Butterfly Side Stripper Deck: Setup and Basic Moves

Quick Answer

Setting up your Butterfly Side Stripper Deck is straightforward: remove the deck from its box, fan the cards to confirm the tapered long edges, and then orient all cards with the same edge facing you. Once set, you can perform basic moves like the classic stripper cut and a simple location trick without any sleight of hand.

Understanding the Side Stripper Deck

Unlike a standard stripper deck tapered on the short edges, the Butterfly Side Stripper Deck is tapered on the long edges. This design, hand-cut one card at a time in Prague, gives you a different mechanical advantage: you can cut to a selected card using a side-to-side motion rather than a front-to-back one. The one-way orientation of all cards—a core feature of Butterfly Playing Cards—makes the deck even more powerful, because the back design already tells you which end is up.

Before you start, inspect your deck. Fan the cards and look at the long edges: you should see a very slight wedge shape. The wider end of each card is the 'thick' side; the narrower end is the 'thin' side. All cards in a properly set stripper deck must have the thin side facing the same direction. If any card is reversed, the taper will work against you.

Basic Setup: Orienting the Deck

Hold the deck in your left hand with the faces toward you. Take off the top card and rotate it 180 degrees so the thin edge now points opposite to the rest of the deck. This single reversed card will be your 'key card' for location effects. For the standard stripper cut, you do not need any reversed cards—just ensure the entire deck is uniformly oriented.

Common mistake: assuming the taper is uniform across every deck. Because these are hand-cut, slight variations exist. Always test your deck by riffling the long edge: you should feel a smooth, consistent 'click' as the thin edges slide past each other. If you feel a catch, a card may be reversed or the deck may need a gentle break-in.

Basic Move 1: The Stripper Cut (Location)

This is the foundational move for any stripper deck. After a spectator selects a card, have them return it to the deck while you hold the deck with the thin edge facing you. When you cut the deck, the selected card (now reversed) will 'stick out' from the long edge. You can then cut to it or simply lift it out. Practice with the deck face-down so you learn the feel by touch, not sight.

Checkpoint: if the selected card does not protrude, you likely oriented the deck incorrectly before the selection. Always confirm the thin edge is toward you before the card is returned.

Basic Move 2: The Side Stripper Revelation

Once you have located the selected card using the stripper cut, you can reveal it dramatically. Hold the deck in your left hand, thumb on top. With your right hand, riffle the long edge near the corner. The reversed card will 'pop' up slightly. Slide it out and show it. This move looks like a mind-reading trick because the card seems to rise on its own.

Common mistake: riffling too hard or too fast. A gentle, even riffle produces the cleanest pop. Practice with a few different decks to learn the pressure that works for your specific Butterfly Side Stripper Deck.

Setup and Basic Moves Checklist

1. Check the taper direction: Fan the deck and look at the long edges. Identify the thin and thick sides of the cards. All cards must have the thin side facing the same direction. If you see a card with the thin side reversed, rotate it 180 degrees.
2. Set the key card (optional): Reverse one card (rotate it 180 degrees) so its thin edge points opposite to the rest of the deck. This card will be your 'key' for location effects. Only one reversed card is needed for most routines.
3. Perform the stripper cut: Hold the deck with the thin edge toward you. After a card is returned, cut the deck. The reversed card will protrude from the long edge. If the card does not stick out, re-check your orientation.
4. Reveal with a riffle: Riffle the long edge near the corner. The reversed card will pop up slightly. Slide it out to reveal it. Use a gentle, even riffle for the cleanest pop.

Product Details

• Butterfly Playing Cards Side Stripper Deck: The Butterfly Side Stripper Deck is hand-cut one card at a time in Prague, tapered on the long edges, and combines the features of a stripper deck with the one-way orientation of Butterfly Playing Cards. The hand-cut taper ensures precise, consistent performance for the basic moves described above. The one-way back design adds an extra layer of control, letting you use both the taper and the back pattern for location effects.