Forgotten Sleights

[Zhay]

Hello,

Recently, I've been interested in reading some old magic books and what not. I was wondering if any of you knew of some old sleights that once were used a lot but now not so much (or sleights that have just been forgotten).

For example, I feel like the Mexican turnover used to be more popular than it is now. Other moves that are less common include the Altman Maneuver, Hamman Count, Tip Over Change, Center Deal, etc... I'm sure there are other moves that are even more uncommon.

 

[TheatreHead]

I'm probably reading too far into this, but it seems like the subtext is that people should be using these forgotten sleights? If not, then I'm not sure what the purpose of this thread is.

Sleights are simply a means to an end. If they're not congruent with a performer's style or magic, then there's no reason for them to be used. For example, I use the pass a LOT. I also use a stacked deck. If I'm not working with my stack then I don't use the pass at all, there's just no reason to.

Also, I'm not sure if at any stage the Center Deal was ever used extensively for Magical purposes.


One thing I will say, is that the Top Change is far too overlooked for the Double Turnover.

 

[Zhay]

The subcontext is not that people should be using the sleights but rather that maybe there are some sleights I haven't heard of that I could be using. Also, I'm looking for different ways to do the same things so that I can 1) trick other magicians and 2) perfect the same effect in multiple ways.

 

[Josh Burch]

Veeser concept is one that could be used in place of an Elmsley count

 

[eostresh]

Seconds and bottoms, though still common in demo magic, used to be used a lot more in magical effects.

Intentionally, or not, theaterhead touched on an interesting point. Styles of magic have changed a lot. In many ways those styles have dictated the abandonment of older sleights in favor of newer ones. There are indeed some sleights that have simply fallen out of fashion. The top change, mentioned above, is certainly one of those. The pass lives on but it seems as if more people perform it as a color change, to impress other magicians that they have mastered the move, as opposed to its original intended purpose, controlling the deck without disturbing the order of the cards.

I have really taken to the study of hops and dive shifts. I personally think both moves are a big improvement over the classic pass in terms of "burnability." The only drawback is that they require a table. Fewer and fewer magicians work from a table so these moves are impractical for many.

In other move, and for that matter move category, are the one handed shifts. Believe it or not the Charlier cut was originally referred to as the Charlier pass. It's original purpose was to shift packets secretly. So you might want to explore the use of one handed shifts. Richard Turner has his own modification of the Erdinase one handed shift and Ben Earl has done some work on this as well.

Now I am just beginning to ramble on. If you want to "re-discover" old moves devour Expert at the Card Table and Expert Card Technique, then read Marlow....come to think of it....Just READ! Most of the moves I use that other magicians have not encountered before are moves I learned from books, both old and new.

 

[onimushalord89]

there is a lot of stuff in Card Collage that I rarely see used. The Allerton change is a beautiful move and no one does it. That and the Kaps switch, which is a great way to switch out a sandwiched card.

 

[Josh Burch]

Jay Ose false cut is nice as well.

 

[Demain]

Jerry Andrus invented several innovative card sleights and concepts that are very deceptive.
His sidewinder shift is one of the several sleights that has been overlooked by many magicians.
One of his best is the concept of when the card is placed into the middle of the deck, it stays there and the magician does not cut or shuffle the cards after that. Jerry did not like all the over-used double under cuts and stuff.