I guess all you have heard of playing cards used as weapons. Also there's a book called "cards as weapons" by Ricky Jay. In this book are explained different techniques of throwing cards. So is this just a myth or you really can use them as weapons and have they ever been used as weapons?
Playing cards martial art myth
- Thread starter blinken
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Have you read the book? From my reading of it, it seems less a "myth" and more a "joke".
No. You can't use cards as weapons. Gambit isn't real, and the scene from Now You See Me is a complete Hollywood exaggeration. Mythbusters even proved that the worst thing you could do is give someone a paper cut.
'Weapon' covers a wide range of things, though.
But I seriously, seriously doubt you'll ever do any real damage with playing cards. Now, playing card shaped and painted steel is an entirely different matter. I think Now You See Me actually did a decent job of showing that it's just a distraction and highly annoying rather than a weapon. Skinny Pickpocket never did any real damage to Detective Hulk, he just distracted him enough to get away.
But I seriously, seriously doubt you'll ever do any real damage with playing cards. Now, playing card shaped and painted steel is an entirely different matter. I think Now You See Me actually did a decent job of showing that it's just a distraction and highly annoying rather than a weapon. Skinny Pickpocket never did any real damage to Detective Hulk, he just distracted him enough to get away.
I wouldn't count on them as a true source of self defence but if you are good at throwing them you can certainly make a nuisance of yourself with them.
Sticking them into the skin of a watermelon is a classic display of how hard they can be thrown and if you hit someone in the face at that force it would hurt for sure but not likely wound anyone.
Sticking them into the skin of a watermelon is a classic display of how hard they can be thrown and if you hit someone in the face at that force it would hurt for sure but not likely wound anyone.
I don't think Now You See Me was much of an exaggeration, being hit by a good card throw stings like hell, and I suppose in a pinch it could be used as an excellent distraction. That being said, it could be nothing more. You certainly couldn't maim or kill anyone with a card.
Someone with solid aim with playing cards hitting you in the face and/or making you think you'll be hit in the face will be a solid way of keeping someone back. Other than that ... not much use.
That's absolutely enough. Most of these arts are used for self protection not for harming.