How to Make Cards Slippery Again

by BoardGameGeek reviewer EndersGame

So you've got yourself a overnice deck of cards. Possibly information technology's a basic Bicycle rider-back deck, or information technology's a heavily customized express edition produced past a pop designer, and you had to dig deep into your pockets to go it. Either way, you desire to savor it, and you lot want to look afterwards it to ensure that it lasts as long every bit possible. Then how should you look after your deck?

First of all, it'southward important to realize that information technology'southward non an inherently bad thing to accept a deck that shows signs of wear, because that ordinarily ways you lot are enjoying your deck and using it! But evidently you don't desire to accelerate this process of article of clothing any more than necessary. So is there anything y'all can practise to preserve your deck, and go far last as long as possible? As it turns out, in that location well-nigh certainly is, and you can start past because the suggestions made in this commodity.

Here are two dozen tips about how to intendance for a deck of playing cards, gleaned from the world of hard knocks, worn out decks, and experience.

Good Playing Card Storage

No condom bands, please! We've all seen it: a deck of playing cards, secured tightly with a safe ring. Don't practice it. Why non? Well first of all, over fourth dimension that prophylactic band is going to become brittle and break. Worse, when you add some heat it's going to cook, and y'all'll have bits of rubber really stuck to your cards. Yuck! Furthermore, there's a real risk that the rubber band will damage the cards at the peak and lesser of the deck, because it puts pressure at those points. A rubber band does help proceed your deck together, but it offers zippo protection for the cards themselves - and we can do amend than that!

No pants pocket, please! Sure, it'due south nice and warm in there, and it seems to be a rubber spot to put your cards. And sometimes you'll accept no choice but to put a deck within your pocket. Simply recollect about it: a deck that'south pressed tightly against your torso is going to warm upwardly. It may feel romantic, merely when romance is in the air, things can start getting sweaty and hot, and that's a certain-fire manner to make your deck showtime warping. Pants pockets also tend to put pressure on the deck when you walk effectually or even when you sit down, and this tin can quickly cause damage to the tuck box, or crusade the whole deck to curve. If y'all do demand to carry your deck within an detail of clothing, try putting it in a jacket pocket instead. And if y'all really take to resort to using a pants pocket, attempt putting your deck inside a card clip or some other deck example or protector get-go.

Use the constrict box. In that location's a reason why playing cards unremarkably come in a tuck box. Tuck boxes are certainly important for marketing and branding, and particularly in the example of more classy decks that characteristic embossing and foil accents on the tuck box, they brand an firsthand argument of mode. But they besides serve a very of import and practical function in protecting your cards. If you leave your cards out in the open, they are vulnerable to moisture, and will as well attract dust - and perhaps even some spider-webs or other nasties that really don't belong in your deck! Then utilise the tuck box, and look after information technology! You tin can always patch it up with duct tape if you lot really need to! Remember that your constrict box is your outset line of defence against playing carte du jour enemies like dust, dirt, and even against sunlight and wet.

Store your decks flat. You'll find that opinions on this subject do vary. Simply it can brand a departure whether or not a deck of cards is stored in an upright position or flat. When stored apartment, gravity is on your side, pressing the cards flat confronting each other in a natural way. When stored upright or at an angle, there is a greater possibility that your playing cards volition warp over time. Whether or not this is an issue for you tin can depend a lot on your environmental conditions, like the temperature and humidity of the place where your cards are being stored, simply you can help combat those other playing card enemies by storing your deck in a flat position.

Skilful Surround for Your Decks

Avoid humidity. Sometimes you really can't do anything about the environmental conditions where your deck is stored. But humidity is particularly known to have quite an touch on a deck of playing cards, so if there are ways to shop your deck in a absurd and dry identify, abroad from sunlight and humidity, and with a relatively stable temperature, definitely that's the preferred option. Await a moment, does that sound similar your refrigerator?! I have heard of people who swear that putting a deck in a fridge overnight is the all-time way to improve the condition of a warped deck, and that it's also an unorthodox fix for cards that have that undesirable "click". I haven't tried the fridge treatment myself, considering there can exist a lot of moisture lurking there too, so it sounds like a bad idea to me, and I can't speak from feel. Just if you're actually desperate, take exhausted all other options, and are willing to experiment with a particularly rebellious deck, you may want to give that a shot as a last resort! Simply generally speaking, try to avoid storing your deck in a high moisture area that encourages your cards to curl and warp. Fluctuating humidity is even worse, considering cards will aggrandize and shrink, and quickly become damaged. A cool, dry out, well-ventilated area is always the all-time. If you alive in a climate with high humidity you might want to put your decks in the same room every bit your household humidifier if yous take one.

