Talk:Sleight of hand

Practical examples
I would like to ask what contributors think about linking to practical examples of sleight of hand ...such as this, Card tricks and how to palm a card. Is it better to have just a few external references or would it be valuable to actually write separate wiki pages on each trick? Collieman 16:44, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Quibble: misnomer
Misdirection is not a misnomer. Misdirection means "direction away". It would be uninformative to call the card sharp's art "direction". To the extent that the observer is directed away from what he intends to observe, he is misdirected.

I agree completely. The sentence about "misdirection" being a misnomer is both erroneous and incomplete. Even if it were a misnomer, it would be important to identify the proper terminology. Chachilongbow 21:06, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

Many "tricks" involve several different aspects of magic. For example, a much platform magic involves a combination of "gimmicks" and "sleight of hand," whereas close-up magic usually combines misdirection and "sleight of hand." I would prefer to see the classes of magic (illusion/stage magic, platform magic, and close-up magic) as separate entities. Then the elements (gimmicks, contraptions, misdirection, sleight of hand, etc.) as a separate class. Thirdly, individual "tricks" as yet another class. When developing the pages for each class, references to and from the other classes and trick examples might be referenced. -Ben Smith

Le Jeu de Main
Does anyone have a source for the assertation that the word legerdemain is derived from this? I've never heard this before, and it seems a very convoluted explanation for a word that could be explained so much easier as "leger de main" (which indeed is also the direct meaning of the word). The online etymological dictionary (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=legerdemain&searchmode=none) has never heard of this explanation either, so unless someone has a source, I'm very inclined to delete it. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor Steevm 02:21, 29 September 2006 (UTC)

I can't find any sources that claim that legerdemain comes from "le jeu de main". I've removed it until someone can back it up. Steevm 03:13, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

Legerdemain does not derive from "Le jeu de main" meaning "the game of the hands." It is a french derivative, but it actually derives from "leger" meaning lightness or nimbleness and "de main" meaning hands: nimbleness of the handsMichaelfeldman (talk) 08:40, 10 January 2010 (UTC)

Exposing Magic Secrets
As a magician, I don't think it's a good idea to expose magic secrets casually. The magic loses it's entertainment value. Patrick Murrray 03:07, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

Except to those that are entertained by reading the "how to" of it all, no? 140.185.215.122 16:00, 25 January 2007 (UTC)SteveSharp

Personally, understanding how a piece of magic just allows me to better appreciate the skill of the magician in question in their ability to perform it. After all, what is the true definition of magic? To me, it is simply something that is done, the technique of which is unknown. Once the technique is known, the magic then transfers from the "trick" to the magician being able to perform the "trick" so well! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.241.197.44 (talk) 15:30, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

The Pass and Side Steal
Currently The Pass redirects here: it had its own article, then it was agreed to be merged in, but there's no reference to it in Sleight of hand. Shouldn't a description be included here (nothing too detailed)? Side steal should be similarly redirected here with a brief description of the effect, and outline of the method. TrulyBlue (talk) 10:55, 19 September 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree with your suggestion of having a brief description of The Pass and Side Steal with an outline of the method. I'll work on the additions and will get them up as soon as I can. I would also like to add one or two more examples reflecting sleight of hand in other areas, such as coin magic also.FrankelHuang (talk) 02:44, 5 April 2009 (UTC)


 * Where did this section go? Ajaf2005 (talk) 01:26, 5 June 2010 (UTC)

Popular Culture or Popular Reference Section?
I removed some references to Call of Duty or Prison Break, but if there is a desire to have these remain I think it would be appropriate to add a pop culture section. Trellis (talk) 15:42, 24 March 2009 (UTC)

Sleight of Hand, yes. The Pass, no.
This article is an instance of misdirection or sleight of hand. There used to be an article about The Pass (which I believe is the classic pass).

"The Pass" redirects here, but is not mentioned and definitely not defined. This redirection is therefore misdirection.

There is, at the bottom, a See Also list that includes other passes such as the Hermann Pass and the Invisible Turnover Pass...but not *Thee Pass*.

DrZygote214 (talk) 09:33, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

February 2015
This article require serious improvements and copyediting per it's level 4-rating. Being a former sleight of hand artist myself, I will improve the article as best I can. Jonas Vinther • (speak to me!) 02:06, 26 February 2015 (UTC)
 * It's done. Going to nominate it for GA-status. Jonas Vinther • (speak to me!) 18:59, 26 February 2015 (UTC)

Not sleight of hand
"The cardsharps" is about cheating, but not about sleight of hand. IMHO it is irrelevant to this article. Gil_mo (talk) 23:17, 23 December 2021 (UTC)