I have watched two different tutorials on how to seperate the cards to show that one is reversed in the deck. It looks so easy when I watch them on the video do it. But I can not do it one handed no matter how many times I try it. Has anyone else ever run into this same problem. I figure it's one of two things, either I just can't do it, or I have a deck that is super roughed.

The only way I can do it is by stopping where the named card is and physically use two hands to seperate the cards, and this really looks like I am doing something funky, and not smooth.

I am thinking of maybe buying one more deck to see if it is me or the deck.

Skyfire,
Could it have to do with dry hands on your part? This is a problem I have - my hands are so dry and slick that I really have no 'purchase' on the surface of a card. Typically, I have to pick at the edges of the 2 cards to separate them - which is why I don't perform Invisible Deck. -)

Larry S.

PS: You may see some other threads recommending hand preparations (lotions, etc.) to help with dry hands, if it is your problem. Many of these work quite well (for a short period) in adding some tackiness to hands, to help with certain sleights and movements.

It's strange. I've heard some other magicians say this lately. And, they're missing out on what is probably the greatest gaffed deck ever invented.

My advice is buy an Invisible Deck from Daryl. Daryl sells THE best IDs, in my opinion. I just bought two - one red and one blue - and they were both perfect.

http://www.daryl.net/product_detail.php?id=624&cat_id=0

Also, you might want to pick up his DVD on the Invisible Deck from his "Essentials in Magic" series. I believe Daryl describes a way to secretly moisten your fingers before you have to separate the cards. That helps a lot.

Robert

Yes normally the problema is dry hands, the lotions and stuff work if you don't ait too long after applying it, just lick your fingers before you do the reveal, it Works for me anyway.

I find that new invisible decks are impossible to separate without licking my fingers. After a while they reach a state where they were perfectly and then after a while they reach a state where the cards don't stay together and it's time to buy a new one.

Daryl's ID is better than many but I have dry hands as well and I still had trouble with Daryl's deck, but it may be fine for you.
The only ID I have found that I can perform without licking my fingers (which I would really prefer not to have to do) or picking at the cards, is this one called a Better Fluid Invisible Deck available from Mimesis Magic.

http://www.mimesis-magic.com/catalog/ite......1018.htm

BTW, in Daryl's Essentials of Magic DVD on the ID he strongly advises not openly licking your fingers as he feels it looks unsanitary and unprofessional. This of course is a matter of personal taste but I tend to agree with Daryl on this. Try the mimesis deck, it's only $8.00 and I think you'll like it.

No need to buy a new one magicMike, just buy some roughing sticks from Harry Robson. They work perfectly, no mess they last forever and you can with a Little practise make the cards stick as much or as Little as you want, I repaired old decks using these.

There are 2 other possible causes.

If you ID is a new one, sometime too much "special treatment" is apply to it makes it harder to separate. Try to use the deck more and the "special treatment" may worn away a bit. The other suggesting is to separate all the cards and reassemble it together couple of times.

The other cause is how much force you use to do the "secret move". May be you are appling too much pressure, please try to do a "lighter" touch.

Hope it helps!

I agree with wingz, skyfire...try a light touch, moisturized finger tips help. Also, take each r****ed pair and slide them back and forth a bunch of times to "loosen" them up a bit. Takes a little while but then you should be good. If THAT doesn't work, don't give up on this deck! Try another one from a different dealer.
Kaylan

Mimesis-magic sells an ID and a Brainwave deck that are easier to fand and to separate because of the way the gimmick is done.
It is not more expensive that e regular ID deck and it is easier to use

Hi , I have used IDs since mid 70s when I was young.... no problem now I can not perform it respectfully . I did purchase both ID and brainwave from Mimesis and now I can do both. I actually found then from another discussion here on difficulty with IDs. I have Daryls' too his I have the most success with but not good enough to show.

Let me echo what Anthony said. You will find the Mimesis decks MUCH easier to use. OR.....you can experiment like I did and make your own decks. I found that Tally Ho cards seem to handle very nicely when you apply the secret ingreedient yourself.

Mike

That Mimesis deck looks pretty cool!

I have found that making my own ID's using Krylon 1311 and a lighter treatment works best for me. The retail decks I have found are usually over-treated.

Recently bought an ID from Card Chark in the parlour size cards... handles beautifully.

I made one up with science friction and now I never have any problems with it.

I'm a big SF fan since it came out. Someone PM'd me last week asking about using SF to make an ID. I'm assuming 26 cards (all odd or all even) would get treated on the back middles... correct? I need to make one up and try it. Such a great product.

That's the way I did it.
The only difference was that I treated the top half of the card.

Hi saysold1,

I made up an ID recently and I treated the back middles. I found that this works extremely well when spreading the cards as when you get to the one you want, spread by thumbing it at the top or bottom of the card and it is exposed very easily. No fiddling to split the cards.

All the best

Michael

I would definitely say that you should try to "wear" the deck by using it a lot, also look into getting a moisturizing lotion. Another thing you want to press lightly when fanning the deck, but you want to press hard when separating the two cars.

Wrong. Just the opposite. Don't you love TMC?

Robert