cambric or smooth?
- Thread starter ch17772
- Start date
Depends on the kind of smooth finish.
Steamboats are one of the best fanning decks I own and they're smooth. Aladdins can't fan at all. The "Ivory" finish is another version of the smooth finish wherein the fans degrade quickly with use as well.
I prefer Cambric -almost- always.
Steamboats are one of the best fanning decks I own and they're smooth. Aladdins can't fan at all. The "Ivory" finish is another version of the smooth finish wherein the fans degrade quickly with use as well.
I prefer Cambric -almost- always.
If you do both magic and flourishing, Cambric is the way to go. Smooth finish is mainly for flourishing as the cards hold together well. But if you have magic in mind, smooth finish cards clump easily. Also, smooth finish on cards makes fanning and usage go down super quick. I would suggest the Cambric over the Smooth finish for now.
It really depends on getting used to your cards. I basically disagree at least in part with both of the above posts. I find that for general magic the clumping issues not a huge deal and it won't really effect you until the deck gets REALLY clumpy. Example. There are a lot of modern card move that use what I call a "Single card glide." It is basically when you want to get one card, and one card only, to separate from the pack. (I hate to list specific moves as that might tip the method on some sleights) A smooth finish deck, even when it is slightly clumpy, will generally perform these moves better. The cambric finishes some times have the tendency(because they fan so well) of fanning a few cards along with the card you want to slide. The second thing that smooth decks are really good at are holding two or more cards together. I think most people know exactly what that is good for. Finally smooth decks are pretty good in multi-packet and packet aerial cuts. So for flourishes into that kind of stuff they will give you an edge.
If what you are looking for is a deck that fans and shuffles smoothly then cambric is the way to go. So for guys doing lots of shuffle work, gambling demos, and flourishing with long dribbles, springs and fans, cambric is where it is at.
Naturally most people from north America and England are more used to the cambric because that's what USPCC and Waddingtons uses. Therefore they will likely have more success with these brands regardless of their style unless they are willing to take the time to really work with a smooth finish deck. Also bear in mind that smooth finish is not USPCCs specialty. The Steamboat was indeed a thing of beauty but the other than that the USPCC smooth finish decks really don't hold a candle to the European manufacturers. If you really want to try out a smooth finish go get a Fournier 505 or a Piatnik Club or Star Club(be careful to make sure you are getting a poker sized deck when buying Piatnik.)
All and all I would say, think personal style more than "Flourisher" vs "Magician." Here would be my rough suggestions
Smooth finish:
Flourishers: Multi packet, Sybil and Molecule, style cuts. Aerial packet tosses and catches.
Magicians: Modern style card magic with a love of knuckle busting one handed moves. Diving Board DLs, Clip Shifts, one handed pop-outs, one handed shifts, venus trap, and other moves with that sort of "feel"
Cambric Finish:
Flourishers: Classic manipulation acts, catching cards in fans, single card displays. Aerials that are in the vein of spread catches, springs and long anaconda style dribbles.
Macicians: More classically influenced card mechanics. Like culling, false shuffling, riffle stacking, bottom dealing, any sleight based off a dribble(Forces and shifts),
Personally...I say get both. My flourishing style is more power than elegance so I prefer flourishing with smooth. My "in the hands" card magic uses a lot of modern moves so again I prefer smooth for that. But my real "guilty pleasure"(the magic I love to practice but hardly ever perform" are gambling demos and for that nothing in the world beats a Bee card on Aristocrat stock. Which BTW you can purchase right here at T11! Bee Stingers....thing of beauty!
If what you are looking for is a deck that fans and shuffles smoothly then cambric is the way to go. So for guys doing lots of shuffle work, gambling demos, and flourishing with long dribbles, springs and fans, cambric is where it is at.
Naturally most people from north America and England are more used to the cambric because that's what USPCC and Waddingtons uses. Therefore they will likely have more success with these brands regardless of their style unless they are willing to take the time to really work with a smooth finish deck. Also bear in mind that smooth finish is not USPCCs specialty. The Steamboat was indeed a thing of beauty but the other than that the USPCC smooth finish decks really don't hold a candle to the European manufacturers. If you really want to try out a smooth finish go get a Fournier 505 or a Piatnik Club or Star Club(be careful to make sure you are getting a poker sized deck when buying Piatnik.)
All and all I would say, think personal style more than "Flourisher" vs "Magician." Here would be my rough suggestions
Smooth finish:
Flourishers: Multi packet, Sybil and Molecule, style cuts. Aerial packet tosses and catches.
Magicians: Modern style card magic with a love of knuckle busting one handed moves. Diving Board DLs, Clip Shifts, one handed pop-outs, one handed shifts, venus trap, and other moves with that sort of "feel"
Cambric Finish:
Flourishers: Classic manipulation acts, catching cards in fans, single card displays. Aerials that are in the vein of spread catches, springs and long anaconda style dribbles.
Macicians: More classically influenced card mechanics. Like culling, false shuffling, riffle stacking, bottom dealing, any sleight based off a dribble(Forces and shifts),
Personally...I say get both. My flourishing style is more power than elegance so I prefer flourishing with smooth. My "in the hands" card magic uses a lot of modern moves so again I prefer smooth for that. But my real "guilty pleasure"(the magic I love to practice but hardly ever perform" are gambling demos and for that nothing in the world beats a Bee card on Aristocrat stock. Which BTW you can purchase right here at T11! Bee Stingers....thing of beauty!
Last edited by a moderator: