paulrosk
It doesn't smell like a "normal" Bicycle deck does it? It has a "funny" smell to it, must be that grey ink they used on the cards and the UV ink too! Can you "fan" those cards?
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Bicycle/Ellusionist & other dark playing card decks
Rhinemaiden
paulrosk said:It doesn't smell like a "normal" Bicycle deck does it? It has a "funny" smell to it, must be that grey ink they used on the cards and the UV ink too! Can you "fan" those cards?
YES, with great ease! definitely a "fan" deck!
paulrosk
Then they did change A LOT! The older decks wouldn't fan to save your life. They would bunch up, bind, just a crummy deck to fan, in fact FORGET ABOUT fanning with this deck! So how many other decks do you have?
Le Fanu
Air Cushion Finish? UV500? Are we talking Nike Trainers or Ray Ban sunglasses. I'm sure its permissable jargon and it ultimately means they are just fan smoother and all that, but what on earth do these descriptions mean?
BTW, there were complaints about the Bicycle 1800 vintage deck not fanning very smoothly but I have to say this is the smoothest fajnning deck I have ever had in my hands.
I had no idea that the United States Playing Card Company cards were on such incredible cardstock.
BTW, there were complaints about the Bicycle 1800 vintage deck not fanning very smoothly but I have to say this is the smoothest fajnning deck I have ever had in my hands.
I had no idea that the United States Playing Card Company cards were on such incredible cardstock.
paulrosk
There are various card stocks, card finishes, even the way cards are "cut" or "punched" out. They all make a difference. "Air Cushion Finish" is a standard Bicycle and Bee finish. The "higher" quality cards will have the UV500 "Air Flow" finish, which a standard "Printer's" high grade finish. You also have a "Linoid Finish" which is used on Tally-Ho cards. Besides the different card stocks, the combinations make a big difference in card handling. The card "cut" also makes a BIG difference when handling cards. Bicycle decks are "roller" cut by the sheet, so the card edges are "sharp" compressed by the roller cutting wheels. This causes the cards to have a "knife edge" (thinner than the actual card). A "Die Cut" "stamps" the cards by deck like a cookie cutter, causes the card edges to come out "square" without a sharp edge. It's also called the "Gambler's Cut" because it allows EXTREME card handling like one hand shuffles and riffles with ease! I have over 375 decks in my collection, all types, finishes, cuts, in fact even decks with the same cut, stock, and finish can "feel" different depending on the ink used! It can hurt your brain just thinking about it!
Le Fanu
Wow.. that was facinating. Thanks for that. I love learning these things. I am amazed at how the playing card industry hasn't passed its infinite wisdom onto the tarot manufacturing segment of the market yet. There is a huge difference between quality playing card stock and tarot stock. I only found out this week really when I received the Bicycle 1800s deck and felt cardstock like I had never felt before. It has an almost imperceptible criss-cross/almost linen feel. These decks have thin, airy light cardstock but feel extremely resilient.
paulrosk
Yup, that's the old "Linen" finish. not used much anymore my friend. And the Tarot industry has "caught on". The Quest Tarot deck is printed on 30 grade stock with a UV500 Air Flow finish, just like high grade Bicycle cards. They feel and handle like a dream. You can actually FAN them with one hand! I haven't seen any other Tarot deck like this one! Most of them are thick and stiff with sometimes no finish at all! Like my Enchanted Tarot deck, crummy stock, crummy finish (if any, I can't see one!). At least the Rider-Waite deck has a decent stock and finish, but the rest of the decks really need to "catch up".
I'm a bit of a "card historian" know a lot about all kinds of cards. Heck I've been a Magician / Illusionist most of my life, can't remember all the card decks I've gone through!
I'm a bit of a "card historian" know a lot about all kinds of cards. Heck I've been a Magician / Illusionist most of my life, can't remember all the card decks I've gone through!
paulrosk
When Ellusionist was hyping up their Arcane deck they promised it was going to be printed on this Brand New AV-1200 stock. Suppose to be 3/4 the weight of standard card stock which means the deck would be 3/4 as thick as a normal deck, would be nice for fanning and XCM! They also claimed the decks would have a new "space aged" finished, something never seen before. Well when John at Ace-King got the shipment in (I already had an order waiting for these cards) he called me and told me they weren't anything special at all! A "smoky" artwork but printed on standard 30 grade stock with a UV-500 finish. So what Ellusionist was telling everybody was BULL FEATHERS! That's why I don't deal with them any longer, they are just "marketeers" sell you on something they can't deliver on! Like their DVDs, just recycled tricks and illusions from way back when, then they have the nerve to say is "All New Street Magic", BUNK!
So when I received my two Arcane decks I was pretty disappointed, glad I bought them from Ace-King, he charged me $5.99 a deck, Ellusionist was charging $12.99 a deck! Go figure, it's just marketing hype anyway I guess. I do love my Black and White "Raider" decks, and I just about wore out my "Ghost" decks. My all time favorites are still The ShadowMasters and Black Tigers, play with them all the time!
So when I received my two Arcane decks I was pretty disappointed, glad I bought them from Ace-King, he charged me $5.99 a deck, Ellusionist was charging $12.99 a deck! Go figure, it's just marketing hype anyway I guess. I do love my Black and White "Raider" decks, and I just about wore out my "Ghost" decks. My all time favorites are still The ShadowMasters and Black Tigers, play with them all the time!
paulrosk
OK here's a good one for you ....
I have 3 decks of Doreen Virtue's Oracle cards .....
All 3 are the same size deck, come in the same size box with the same size book. Each deck is printed in CHINA, but each deck by a different Printer! 3 different card stocks, 3 different finishes, 3 completely different decks! One deck I can't even "bend" to riffle shuffle they are so stiff! One deck handles sort of OK, but you can't really "fan" them, one deck sticks together so bad you can't even shuffle them because the cards get stuck together! So there's an example of 3 decks, supposedly all the same yet completely different!
I have 3 decks of Doreen Virtue's Oracle cards .....
All 3 are the same size deck, come in the same size box with the same size book. Each deck is printed in CHINA, but each deck by a different Printer! 3 different card stocks, 3 different finishes, 3 completely different decks! One deck I can't even "bend" to riffle shuffle they are so stiff! One deck handles sort of OK, but you can't really "fan" them, one deck sticks together so bad you can't even shuffle them because the cards get stuck together! So there's an example of 3 decks, supposedly all the same yet completely different!
Le Fanu
Will check them out!paulrosk said:My all time favorites are still The ShadowMasters and Black Tigers, play with them all the time!
