There is the continuing debate on whether the double lift should be as natural as your normal one card lift, or so flashy that no one would believe that it's a double. I'm more interested in the latter and was curious as to which method you guys think is the most natural. btw...Happy New Year!!!

Flashiest to my mind would have to be Asher's acrobatic diving board double.

Most natural, IMHO, is just about any normal looking turnover that starts with a break beneath two cards. An excellent one is Klause's Soft double (which is in In Concert). Another good choice is to do a Vernon two-card pushoff, followed by a Stuart Gordon turnover (which I believe is in At the Card Table by Ortiz).

If you have to do a no-getready lift, Martin Nash's knockout double is nice.

Paul

Hi Seth:
Why should the DL be the focal point of what you do? Shouldn't it be means to an end? And if you accept that premise, why should you do anything to call attention to it?

As I've said on this board before, I'm a firm believer that DL's should appear as natural as a single turnover. Accordingly, I've worked to make my single, look like my double; it's easier and it makes my handling consistent.

I may be taking a contrarian position, I realize, but I regard flourishes performed for the sake of flourishes alone, as a different art than magic; magic, as others have said here, is the art of producing wonderment and astonishment. Flourishes, by themselves, are the technical craft of production.

(Okay, flourishers...flame away!)

How bout Doc Daley's Strike double lift?

Every time I do a DL, I make sure that I say to the spectator: "Now don't go thinking there's more than one card here, cuz there isn't," or I say, "I will now take this SINGLE card -- no, there are not TWO cards here, just ONE, in case you were wondering," then I proceed with trick.

The power of suggestion is amazing.

Jim

Jim, I like that subtle approach. I usually turn three cards over in alignment, and then say "no, it's not two cards, it's a triple lift, you dullards" after which I spread the three cards. I've found that this works best in a noisy bar with the lights off so that the laymen can neither hear nor see me.

P.S. - stevepr104, I agree with your flourish statement 100%, but we're yelling into the wind.

hUrOn Low~,
The strike double lift gets my vote too!
Once you get the knack it seems the most natural.

I think that naturalness depends on the performer, Also I suggest that those who own the book Shattering Illusios look at the Essay "Unatural acts". I like to use a push off double lift because that feels natural for me.

Noah Levine

The most natural DL is probably Paul Curry's. If you ask a layman to hold the deck and to look at the top card, they will use the same action that Paul uses in his DL.


Trini

Daryl seems to feel the Jennings snap double is most natural for him, and maybe some others do also. But to me, I just don't feel comfortable with it.
I guess it is an individual thing.
For me, if I ever get it mastered, I believe the Knockout Double will suit me fine. But right now I feel most natural with a book turnover from a break, or the strike double.

Steve

Whoops must be some new year hysteria...I meant former as opposed to latter. Sorry bout the mixed signals.

I do not know who created this but all I do is feel for 2 cards on the side of the deck and flip them over as one and when I flip them back over I just let them fall off my finger tips so it looks totally natural and no one is the wiser.

I believe you are refering to the Strike Double.
I think the credits are given in another thread. I may be mistaken, but I think Daley was the one who started just feeling for two cards instead of peeling up each card one by one.


Steve

Its not a Strike Double, its a Hit Double. When the word "Strike" is mentioned, it is usually referred to the "Strike Second Deal."



Best,
Trini

If I have said it once, I have said it...once. The 'spooky Altman trap' is one of the most natural double lifts you will ever see!. It appears as if the top card slides off the deck and is turned over. You can find this explained on one of Alan Ackermans 'advanced card control' tapes.

Chad

Chad,
The Curry Double Lift is still more natural. But if you really look at things, laymen aren't really paying attention to how the card(s) are turned over. Just the fact that something magical has happened is what they are interested in. As long as you are consistent with your double lifts, then you should have no problem. I say this because not everyone likes the Curry DL, not everyone likes the Spooky Altman Trap, etc.. Many do the Vernon DL, and it is not natural, but it flies, and flies well. Again, consistency is key.


Best,
Trini

Have any of you seen Howie Schwartzman do the "impeccable double"? I hear that it's quite beautiful in his hands.

If you still like flashy dl's, take a look at Raphael Benetar's second video. He describes several awesome variations, and all require a Knack to perfect.

I've followed the thread a bit. And I feel that what was mentioned about the power of suggestion can help sometimes, but not always. I had advice from a magician before, not to empahsize too much to people, that my hands were empty, while using a TT, and keep flashing them empty. Why? Because they can see that it's empty! If you can do a double lift that is good and consistent, why GIVE the specs the idea that there are two cards in the first place. From there, he just might start suspecting it, and when you get caught, it's over. That's just a little suggestion, but I'll try out 'this is one card and not two'. thanks

Normally, to fool magicians I give the illusion that I make a double lift but I really turn one card. I have fooled a lot of magicians with such sleight.

Try and see if this works well for you.