I use a regular deck, invisible, Svengali, and set of David Regal decks.

If I store them on my person, they're going to take up a lot of room and make nasty bulges, right?

Is my sole recourse using a case (note my previous post)?

ATPG

I use a regular deck and one gaffed deck only. I change the gaff, depending on my mood/client/etc. It don't lose much in my repertoire, but I also don't have to carry a case (note my previous post after your previous post).

Steven

you should cut down on the number of tricks you carry and just have a couple of routines per night. or you could also look at my post on your first post which is coincidently right after steve's post like it is here.

I carry about a dozen effects when I perform walk-around, which isn't a problem in that I have numerous pockets available (pants and suit jacket). I could carry only two effects and perform those all night, but I'd lapse into a boredom-induced coma.

Larry D.

If you wear jacket you can do as I did and add two small inside card deck size pockets to each side, towards the bottom, under the inside breast pockets. (There may be one there already as "standard equipment" with the jacket.)

This gives me room for the four decks I use with no bulges. They are all red Bikes, I keep each deck in the same pocket all the time. It allows me to switch decks between effects (some card stuff, some coin stuff, some more card stuff with a different deck), with the spectators assuming its always the same deck.

Bill Beach

Thanks Bill. That makes the most sense to me, so far. How do you handle venues when it's so hot that wearing a jacket is unthinkable?

ATPG

You may try wearing a fanny pack. I have seen magic store dealers wear these to carry the various props they use.

When it's too hot for a jacket and the dress is very casual I wear a pair of shorts with "cargo" pockets, actually mine have an extra pair of zippered pockets behind the regular cargo pockets.

For "dressier" casual occasions I wear slacks with cargo pockets or a pair of "mobile" Dockers that are manufactured with hidden extra pockets.

You also might consider a vest, go on down to the topic titled "The Clothes We Wear", there are serveral
threads on different types of vests and where they can be purchased.

Bill Beach

Thanks Bill. That makes the most sense to me, so far. How do you handle venues when it's so hot that wearing a jacket is unthinkable?

Hi,
To me if I am being payed good money it's never too hot! I think it's down to the performer to get on with it. I have been performing quite a lot (24 times in the last 2 months in a large (for where I live) theatre 750 seater we had a Blazing summer the stage theatre is about 70' long and lit to the hilt I close the show with a straight jacket escape and at the end of the act I was dripping wet but that's all part of performing professionaly. Same with close up as far as I am conserned
Phillip

Dripping with sweat doesn't sound like the person I want standing next to me performing magic.

I suppose it is different if you are on a stage.

Dripping wet with sweat adds to vs. detracts from a straight jacket escape. You want to convince the audience that it's extremely difficult, and sweat/exhaustion adds to that impression.

Here's a related story. I performed for years at a famous magic dinner theater/bar in the mid-80's, and after the show, one of the performers would go out into the crowd and thank people for coming, BS with everyone, etc., while he was still dripping wet with sweat from performing on stage. I once asked him why he didn't wipe off the sweat before mingling with the crowd, and he explained that he wanted to leave people with the impression that he worked hard. Words of wisdom.

Larry D.

Being a deck junkie, I carry a ton of decks on me. I put in several extra pockets on the inside of my jacket, each one holding a deck. When I put it on, I feel like I'm wearing a bullet-proof vest!

The mobile dockers pants were my solution. I have too many gaffed decks so I only carry one on me with a regular deck at the restraunt. my case is in the back of the house so if I feel I need to change for someone special I can do that too. the pants have so many pockets that you could really carry... at least seven different decks on you and still look normal.

I just bought 2 pair of these pants.
Turns out you get 2 extra slim pockets on outside thigh and you get a double-pocket on the right pant pocket instead of just a single-pocket.

I have not tried them out yet but I'm hoping I'll like them.

Ick!

Whilst performing at UCLA on Wednesday I met a young man who wanted to know where I bought my "magic" cards; it seems he's a beginning magician with a host of special decks. I handed him the deck I was using, purchased at Costco because they're cheap there, and asked him to show me something. He fiddled a bit and handed them back. I told him to get "Royal Road" or "Close-Up Card Magic"; he told me that he had a book on card magic: you know the one--black, with the hat on the cover.

I did three hours of walk-around with two regular decks--blue and red--a Card Warp deck, two coin purses, three ropes, five rubberbands and a Sharpie marker, whilst wearing slacks, a shirt with a breast pocket, and a vest: seven pockets total, two of which I didn't use. (I'd wanted to wear a bowler, but couldn't find one in time; I'm not sure it would have given me any additional storage space.) The only reason I had two regular decks was insurance against "losing" a needed card--an ace, for example.

Methinks this thread belongs under the rubric of "Where to put it all..."

Those Dockers sound intriguing, however.

One word here, don't you think a spectator will get curious as to why you are carrying around fifty decks on you in special made pockets in your jacket. I have seen a magician do this and I have one or two added pockets in my jackets, but keep your jacket closed, because it does not look good if they see a whole bunch of cards in your jacket. But I just say away from trick decks all together, except for my shows and that's only a stacked deck. It is just easier to use a normal deck and do a few good trick with it.

Brad

David Stone was selling a type of pouch that he uses for restuarant magic that holds alot of stuff. I e-mailed him a few months ago asking if I could buy one through the web, but he said they were all out. So if you see him on tour he might have some that he only wants to sell at lectures.

"I use a regular deck, invisible, Svengali, and set of David Regal decks. "

1.Cut the Regal decks, Svengali, and invisible.

2.Corner short the regular deck.
3.Buy Kollassal Killer.
4.Buy one of the new german made shim cards, and an m-5 or cheaper for a no strings rising card.(as well as PK)
5.Buy the Euro reader deck and stack per instructions.

There. Plenty going on with two decks. One in each pocket. This will give you 2-3 effects on one deck, and 2-3 on the other. Every other table gets the right or left pocket. This gives the specs something to talk about since they all saw something different. The more they talk the bigger the 'miracles' become.

The corner short deck gives you a key card and still lets you do Chicago Surprise or other well known classics, as well as a killer no strings rising card that can work under any lighting.(takes practice!)

The effects of a marked and stacked deck are some of the most amazing out there. If a spec kills your order you still have a marked deck to work from.

Use KK for your out.

Two decks.

I wear a vest.

When it comes to doing strolling card magic, I may carry two decks on me at the most. I usually carry an old incomplete deck for signed card effects and a full deck for other effects. I prefer to learn handlings that allow me to do the same basic effect as a gaffed deck.

But, gaffed decks can be used for sit-down performances, behind the bar and in parlor shows, because a prop case can be used.