Today started out fairly normal. I went to school, but in the middle of physics as I was practicing my double lift, I found (probably not found, but happened upon an already common method) a new way to do the double lift. I had been doing it were you reach on the side and then turn the two like a book but now I have found that pulling two from the back corner and then turning them over works much better.

So tonight my friend talked me into going into town and showing some people some magic tricks. I did so and they worked quite well. I also tried pulling the classic force on several people. It worked perfectly. At first I thought this sleight was nearly impossible, but today I tried it on several people and it worked without a hitch. To any who think this sleight is impossible, just try it. It seems rather easy.

Hmmm, here is a tip for everyone. Take your deck. Now hold it in dealers grip and with your thumb push in the middle of the side of the top card. Right on the edge of the deck. With some practice you will be able to push cards off the deck equal. Now all you have to do is flip over those two cards. It should look just like you flipped over the top card. If someone wants more explanation just pm me. The problem with most double lifts is they look really weird or very unnatural. Just a thought. I am looking for who came up with this lift. Any ideas?

Lee

Hey pyro,

That is the same way I do my lift. I can do three cards without thinking about it. It is perfect for ambitious routines.

I first got the idea from Simon Lovell. He uses it for second deals.

Halcon

Lee--

This sounds a lot like "The instantaneous double lift" as described by Dr. Jacob Daley in the old "Stars of Magic" book. It's the double lift I use, too.

But as far as I'm concerned, YOU invented the move; or, as Henry Hay notes in "The Amateur Magician's Handbook,"

"Be warned by this when you make an invention: the invention is yours, to be enjoyed as such; but very likely it must go down in the books as your re-invention of the Great Blotto's original masterpiece."

Hey, doesn't change the fact that you put the thought and practice into it....

Sounds kinda like the Daley lift but not exactly. The Daley Strike double (as Greg Wilson calls it) is the most natural DL that I am able to perform at my current level of skill. The strike double looks great as a matter of fact, if you add in the left thumb to go along for the ride. At first I could not contact 2 cards with my righthand fingertips, but then one day it clicked for me.

I would actually argue that, while I think the Daley lift is useful and I do use it from time to time, it is far from being the most natural lift. However, if you have learned to "strike" two cards accurately, you would do well to study Derek Dingle's DL technique. It is a much more natural "strike"-style lift. It can be found in his complete works.

Paul

what about Larry Jennings' snap double? i use that all the time and find it the most natural movement in the world to come over and grab the two or 3 cards. the thumb count also makes it almost flawless. Despite all these fancy lifts, i've found that people in general don't notice u getting a break, whatever way you do it. and routining is extremely important. Laymen have some intelligence too, and if a trick is badly routined, no matter how natural a DL is it's likely to be found out.

Any dl that involves turning the card(s) over and leaving them on the deck is second to any dl that allows you to take them off and hold them in the right hand for a few seconds, in my opinion. Unless you have extremely important things you need to do with the right hand that justify leaving the face-up double on the deck, I just don't see the motivation for turning the double over on the deck.

Just because most magicians do DLs this way doesn't mean it looks great. There are several good DLs that allow for the card(s) to be in the right hand from the turn-over until the face-down replacement. Far superior to look at, I think.

It's all to do with management though isn't it? You should do the DL that suits the routine you're doing, not your favourite method.

Euan

I also have a double lift with my pressure break. So, Ronin i don't understand, i can take credit for this move? I find that hard to believe since it is just how a person lifts a normal card.

Lee

Pyro, that's just a block push off. Think Vernon came up with it. Could be wrong though.

Euan

Ok, i just wanted to know who came up with it. Thanks Euan

Lee

Gentlemen, if I my offer my two bits.

The key to a good double lift is a natural look. That is gained by your own comfort with the cards. The mechanic of the slights is not as important. I have seen great strike dl's and horrible strike dl's. It all came down to the performers comfort. If you feel like you are going to get busted, you will.

You need to look like you know what you are doing. The only way to get there IS to know what you are doing. Practice, practice, practice. 10,000 times if you have to. Then it will "begin" to look natural.

Hey Pyro,

No, I don't mean that you can take credit, only that you should take pride in the accomplishment.

Re-read the Hay quote.

Except that many magicians get "comfortable" doing a move that looks very un-natural to people watching. I'd say "comfort" is a very risky and dangerous criterion for whether something appears natural or not.

A good magician/actor can appear very comfotable doing a move which requires tight muscles, or an uncomfortable grip on the cards, etc. A stage example is the levitating assistant who must look relaxed while every single muscle in the body feels like it's on fire!

Perhaps appearing comfortable is much more important than actually being comfortable. If you think you need to BE comfortable just to appear that way, study a bit more acting technique.