Butterfly Side Stripper vs Original Stripper Deck: Key Differences
By Marked Playing Cards for Magicians | Butterfly Playing Cards ... | Published: 2026-10-16
Category: Comparisons
Compare the Butterfly Side Stripper and the original Stripper Deck: taper direction, handling, and which deck fits your routines. Get clear buying guidance.
Quick answer
The Butterfly Side Stripper Deck is tapered on its long edges, while the original Butterfly Stripper Deck is tapered on its short edges. That single difference changes how you grip, locate, and control cards. Choose the Side Stripper if you prefer side-edge work and want the standard Butterfly one-way orientation; choose the original if your routines already rely on end-edge tapers.
What the taper direction changes in your hands
A stripper deck works because one end or edge of each card is slightly narrower, so a reversed card protrudes and can be pushed out or held back. On the Butterfly Side Stripper Deck, that taper runs along the long edges. On the original Butterfly Stripper Deck, it runs along the short ends. In practice, side taper means your thumb and fingers contact the tapered edge during a normal dealing grip, while end taper means the taper sits at the top or bottom of the packet. Neither is better in the abstract; each rewards different hand positions and different existing habits.
How the Butterfly one-way orientation interacts with the taper
Both decks are handmade in Prague, and both share the Butterfly Playing Cards' one-way orientation: every card has a front and back orientation that matters. With the Side Stripper, the taper and the one-way design sit on different axes, so you can locate a reversed card by feel while still using the orientation for other effects. With the original end-taper stripper, the taper and orientation are easier to track together in a single grip. If you already use the one-way feature heavily, test which axis you naturally monitor first.
Handling and routine fit
Side strippers tend to feel more natural in dealing and tabled spreads because the taper is under your fingers rather than at the ends. Original end strippers tend to feel more natural in overhand and packet work where the ends are exposed. Neither deck is supplied with different option types, so your choice is about the taper itself, not a configuration. If you perform mostly in-the-hands card magic, the Side Stripper may require less adjustment. If you work with packets on a table, the original may feel more direct.
What about marked and bundle options?
The Side Stripper Deck is a stripper deck first; it does not replace a marked deck. If you want to read values without reversing cards, a marked deck such as the Marked Bicycle Rider Back 2nd Ed. is a separate tool. If you are building a practice set or a show kit, the Piña Playing Cards 6-deck bundle gives you multiple decks of the same design, which helps when you want to rehearse a stripper routine without wearing out one deck. The Try-All Set is useful if you are still deciding which paper stock feels right before committing to a full stripper purchase.
Side Stripper vs original Stripper: trade-offs
- Taper axis: Side Stripper tapers the long edges; the original tapers the short ends. Your grip and reversal detection change with that axis. Pick the axis you already monitor without thinking.
- One-way orientation: Both decks share the Butterfly one-way orientation, but the Side Stripper separates taper and orientation onto different axes. If you rely on orientation for effects, test which axis you track first.
- Routine style: Side taper feels natural in dealing grips and tabled spreads; end taper feels natural in overhand and packet work. Match the deck to the grip your routines already use.
- Marked vs mechanical: A stripper locates reversed cards by feel; a marked deck like the Bicycle Rider Back 2nd Ed. reads values. They solve different problems. Decide whether you need location, information, or both.
Product facts
- Butterfly Playing Cards Side Stripper Deck: The Side Stripper decks are tapered on their long edges and are hand-cut one card at a time like Ondrej makes stripper decks for his professional use. Long-edge taper suits side-grip work and gives you a stripper that matches the standard Butterfly one-way orientation without changing your end grip.
- Marked Bicycle Rider Back Playing Cards 2nd Ed. (12 Red Decks): Marked Bicycle Rider Back Playing Cards 2nd Ed. is a discounted bundle of twelve Red decks and the first fully marked Bicycle Rider Backs produced in ten years. If your routine needs value reading rather than edge location, this is the marked-deck path; it does not replace a stripper's mechanical control.
- Piña Playing Cards (6 Decks): The Piña Playing Cards 6-deck bundle gives six decks at a 15% discount, designed with Spanish magician Víctor Piña. Useful when you want a consistent deck for repeated stripper practice or for building a multi-deck set without mixing designs.
Which Butterfly stripper should you choose?
Best for
- Magicians who work primarily from a dealing grip or tabled spread and want the taper under their fingers
- Performers who already use the Butterfly one-way orientation and want the taper on a separate axis
- Buyers who want a handmade stripper deck cut one card at a time
Not for
- Magicians whose routines depend on end-edge tapers in overhand or packet work
- Anyone looking for a marked deck to read card values without reversing cards
- Buyers who need a deck with multiple stock or option configurations, since no option types are supplied
