I posted this somewhere else, but I think this might go good here too..

Hey so this is something that I feel has potential but can't seem to come up with a good use for it. I'm thinking of something like switching it in after they've shuffled the cards (as they are showing their chosen card around). I would have one card on the bottom of it and a few on the top to simulate a deck with some overhand shuffling. I was then thinking about pretending to be wrong a few times before giving it to them to hold (at this point just being the deck and their card on top)... looking around flustered then making some comment about them being able to 'see through' the magic and opening it to find the deck is glass except for their card?

This might work but I havent tested it out much. Any other ideas?

Bill Abbott has a GREAT routine in his book:
http://www.shopmagicvault.com/Cocktail-C......785.html

its called ctrl alt del.

I don't see any video showing the performance on you tube - but Bill did this at his lecture and its STRONG!

If you get a chance to get that book - its worth every penny.

James Brown has a nice effect using the omni deck in his Professional Opportunist DVD series which recently came out.

Has the spectator pick a card, hold the deck between their hands and visualise seeing through the deck to see their card. Open their hands and they see through the deck with their selection staring right back at them.

Martin Saunderson has a good routine for the omni deck on his DVD set

Also I have been told that Bill Abbott's book Cocktail Magic is available to buy as a download. Is this true? If so does anyone know where it can be purchased?

James Brown's stuff is always awesome.

truesoldier, where can the Martin Saunderson DVD set be found?

I've been using omnideck as a closer of the card part of my close-up show for years.
It's really a killer effect

Spectator stay speechless

I always use it in my standard Card to Mouth routine which is one of the most popular uses for this thing. Bring it into play under strong misdirection and you will fry people... period.

I think what makes his trick good is the reveal. You first see the spectator's reaction and their face trying to figure out what is this thing. Then you let the others see what the the spectator is seeing.

Omni Deck is one of the most memorable items in my performance. I believe that the climax and many will agree, that the spectator holding the cards and feeling them vanish to a clear block is unbeatable.

I always thought the original idea behind the Omni deck was better. Switch in a regular deck of cards that has all of the cards glued together after your ambitious card routine.

Have fun!

John

Is this "Solid deception" ?

You always get the audience think that you could have glued the cards during the performance...
Why offer them that doubt ?
With a transparent deck, they can't find an answer, and that's what I want.

I also use it as the kicker ending for my ACR, it kills!!!

How do you guys keep your Omni deck from scratches? I've had three.. after a while, they just look horrible..

I may have imagined this but doesn't someone offer a more scratch resistant version? I've got shawn Farquhar in my head but could be wrong.

I keep mine in the box it came in and keep it in it's own pocket when I perform. At least a year old and hundreds of performances, still looking good. In terms of routines, matthew wright uses this in his calzaghe opener which is quite nice.

I find the babe can be easily scratched too. I do switches between pockets and different routines before I get to my omni deck.. I suppose that's why.

Shawn Farquhar is the guy who makes scratch proof omni decks - he sells them from his site.

I've got omni deck and never used it. Think mine might have a fault as it's a fraction thinner than a card which to me is noticable. Perhaps too fussy !! Think I'll give it a bash tonight.

I have one of Farquhar's and while it stayed pretty scratch resistant, it isn't resistant to Dog bite marks. Haha. Add's character I guess.

As far as I am aware all new Omni decks are now made like this. They used to be the same size as a card but it made lifting the top card hard. Now they have fractionaly reduced the size so it is easy to pick up the card.
No one will ever notice the size discrepancy, honest!