wonder what they sold as "fanning powder." The real stuff shouldn't do that at all. It has always worked for me. I'd check on what the chemical actually is. It should be Zinc Stearate as I recall.

Mike

Yep, its zinc stearate, I got it at penguin magic, Murphy's Magic brand. it got great reviews. Must be the worn out cards or maybe I should have cleaned them first. I bought this along with Yu Hojins manipulation cards, I'm glad I didn't apply the powder to those.

I'm currently using the PTFE powder used to lubricate the knuckles of piano keys and getting good results. Whenever I add a fanning deck to my collection, I fan it first with drag and reverse fans to see how it performs. If it fans well, I don't bother with powder. If it's stiff and won't budge, then I have to apply it.