The Clumping Dribbles...

[Maverick85]

Coming soon to a doctor's office near you, the clumping dribbles.

Seriously folks, I'm no flourish guy and I know it. At the same time, being able to handle a couple of particular maneuvers without looking like a moron could really add an air of skill and capability with the cards. One such maneuver I want to master is dribbling the cards. Not even the dribble pass, but just being able to walk up and do a smooth fluid dribble (great name for a rock band) to let people know that while I may be a lame card trick guy I'm not just a chug and belch magician. Plus... looks cool. Basically explains why I've learned 90% of the stuff I've ever done; either it might generate interest from the opposite sex or it looked cool.

But, the cards are coming off in clumps. Three to five card wads, nothing flowing or smooth about it. Rather than being a gentle fluid cascade of cards from hand to hand... it looks like one hand is barfing cards irregularly into the hand that's not holding a lot of cards.

I've got air in the deck. One of few flourishy skills I have is to faro shuffle and one hand cascade them together and I do that obsessively. My springing skill is hit or miss but I've even "sprung" the deck into a clean paper bag to make sure the cards weren't sticking/sticky. Still, the cards just don't want to cooperate. If they do fall into a single card dropping, it's always in the latter third of the deck which makes me think that I'm the weak link and something I'm doing isn't right.

I'm using 808 Bikes, I know they're not really flourish cards, but I found a brick for cheap and the backs match my gaffs so I'm working with them.

Any help or thoughts you may like to share would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fox13]

Let's get the deck out of the equation. You should be able to dribble any deck, new and old, 808 or not, USPCC or EPCC, it does not matter. But just to be sure your deck is not extra clumpy, take a brand new deck and try to dribble it out-of-the-box without even breaking it in. If you get the same result as before, it's your technique (most likely it is).

The good news, it that once you can dribble well, you will be halfway through the spring and vice versa. They both require a similar motion of the thumb : rolling. You want to put a bit of pressure on the cards with your index, but not to much, and to release the cards, just roll the thumb, and try to roll it as a pace that will release the cards evenly. Do not try to slide the thumb, or you won't have much control.
This tutorial should be of help, it is good at explaining how to position your other 3 fingers on the outer end of the deck:

When doing the spring, you want to do the same. Keep the bent of the cards constant throughout so all cards is put to the same pressure and thus released at the same speed. To release the cards, roll your thumb and keep your hand in the same position, only the thumb is moving, so you can keep the pressure constant. You will need hand strength for this and it only comes with practice and time. Remember that muscles do not build up overnight, so be patient, it will take you weeks to achieve a nice spring.

Have fun!

 

[Maverick85]

Problem confirmed, it was me. I still can't dribble but now I know how to approach it so I can log the hours. Thanks.

 

[kolebear]

Yeah! Like what fox said, you should be almost riffling with your thumb one by one with your index to the side and moving the hand down and the other hand up to make a huge amazing dribble. I can do a 2 foot anaconda, maybe 2 1/2 feet if I don't mess up.

 

[leumas1960]

Coming soon to a doctor's office near you, the clumping dribbles.

Yes, that does certainly sound like the description of something.. unpleasant.