You COULD use a stripper deck, do what it does best, then let them shuffle all they want! But, it really depends on the trick you are trying to perform.

This is the way I go about doing a few card tricks. You just have to get really good at the palm.

i like to pull out 4 pieces of paper that say D,E,C, and K and then i say: go ahead, shuffle the deck!

OMFG, Guys, I was in the WORST possible situation. I was doing The Invisible Deck Routine and a F:twisted: K G Heckler took the deck right away and shuffled it!!!
darn THOSE BASTARDS!!!!

If you need to get a peek at the botom card...have them shuffle. Now...when they give them back, turn the deck over and fan thru them saying, "see...everything is mixed in, every thing random, no setups.........while you are doing this just look at the bottom card.
Turning them over is a bold move, but shouldn't be questioned because you are "Showing" them all to everyone.
Magically,
Joseph

"Sorry, I am not hiring any helpers right now."

"No problem, you can shuffle the deck as soon as I finish the trick."

Well, most of my card tricks are impromptu. However, if i am going to do one with a set up, I'll have a one way force deck on me. When someone asks to shuffle, I pull that out and hand it to him. Everyone usually gets a good laugh. Also, it's always good to know some false cuts and false shuffles. Use a couple of those and people usually won't ask to shuffle

Craig

well i just tell them" Well, im the magician you know the one with magic running through my body so if you shuffled nothing interesting would happen."
dont know if any of you like that but thats what i do

ROFLMFAO... Omfg, that is awesome... I'm using that from now on. Too hard to decide between the two. At school, I'll use the second. For business, I'll use the first. Omg awesome ideas...

I have three techniques that I use depending on the situation:

1. I simply say "You'll see it doesn't matter" and continue uninterrupted.

2. "Out of this world" - I re-enact the story of Harry Green performing this magic for Winston Churchill - and simply say "I want to do it for you exactly as Harry Green did it".

3. I have a large case on the table - with a variety of decks in it - but they can't be seen by the specs - I start with an effect that allows spec shuffling and after the trick toss the pack in the case. The next card trick I just fetch the appropriate pack - spec thinks it's the same as the one before.

Peter

Why don't you just attack them and stuff...

I bet you all saw that coming.


No seriously, just explain to them that you don't want your cards dirty. And THEN attack them.

Spectator: "Let me shuffle the deck!"

Magician: "Come back here next week with a nice out-fit and breath mints then we'll talk."
_______________________________________

Spectator: "Let me shuffle the deck!"

Magician: "No."

_______________________________________

Spectator: "Let me shuffle the deck!"

Magician: "Why do you wish to mix thy cards? Is there anything over yonder that could occupy you instead until the effect is completed?"

_______________________________________

Spectator: "Let me shuffle the deck!"

Magician: "Was that an order?"

_______________________________________

Spectator: "Let me shuffle the deck!"

Magician: "Okay!" (<--- Can only be said when doing an easy, simple yet effective impromtu trick that doesn't require twenty-pound, bulky, expensive, unexaminable gimmicks. )

_______________________________________

Spectator: "Let me shuffle the deck!"

Magician: "Man, you are the fiftieth person to ask me that today!" (And then just continue with the trick...)



Eah, I suppose those are pretty good.....enough.

Do a pit palm from Cultural Xchange and then let them shuffle. (You can show your hands clean!)

if someone asks "hey can i shuffle the deck?" just pretend that you didnt hear them and keep on going (if you are palming the card then put it on top or whatever) and then if they ask again just say "oh yah sure, no problem" and they think they got you beat, then u just find their card and they are all amazed.

This may be slightly off topic, but what I think is needed here is a short lesson in basic stage craft and misdirection.

I've seen both beginners and seasoned professionals do this. They get their cards and ANNOUNCE everything they're doing. For example "I have here a perfectly ordinary deck of cards."

All that does is draw attention to the deck. Next time you're playing poker, say "Here is my perfectly ordinary deck of cards" and see how many of your buddies want to examine them.

"Now, I am going to shuffle the cards." NO NO NO NO!!!!

They can SEE you're shuffling the cards, why draw attention to it?

A spec has only asked me to shuffle the cards a handful of times in over 10 years of magic.

Approach your spec, and start talking to them, while you're talking, 'absent mindedly' start shuffling the deck. The best false shuffle is the simple over hand. People rarely see anyone but magicians to a hindu shuffle etc, EVERYONE shuffles over hand (at least when standing so they can't do a riffle shuffle.),Again, less attention drawn.

Do a couple of 'in the hands' false triple cuts while you're still talking. Then when you want to begin the trick, ask the spec to cut the deck. Take their half, put yours on top using a finger break, and put the deck back in order using the classic pass.

The result? Everyone has seen you shuffling the cards for a couple of minutes (and you weren't even paying attention to them you COULDN'T have done one of those tricky false shuffles), and to cap matters, you let the spec cut the deck!

Oh, and when you'redone shuffleing, DON'T say "And now the deck is completely shuffled." Just get on with your trick!!

The rule to keep in mind is always act like your performance is just another poker game with your buddies.

When playing poker, you don't mention the deck is ordinary, you don't proclaim the deck is now shuffled, you don't say, I am now taking THREE cards. Why? Because you're not actually doing anything sneaky!

In short, stressing something is ordinary, stressing how thoroughly you've shuffled, just draws attention to the fact that the deck is NOT ordinary, and they're in as random order as the alphabet