Technical Toolbox (Download)

“An innovative and indispensable stockpile of pasteboard weaponry.” John Guastaferro

“A treasure trove of moves, routines, and invaluable information!” John Carey

One of the most ambitious card magic projects ever created is back, and better than ever.

Stephen Hobbs’ Technical Toolbox is one of the most complete studies in card magic: Originally released with more than 170 videos across an entire year, Technical Toolbox has been edited into 52 comprehensive lessons with over six hours of instruction, 55 routines, and 85 techniques, all taught with Hobbs’ trademark precision and clarity. This legendary project has been digitally remastered with upgraded visuals and restored audio, celebrating one of the most comprehensive studies of card magic ever produced.

Back in 2014, Stephen Hobbs, author of Modus Operandi: The Magic of Jack Carpenter, Gene Maze and the Art of Bottom Dealing, and The Essential Sol Stone, set out to do something few thought possible: release a brand-new issue of an online card magic magazine every single week for an entire year.

That ambitious project became Stephen Hobbs’ Technical Toolbox, a deep dive into practical, powerful card magic filled with original sleights, refined techniques, and professional routines. The result impressed Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin so much that they partnered with Hobbs to produce a complete collector’s edition.

Inside, you’ll discover groundbreaking moves like the Ribbon-Spread Switch-Out, Spring Simple Shift,* Subterranean Addition*, Control Grip Technique, and Hobzinzer Cull, plus innovative systems like* B.U.R.P*., SHEE Control, and F.I.A.T. You’ll even learn Hobbs’ personal card mnemonic system.

This is more than just a collection. It’s a complete education in card magic, now remastered for the modern performer.

And best of all, your purchase helps others learn, too.

All profits from this project will support Vanishing Inc.'s young magicians charity, Sharemagic, which helps give young magicians scholarships and helps with international initiatives like The College of Magic in South Africa.

“Stephen Hobbs' philosophy with regard to sleight of hand with cards has always been one of 'optimization.' Never satisfied with something that simply 'works,' it must meet his criteria that includes not only invisibility, practicality, efficiency, and uniformity - it also must be downright clever! He has devised entire systems for palming, counts, culls - you name it - and they all conform to his standards. Stephen Hobbs' Technical Toolbox is the culmination of 25 years spent in the search for this optimal card technique. In this incredible work you will find technique, sleights, subtleties, ruse and strategy; with the express aim of providing solutions that will leave your audiences devastated and clueless - many of which I consider to be THE solution. Every facet of card technique is at least touched upon in this work. From simply sublime methods for obtaining effortless breaks above bottom cards; all the way up to a method for changing ONE poker hand into EVERY POSSIBLE HAND (all ten hands, and in order!) you have at your disposal a complete course in advanced card handling.” Jack Carpenter

Contents of Technical Toolbox

Week 1: The Ribbon-Spread Switch Out

• Basic Ribbon-Spread Switch Out
• Notes on the Ribbon-Spread Switch Out

Week 2: Routines with the Ribbon-Spread Switch Out

• "Re-Mated Elm"
• "Odd Back Intro"
• The Impromptu Hold-Out

Week 3: The Subterranean Addition

• Basic Subterranean Addition
• "The Spectator Touches the Aces"
• "BF-GF Poker"

Week 4: Spring Multiple Shift

• Spring Simple Shift
• Spring Simple Shift Double Control
• Spring Simple Shift Swing Cut Variation
• Spring Cover
• Spring Simple Shift Full Deck Control

Week 5: Bottom Stock Control Techniques

• Fan Break (multiple cards)
• Knuckle Jog Smear Break
• Riffle Shuffle Block Control
• Notes on the Bottom Stock Controls

Week 6: B2T Transfer Cuts

• B2T Twirl Cut
• B2T HB Cut
• B2T Optical Cut

Week 7: "Cased Aces"

• "Cased Aces"

Week 8: "Aces Up"

• "Aces Up"

Week 9: The Hobbzinser Prayer Cull

• Hobbzinser Prayer Cull Technique
• Notes on the Hobbzinser Prayer Cull

Week 10: Routines with the Hobbzinser Prayer Cull

• "Simplex 8-Card Transpo"
• "Simplex Collectors"

Week 11: Five Moves

• Spread Flimpse
• Spring Pop
• Convincing Control Variants
• Angle Slide Replacement
• One-Hand Bent Cop

Week 12: Three Triumph Routines

• "Two-Ton Triumph"
• "Triple Triumph"
• "Real Triumph"

Week 13: The SHEE Control

• SHEE Control No. 1 (single card)
• SHEE Control No. 2 (multiple cards)
• SHEE Control No. 3 (with outjog)
• "Jerry Deutsch's Invisible Card"

Week 14: SHEE Control Variations

• Notes on the SHEE Control
  To RH Palm No. 1 & 2
  Control to Position
  "No Break" Finesses
  SHEE Control Glimpse
• More Notes on the SHEE Control
  SHEE Control Force 1 & 2
  SH Back Palm
  To RH Palm No. 3
  Double Palm
  Carpenter Outjog Variation
• SHEE Control Fold
• "Center Deal Demo"

Week 15: Two Non-Sleight Routines

• "Hummer/Hobbs 3-Card Monte"
• "The Battle of Wits"
• "Ten-Card Wild"

Week 16: BURP (Basic Universal Reverse Placement)

• Basic BURP
• "Choice Sandwich"
• "A BURP Supreme"

Week 17: BURP Unleashed

• JJ Production via BURP
• BURP Switch
• "I Can Beat That!"

