Bhavana, it is actually pretty simple to get them to line up well. I use a guillotine-style cutter for my decks, and the grid that it is attached to has markings every millimeter. The first card is my prototype, I cut it and measure it well, then use the measurements for the additional cards. They line up perfectly every time. Once I cut off the sides, then I use my corner cutter to finish them off. They line up beautifully, with no rough edges and honestly look so professional you would not know that anything had been done.
Do what I did- buy a cheap deck that has awful borders (so you would never use it), for the first one, make sure the borders are crisp (not bled into the picture). Then hack away with abandon! It is your practice deck to get used to how your particular cutting device works and work out any kinks in how you do it. Then, you feel more comfortable doing the ones that count.
Once you try it- you will be cutting borders off everything, LOL, nothing can hide!
yeah, I would imagine using good tools would give the best results - and working slowly and carefully.
Now, I love using smaller decks - not the little Llewellyn minis, but a size like the pocket Goddess, which is just tad bigger than the RW pocket decks.
However, there is this "wince" factor, I actually have a physical response watching people do this - almost like watching someone rip up a book. I know that is silly, but that's how it affects me! So, if I were to do this, I would have to have a spare deck, as most of my beloved tarots are precious to me in their "virgin" form. I have always figured that if I wanted a smaller deck, I would just choose one of the tarots that already comes that way - but then, here I am in this thread, admiring the way a lot of the cards look without the borders - for example, the Celestial - a deck I love, but dang are those blue borders ugly! And the Place Vampire Tarot - I am crazy about the cards the way they are, and would never touch my original deck - but the cards are big, and awkward to read with. A trimmed deck would be much more comfy to use....and as long as I had my un-trimmed deck to admire from time to time, I might be able to handle it....
but...I don't think I am ready yet...plus, I don't have the funds lying around to start doubling up on my decks....so, don't think I'll run out and buy the cutter tomorrow...
Here is a video on someone trimming and personalizing a Thoth, in case anyone is interested...it's probably been posted here before, but what the heck....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjBVYY0jLiU
Also, I saw that some of the decks listed in the beginning of this thread are not just trimmed but have additional altering, such as embellishments with glitter glue, etc - I am an artist and was thinking of trying something like that. I like the Illuminated decks, but they are way out of my price range...and I have Golden acrylic paints that contain very fine glitter. I am sure I could create a deck similar to the Illuminated decks, only more my own...I have no interest in copying the Illuminated Tarot. The questions I have are about lamination. I don't want to buy a machine - does anyone have experience with spray or paint on lamination that leaves a glossy, quality finish that will last?