What is a good way to handle a request form the audience to see the cards used in a packet trick that are gaffed?

This might be better asked in the "Deckless" or "Gaffed and Funky" section!

Have you given any thought to NOT doing packet tricks with cards that can't be examined? HL.

Why eliminate so many good tricks just because they can't be examined? The Skinner Monte, NFW, and Twisted Sisters all use gaffs and are too good to pass up just to eliminate gaffs.

This question comes up from time to time. I love packet tricks with gaffs and I've rarely been asked to see the cards. If the routine is a good one and well executed, they are usually a little stunned. Use that moment to put away the cards and move on to the next trick.

The few times I have been asked I just throw out a one liner such as "your best not knowing how tricks and sausage are made." BTW, I got that line from a fortune cookie only with the word "laws" instead of "tricks."

Of course, you can always take Harry's advice and use a packet trick that is examinable. There are a million great packet tricks that are examinable.

I agree with Konjurer's first paragraph. However, you could switch in your pocket or case, or with any type of switching wallet/card holder.

I'm not very knowledgeable about packet tricks. However, it seems to me that if you were doing packet and full deck tricks, it may be a neat idea to add the packet cards to the top of the deck. Then just pull them off to do the trick. At the end, pretend to shuffle them into the deck and palm them back out.

Couple things I do is;
Keep a wallet that has the hidden pockest behind the visible pocket to keep the gaff cards, that way in putting them away, keep it tilited towards you, if they inquire about it, just tilt forward and pull out the real cards.

Keep the real cards in a pocket, and just do a switch.

Or you can always respond to them with another trick (I've never done this one, but have seen it work. if you're good at working people, this can be most helpful)

I've never had a spectator question my gaffed cards. Have you got any idea, what caused them to ask this question to start with?

Perhaps there is a long standing tradition of passing out examinable props to the hungry throngs to examine to their hearts content.

Maybe we should just not let the spectators examine anything unless it is crucial to the effect.

That sounds like a great idea...do a gaffed trick, when they ask you to show the props, switch them secretly as mentioned before, and do another trick to c if they can catch you...do an ungaffed vervion of the trick with which you can end up clean. I

Use Paul Diamond's approach (he had good advice for newer magicians).

At a request to examine he said, "You can't look at those; they're fake."

Also useful, when asked to do something in a different way, "I shall do it the way I learned it."

Magic effects are performance pieces. Do them the way they look the best and nothing else. Control the performance. Sometimes one can admit there is only so much one can do.

Wow, lots of GREAT advice. I've used bunches of packet tricks over the years, and I have to say that no one has ever asked to see the cards. I guess it has to do with your approach and how the audience views you. Maybe try doing a few tricks with things that CAN be examined (not to say that it SHOULD be...more on that later), then moving into the gaffed stuff.

My main point is that even if something CAN be examined, you shouldn't let it be because your audience demands it. As a performer, you're in a powerful position and you don't want to give that up by "taking orders" from you audience. It's a whole 'nuther situation when you want something to be examined either before or after to enhance the effect.

Wow, lots of GREAT advice. I've used bunches of packet tricks over the years, and I have to say that no one has ever asked to see the cards. I guess it has to do with your approach and how the audience views you. Maybe try doing a few tricks with things that CAN be examined (not to say that it SHOULD be...more on that later), then moving into the gaffed stuff.

My main point is that even if something CAN be examined, you shouldn't let it be because your audience demands it. As a performer, you're in a powerful position and you don't want to give that up by "taking orders" from you audience. It's a whole 'nuther situation when you want something to be examined either before or after to enhance the effect.

You can also "hide" the gaffed cards inside a real deck, perhaps one you can use in conjunction with another trick. Then say "for my next effect I need just a few cards", then go through and pull out the gaffs. I've done Skinner's Ultimate 3 Card Monte this way several times and no one has ever suspected that the cards were anything other than legit. Hope this helps.

Jeff

Every now and then, just for fun, I've built into a gaffed packet routine a switch at the end - using a simple z-wallet. Then I'll pause a beat before putting the (normal, switched) cards away. That usually gets a request to look at the cards.

Depending on the audience, it's fun sometimes to watch the specs try to manipulate normal cards, to make them "gaffed." I did this with Back Flip by Schwartz, and I enjoyed watching one of the specs try unsuccessfully to slide the mirror back out of the way, to reveal a normal back.

What causes people to ask how the trick is done? I'm just an amateur magician, in real life I'm a teachter. Teachers explain how things work, so when I do a trick (amongst people who know my profession), people expect on behalf of my ethos that I'll explain it. Quod non!

Sometines you just need a good switch. With Skinner's routine, I use a z-fold wallet or sometimes even have the normal cards in a pocket to make the switch.

The other thing I do is a few non-gaff packet tricks, to get that out of the specs system and to get a feel as to whether or not they are "grabby". It seems after an effect or two, especially if they have seen the cards to be normal, they assume you are using regular cards...

Jim

Hi huostonmagic,
When I show a packet trick,I produce the cards from a Himber wallet.Do the trick then casually put the cards (Gaffed) back in the wallet, And then and Only then if they ask I again open the wallet casually,and let them examine the duplicate cards,I must emphasize if they don't ask you don't show,Remember you have nothing to hide !!!!!

REGARDS

GTX MAGIC

Thanks for the wallet ideas.