Week 18: Control Grip Technique

• Basic Control Grip Technique
• Standard Counts with Control Grip
• Esoteric Counts with Control Grip
• "Aces Up" Intro
• CG Everchange Count

Week 19: Twisting Preliminaries

• A Twisting Set-Up
• Hobbs TTF Reversal
• Wesley James Novrec Turnover Handling

Week 21: Three Small Packet Techniques

• CG Small Packet Break Technique
• CG Thumbnail Double Peel
• SPEC Count Variations
• Hobbs Diminishing Lift Sequence

Week 22: "Aquarius Aces"

• "Aquarius Aces"

Week 23: Control Grip Small Packet Spread Technique

• CG 4-as-3 Spread Display
• CG 5-as-4 Spread Display
• CG Spread Display Variations

Week 24: Before and After the Pass

• Before and After the Pass
  Pre-Pass Pseudo Riffle
  Thinning the Spread
  Post-Pass End Grip Riffle
• On the Pass (Personal Notes)

Week 25: "A Tribute to John Dickson Carr"

• "Tribute to John Dickson Carr"

Week 26: Hobbs Playing Card Mnemonic System

• Hobbs Playing Card Mnemonic System

Week 27: "Marked Card Demo"

• "Never Play with Marked Cards"

Week 28: Two for Gilbreath

• "SCG"
• "The Book of Changes"

Week 29: The Subterranean 'X of Y' Force

• Subterranean "X of Y" Force
• "Subterranean Princess"
• "Subterranean Anastasia"
• "Mind-Reading Queens"
• "Five Wrongs Make a Right"

Week 30: The BS Cut

• The BS Cut

Week 31: Routines with the BS Cut

• "Aces & Jacks = 21, Version 1"
• "Aces & Jacks = 21, Version 2"
• "WPT"

Week 32: Warped Notes

• Warped Notes

Week 33: Five More Moves

• On the Insertion Addition
• Control Grip Hamman Count
• Tabled Bottom Break Techniques
• Weave Shuffle Break Techniques
• On the Strip-Out Addition

Week 34: Casual False Riffle Shuffle

• Review: Strip-Out False Riffle Shuffle
• Casual False Riffle Shuffle
• "Casual Triumph"

Week 35: Interlaced Block Transfer Technique

• Alex Elmsley's "Just Lucky" Shuffle
• Interlaced Block Transfer

Week 36: Routines with the Interlaced Block Transfer

• "One Lucky Night"
• "Interlaced Topsy Turvy"

Week 37: The Stephen's Control (Deep Interlaced Block Transfer)

• Stephen's Control (Deep Interlaced Block Transfer)
• "Interlaced Think-a-Card/Triumph"
• "Interlaced Blackjack"

Week 38: Tabled Multiple Spread Control

• Tabled Multiple Spread Control

Week 39: The Rotary Replacement

• Basic Rotary Replacement
• Rotary Unload
• Rotary KM Move (SH Move)
• Rotary Single to Double

Week 40: The Rotary Change

• Rotary Transformation
• Rotary Outjog Transformation
• Rotary Transformation (to Single Card)
• Rotary Palm Change
• Pre-Change Twirl Flourish
• Rotary Push-In Change
• Rotary Side Steal
• Rotary Miracle Move

Week 41: Three Routines

• "Rotary Dunbury"
• "Revised Reset"
• "Wild & Free"

Week 42: The Subterranean Joker Switches

• The Subterranean Joker Switches
• "Sub-Wild"
• "Sub-Wild (Mark II)"

Week 43: Palming Asides

Part 1: From Bottom of Deck

• Bottom Steal Riffle Cover
• Squeeze Bottom Palm
• Garcia Bottom Palm Replacement
• Bottom Palm Curl Grip Part 2: To the Off Hand
• Dribble Top Palm Finesse
• Bold Side Steal Full Palm
• Small Packet Palm Action Cover
• Midnight Shift Top Palm Replacement
• Top Palm Hold-Out Finesse

Week 44: On the Toss Switch

• Slow Toss Switch Technique
• Toss Switch Reversal

Week 45: "Flat Out Monte"

• "Flat Out Monte"

Week 46: Flexible Insertion and Addition Technique (FIAT)

• FIAT
• "Always Cut the Cards (via FIAT)"
• "Queens Uprageous (via FIAT)"

Week 47: "FIAT Hold 'Em"

• "FIAT Hold 'Em"

Week 48: Inverted Add-On & Variations

• Inverted Add-On
• Inverted Add-On: Free Show
• Inverted Add-On: FASDIU Free Show

Week 49: Two for JC

• "The Vanishing (Redux)"
• "The Transformation (Redux)"

Week 50: The Lie Detector Stack

• The Lie Detector Stack
• "To Tell the Truth"
• "Nothing But the Truth"

Week 51: The Revolving Door 1/2 Force

• Revolving Door 1/2 Force
• SPH Synchronicity
• Revolving MvG

Week 52: "The Odds Against Me"

• "The Odds Against Me"