best double lift?

Jul 6, 2014
106
7
so since my brief career in magic has started, i've been quite intrigued by the double lift. Currently I use a pinky count into a push off or just a regular turnover. However, since watching this clip of dai vernon perform, I now realize how badly I suck and how slow i am

http://youtu.be/OeIBCLw4p8o?t=11m5s

I'm starting to think the strike double may be the best. The time it takes to get a pinky break is just really a hamper, although you can work around it with misdirection. But i'm new to card handling, what is you guys's opinions?
 

James Wise Magic

Elite Member
Dec 28, 2007
1,021
13
It takes takes practice. When I first got into magic I did really crappy double lifts and then independently came up with the strike double lift. Later I found out the original source and it's great. It does take practice but it's something I've never been called on ever since I've started doing it. It's great!
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
Is the strike double 100 percent when you get good at it?

I believe Vernon recommended a break, making me think it has drawbacks
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
The Strike is not 100% - but it's pretty close if you practice it a lot. There's tips you can use to make it more reliable, as well, but there's always a chance you'll miss it.

I wonder - Are you trying to get the break, then do the double one right after the other? If so - there's your problem. You're doing all the work together. Get a break, talk for a moment, do the double. Get the break on the off-beat, not when there's any attention on your hands/the cards.

The 'best' double is the one that the performer has put the most work into perfecting. I used to use the strike, but ended up realizing it didn't look enough like how I turn over single cards. Now I use a push-off, because it perfectly mimics the way I turn over single cards.
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
youre right. I just saw that Dai Vernon video and was like man, i'd love to crank out doubles that fast.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
There are two ways to get a break. The first is to do it while you are talking and gesturing with your hands. (It happens at a time when people think nothing is going on.) The 2nd is something Vernon used to do in his old age. You gesture with the top card and just push off the next card and get a break.

Both of those moments are pretty natural and disarming. As for the double lift.. I would say that Vernon's turnover and lift are pretty much the best because he went out and had people simply turn over a card or lift up a single card and looked at it. If you can make it mimic the way that non magicians would do it. Then it's usually the best.
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
alright, sounds good. The lift Im usually using now is vernon's push off, took me a while to learn but it looks great.

Im assuming in order to do double lifts as quickly as vernon does in that video you pretty much have to use a strike double lift or a lift that uses no break, right? Or maybe do a quick card spread and get a break. Hm, lots of options.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Vernon would always use a break, because it's easier to tell when you are turning over one or two cards. I used to be able to pull off a Push Off, but I was never able to get the right amount of cards. so I later went back to using a break and then started working on the Vernon turnover and Lift with a break.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
If you can make it mimic the way that non magicians would do it. Then it's usually the best.

Only if you change how you handle cards completely.

Your doubles should look like your singles, and your singles should look like your doubles.
 
Sep 2, 2007
1,186
16
42
London
Only if you change how you handle cards completely.

Your doubles should look like your singles, and your singles should look like your doubles.

Amen. Non-magicians (in general) handle cards clumsily. Unless we're going to pretend we've never picked up a deck in our lives (which seems unlikely, given that we've chosen to perform with cards), it's completely natural that our card handling would be a bit more elegant than the average layman. I like the quote from Jason England which is something like, "I handle cards like any laymen would after twenty years of practice".
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
i've also noticed that when i handle the double after a while when my hands are getting sweaty the sticky-ness of the moisture on my fingers will sometimes cause them to separate as i let go of them . i suppose there's no way to avoid this other than keeping hands dry?
 
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