Hello all,

I looked at the Thumb Fan found in Hugard's Expert Card Technique yesterday and tried to learn it. Unfortunately I learned it wrong. My left grip is fine, according to all the YouTube videos I can find, but I thought I was supposed to put the right thumb on top of the deck, like rest it on the outer left corner of the top card, and then apply diminishing pressure as I swept out the fan. So instead of placing my thumb at the side and sweeping out a bevel, I place my thumb on top and control the cards that way.

Now it seems like that's not the way the Thumb Fan goes, or at least I don't see anyone else doing it that way. But for me, granted with very little practice, my method actually makes a better-looking, more even fan. Any thoughts on this method?

Also, ECT says that I can get a bigger fan with my left thumb at the inner left corner, and a smaller fan with my left thumb at the inner right corner. But the sizes look the same to me, or at least very similar.

If you've found a method that works better for you then definitely stick with it. this is true in all alterations to magic sleights, procedures, flourishes etc.