Ok, I'm toying around with some flourishes; just a newbie. But I need to know a few things.

Are you guys using any roughing fluid on your decks? Mine keep sliding all over the place!

Is it considered "uncool" to use bridge size decks? Even at first?

Thanks in advance!
-Reis

Roughing fluid? lol. If your using a new deck, then of course the cards will slide a lot. Keep playing with them and they will slide less. But you can use fanning powder, which helps a LOT, especially for beginners.

Thanks! Perhaps I just need to be more patient with the cards. Fanning powder, eh? Hmmm...

No roughing fluid is necessary when performing flourishes. The fluid has a different application. If the cards are sliding all over the place, (new deck or not) your hands are simply not handling the deck properly. Constant practice will train the hand to control the packets and avoid this problem.

As for the card size, stick with poker size as it remains the professional standard. Furthermore, you'd have difficulty if handed a poker size deck.

Firedice -- Fanning Powder can be purchased from most Magic Stores and online at many Sponsored Sites here at the Café. But if you get desperate, you can use Baby Powder instead. It's best to place your Deck of Cards into a paper sack, then sprinkle in a small amount of powder. Close the paper sack tightly and shake everything inside around for a minute or so. Then remove the cards, brush away any excess powder and you are good to go. The powder makes your cards less slippery and it also assists you in performing many pretty Fanning moves, thus the name (Fanning Powder).

I don’t think you should use fanning powder. Learn flourishes without it. You don't want to become dependent on it and then when you see someone with a deck of card not be able to blow their mind with a couple of quick flourishes.

dominic

I wouldn't use fanning powder. Use a broken in Tally Ho, you should be able to do just about anything. As far as new decks, there are many flourishes that work better with one. De'vo's flipback fan is a good example, as well as his Cradle to Grave so I hear. Springs are better, I think with a newer deck, louder and you can spring farther, but bad for one handed cuts, birdy fans, cobras, flipbacks, and armspreads. I think you get the idea. I'm sure you have a trashed out deck to use for those somewhere.

Ok. Due to the above great advice from you all, I scrapped the bridge size deck. I'm working with a blue-back poker size deck of bikes that are pretty well broken in. I guess the key word with learning flourishes is "repetition".

It will be a while before I try cobras and the like, but one day...

Thanks all!

-Reis

Yup, practice will do. HOWEVER, if you plan to learn the cobra cut, especially if you ever try the king, never use cards that slide at all. Practice this with the deck you drop on the ground when you're outside. LOL.

At the rate I'm going , I don't think I even own a deck that hasn't been dropped!

Finally getting down the Hot Shot cut, though.

Jordini, what... no pepper?

LOL!! Here's one for ya haha. The hotshot cut is fun, and if you haven't figured it out yet, it shoots the bottom card of the deck. (Control chosen card to bottom and hotshot hotshot it out. Yeah. )

Keep up the good work firedice. Just keep at it and eventually you will stop dropping the cards. Keep them in your hands at all times. Keep a pack in the bathroom. Toilet time practice is the best. lol

Good one lonnie (as long as you don't drop them in, LOL.) Lord knows how many time that happens... to um.... other people. Get some Tally-Hos and you won't drop them, because you will feel their almighty presence. I only have one Tally-Ho deck, and I handle it as if it were the most expensive crystal. I don't know why exactly, but they make me feel special!! NO NOT BIKES, TALLYHO!

Tally-Ho's, eh? Hmmm...
Thanks for the vote of confidence everyone. I'm amazed at how addictive flourishing is. And already I'm finding myself with a deck at all times. My hands are starting to feel empty without one.

I think it's time to get Flourishman's book. Give me a second while I warm up the credit card!