Card box openers

[MrMollusk]

One thing I've always wanted to do is open a deck of cards in a really cool, flashy manner. Right now, before I perform magic/cardistry, I just spin it through the air, like Dan and Dave's Vertigo, but in the box.

Does anyone know of any really interesting ways to open a standard deck? (preferably free, but I could throw down a few bucks) The Virt's Rubix opener would be awesome, but it's not available.

Thanks!

[Joker and the Thief]

I'm not aware of any really (except for the Rubix Opener). Usually people just make them up as they go along. Your best bet is to create your own. Incorporate deck spins and twirls and flips and you should be able to come up with something cool and flashy. Just play with it.

[KPopFever605]

For me, the key in magic is not to over-exaggerate everything. Keeping things nice and simple can provide the same reaction as adding a whole stockpile of flourishes. It's not how you present the cards, but rather how you present your trick.

On another note, if you are looking to open your deck in a flashier manner, I personally may just spin the deck between my middle finger and thumb, or add a deck flip if I'm in the right mood.

[Don Boyer]

I just use quick, precise motions, similar to what one might use when opening a thumb-flip pocket knife or opening and lighting a Zippo lighter.  Little flicks here and there that make cool-sounding noises and get the job done efficiently.

A move-by-move breakdown of what I do to open a pack.  Bear in mind I'm a lefty, usually using the mechanic's grip in my right hand.

• Grasp pack in right hand, thumb cutout facing up and left.
• Place left thumb on lid at thumb cutout, apply pressure and flick open with a downward motion.
• Use left fingers to push lid back - if the lid is new, creasing back the lid hinge on the face - and grasp the entire deck.
• Place box down, place deck in right hand into a face-up mechanic's grip, face up.
• Count off of the deck, one at a time, the extra cards (ads, jokers, gaffs, etc.) into the left hand and flip them face-down as a group between the index finger and thumb.
• Regrip the extras between thumb and middle finger, with index finger pressed against left edge.
• Turning the right hand face-down, still holding the deck in mechanic's grip, pick up the empty tuck box between thumb and both the middle and ring fingers.
• Line up the bottom edge of the extra cards at the tuck opening, between the lid and the flap closest to you.  Flick it into the box with a swift move of the left index finger.

I usually leave the box open, ready to slip the cards back in or remove one or two of the extras at a moment's notice.  That probably reads a lot more boring than it looks...

I'll sometimes use two identical jokers for an exchange where I make the spectator believe he's holding his card when in the end he's holding mine.  Now some people conclude, "oh, but a deck has two jokers," so what I do is use a standard pack of Bicycles and an extra guarantee joker from another pack, leaving me with five extras instead of four.  I use the guarantee jokers - which most people wouldn't expect doubles of anyway - for the exchange, pulling them out together as if it was a double lift and present the remaining extras if necessary after the trick to convince the spectator that I didn't simply "use the other joker".  Works pretty well.

[MrMollusk]

Thanks for all the advice, guys!

The main reason for this was because it always seems like the boxes, which sometimes look awesome, are excluded from the routine. I've been experimenting with flips and spins, but it never looks as fluid or deliberate as I want it to.

Don, that's by far the classiest way to open a deck out of any other methods I've heard of! I'll give it some practice.

[Jin Jian]

de'vo opener are freaking awesome