I stepped back from my magic education after we lost Dick Oslund. He was my best buddy (and mentor) in magic, and I kinda got depressed and just lost interest for a while. Then health problems kept me away even longer. But magic and mentalism have brought me so much joy over the years, and I'd like to keep that going in some ways. While I don't really perform magic (or music) anymore, I do love the occasional random one-on-one experiences that seem to offer themselves to me in the most unexpected of moments.
What little sleight of hand I used to use has become difficult due to my health issues, and after bouncing around through different ideas, I find myself interested in con games like Fast and Loose.

I love that there are no difficult moves, everything looks so clean, and it can be performed for anyone, regardless of language barriers. I also love that it doesn't feel at all like a typical a magic trick.

The reason for this post is two-fold.
I am looking to find the best place in which to begin a deep dive education on Fast and Loose. Not only method and explanation, but it's history and origin. While I do know the method, I'd like to start fresh with this. As if I'm starting with zero knowledge on the subject.

Secondly, I am hoping to receive some recommendations for similar cons/effects that do not require much physicality in the sleights used, work great one-on-one, and don't look too "magic-y".

Edit: I don't like to work with playing cards when I can avoid it, so no card cons please.
I do love things like dice, shiner work, objects that we see everyday but aren't considered "magical", envelope work, and really anything that gives off an "old-timey" feel.

Sorry for the long winded post. Thanks ahead of time for any advice/information.

For Fast and Loose you can't go wrong with School for Scoundrels material. Marc DeSousa had a good teaching video also, might be hard to find.

Since you don't like cards, there's a monte using plastic disks, a number of threads here.

I would say to check out the work Pop Haydn and Chef Anton did on the matter in the School for Scoundrels. They also have work on The Shell Game, and Three-Card Monte (but I know you said you don’t like cards). They also put out high quality props for both scams under the school for scoundrels name. You may also be interested in looking into the Three-Disk Monte (since you don’t like cards) and a scam called “On the Barrel Head” or “Pricking the Garter” you may be interested in Brian Brushwood’s YouTube channel Scam School he has hit many if not all of the con’s listed above and many other topics. Good luck and have fun, I hope this helped.

Awesome! Now that I'm reminded of Pop Haydn, I vaguely recall someone on the Café telling me about his work on this years ago. I just wasn't very interested at the time, as I was already attempting to learn too many things at once.

Thank you both, so much! I very much appreciate the help.

Here is the video/pdf file for the School for Scoundrels Notes on Fast and Loose:

https://www.popsmagic.com/store/p59/Fast......PDF.html

Directly from the man himself! Thank you, sir!

Aaaand Thank YOU too, Pop!

As everyone has spoken of Fast & Loose (and quite rightly so, it's a classic) ... let me suggest "LED Monte".
Available from many retail sources.

Simplicity itself ...
2 red LED lights, 1 green LED light (depending).
The spectator tries to follow the green light with no success.

This could even be presented like the famous Derren Brown/Stephen Fry "Yes/No" routine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI5-NDiY7IM

Lots of potential here.

WulfieSmith