Need more help from you veterans

All beginners in magic should address their questions here.
Guest

Need more help from you veterans

Postby Guest » December 3rd, 2002, 5:04 am

This time I have a question about push-off double lift. I'm sure that you guys already know who David Blaine is. I watch his street magic show over and over and I can't seem to figure out how he can do a perfect push-off double lift. Does he spray something on the cards? I have read from another forum that spraying hair spray on both sides of the cards will help do the double lift. Is that true? Does anyone else put or spray anything on their cards? Because I'm having a hell of a difficult time doing this push off double lift.

Thanks.

Bill Mullins
Posts: 5913
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL
Contact:

Re: Need more help from you veterans

Postby Bill Mullins » December 3rd, 2002, 7:47 am

The Dover edition of Expert Card Technique is pretty cheap, and available through any big bookstore (they may even have it on the shelf). It has a pretty good explanation of a two-card push off.

Simon Lovell's first book, and his notes on second dealing, both describe a way to learn a two card push off (in the context of learning a second deal). They would be available from a magic book dealer.

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Need more help from you veterans

Postby Jonathan Townsend » December 3rd, 2002, 2:44 pm

Originally posted by Philip Kim:
... push-off double lift.
Dai Vernon had a good idea about this which also works for second deals.

On the other hand, the description in Expert Card Technique has been a source of much amusement for many years, leading to one wag to publish a similarly described perfect coin vanish.

If you can compromise the integrity of your props (cards in this case) then the technology for making some sleights almost effortless includes roughing fluid, saliva, wax, paperclips, threads and magnets. Let the needs of your routine guide your quest for methods.

Maybe you could let us know what you find works well for you. :)
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Guest

Re: Need more help from you veterans

Postby Guest » December 3rd, 2002, 4:01 pm

Philip,

The push-off double lift is one of those sleights that require a very light touch and a LOT of time to get the knack. Id like to second Bill Mullins recommendation for Simon Says, Simon Lovells first major book. During the course of teaching a push-off second deal he teaches his method for the push-off, which is perfectly applicable to a double lift. Not only is his description accurate, easy to understand and hilarious, but he breaks it down into easy to swallow steps that allow you to slowly progress through learning this challenging sleight.

Though Ive been in magic for 20 years now, I never really spent the time needed to learn the push-off double. With Simons book as a guide, its taken me about six months to feel comfortable using a push-off double under-fire for real people. (And I figure Im about three years from doing the second deal.) It is not an easy slight to learn, but Im finding it to be more and more useful in my work.

My best advice: Relax. The lighter your grip on the cards, the more precise your placement of your thumb is in relation to the bevel of the deck, the easier the push-off double is.

Good luck. (Oh, and dont go for the quick fix of treating the cards. Any gaff should be used only when the effect demands it. Otherwise, when somebody hands you their deck and wants to see that super-cool thing you showed them last week, you might be up a creek. If youre using just your hands and mind, you might just pull off a miracle.)

Zech Johnson

Jeff Eline
Posts: 647
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Need more help from you veterans

Postby Jeff Eline » December 3rd, 2002, 6:44 pm

In Simon's Lovell's video How to Swim with the Card Sharks... He briefly teaches the push off. He does say however, that he believes the push off to be the most difficult move in card magic.

If you're trying to learn a double lift, there are many ways to achieve this (a push off being one). Try some of the other methods while learning the push off.

User avatar
Matthew Field
Posts: 2846
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Slydini
Location: Hastings, England, UK

Re: Need more help from you veterans

Postby Matthew Field » December 4th, 2002, 6:53 am

I'll hop in here and suggest Bro. John Hamman's Double Lift from "Secrets of Bro. John Hamman" and Steve Draun's astonishingly natural double from "Secrets Draun from Underground."

Matt Field

Guest

Re: Need more help from you veterans

Postby Guest » December 4th, 2002, 11:48 am

The double lift that David Blaine is using is not published. It belongs to Bill Kalush. David taught it to me around 1993. Once you know the technique it is not hard to do at all. As a matter of fact it is really easy once you get the knack. I don't use it as I dont think it is a really natural way to turn a card over.


Return to “General”