Avert sunlight. Sunlight has a trend to bleach, and if something is left in direct sunlight for extended periods of time, it will inevitably get damaged. You tin't buy sunscreen for cards, but you can go along them away from the sun, past ensuring your cards are stored safely in the tuck case when they're not beingness used. This likewise applies when your playing cards are inside the tuck case - don't leave it on the ledge of your bedroom window or on the dashboard of your machine, where the tuck case is going to sit for hours in the full dominicus.

Avoid heat. Direct sunlight as well invites another enemy of playing cards: estrus. And of form there are other sources of rut besides the sunday, and calculation heat is some other sure-fire manner to harm your playing cards. This isn't rocket scientific discipline, obviously, but I wouldn't want to be standing underneath the burning flames of rocket engines, would you? Similarly, it's hardly ideal for your playing cards to be exposed to meaning amounts of heat. Heat can accelerate chemical reactions, and changes in temperature will cause things to aggrandize and contract. Inevitably, this volition lead to problems like warping, which you really want to avert. The solution is simple: if you tin can, try to keep your cards at a constant temperature, and don't store your deck right beside your fireplace or on the window-sill.

Good Hands

Launder your hands. At present it'southward time to open up your deck and use it. Go wash your hands please! Yes, actually - just like your mother taught you! She probably didn't have playing cards in heed, but was more than concerned well-nigh your hygiene. But the reality is that i of the biggest enemies of playing cards is all that clay and grime that quickly attaches itself to our pare in the class of normal life. When you lot handle a deck of playing cards, this filth has a habit of unattaching itself, and along with the oils from your peel, finding a new abode on your playing cards. Before you lot know it, those crisp and clean white edges start to wait yellowed, or have flecks of grime mysteriously appearing on them. And so before doing an intense session of cardistry or practicing your card magic, take a moment to wash your hands advisedly.

Dry your hands. You know that guy that you lot always see leaving the bath, shaking his hands dry? Make sure that's not you, and don't be that guy! Your easily can easily become sweaty and clammy at the best of times, and while a good launder of your hands before using your cards is always a good idea, information technology's as of import to dry your hands. Considering playing cards are fabricated out of newspaper, they love moisture - but for all the wrong reasons! Your cards will inevitably find a way to transfer that sweat or soapy water onto your deck, which is bad news for their longevity. They won't of a sudden keen up or immediately look like they have been damaged, only the over time this will crusade damage to your cards, and affect their performance, particularly the consistency of the treatment.

Proficient Card Treatment

Handle with care. Perhaps this goes without saying, but it's possible to exist rough with your cards. We've probably all seen people shuffle cards so crudely that we visibly grimace! If your hands are tense, and you grip the cards too tightly, or bend them excessively while shuffling, y'all tin can crusade unnecessary damage. Of form it's equally possible (and perhaps even likely!) that you know how to handle cards carefully, only your friends or family don't! As a result, if you give them your dearest deck to shuffle, they might be very rough with your cards, and that could merely be because they have never learned the proper techniques for shuffling or treatment a deck. Exist gracious, of class - but yous might want to offering to be the designated shuffler or dealer for the bill of fare game.

Spring the cards. Not only is springing cards an impressive visual flourish, but information technology tin can also play a very practical purpose of actually helping your cards stay in shape. A carte that is existence used positively is a happy carte. Cards that only sit down there and are never used tin run the risk of being warped, just like being laid upwardly in bed for weeks will brand you stiff and out of shape. In contrast, a practiced workout with the help of a bound or shuffle can assist in making the playing cards keep shape, by clearing out all the cobwebs or dust (literally!), air them out, and give them some valuable restorative exercise.

Be bi-directional. If you do springs and riffle shuffles, make sure that you don't only do them the same way all the time, e.g. only confront or only face up downwardly. Spring and shuffle them in both directions from time to fourth dimension, otherwise the cards will e'er exist under pressure to bend the same fashion. This constant pressure from the same direction volition affect the fibers of the cards, and tin can cause them to be permanently bowed in the long run.

Don't drop them! This may sound obvious, merely dropping your cards is request for trouble. The first prey of a dropped deck will normally exist the corners of the cards, which hazard becoming bent in the procedure. If you want to fast-runway your deck to becoming one of those dog-eared items, throwing your cards effectually is definitely going to speed up that procedure. Furthermore, any time your cards spend on the floor means that they're probable to come up into contact with clay that has been tracked in on the carpeting, linoleum, concrete, or grass, or wherever you happen to be using your deck of cards. Getting sand in betwixt your cards is especially something to avoid, considering this volition cause extra friction in the wrong places, and volition speed up the wearing process when you shuffle the cards.

Exercise above rug. If you are a cardist attempting a range of new moves of fancy aerial moves, y'all don't want to be doing this above a filthy ground or a hard wooden flooring or concrete. Y'all are going to drop cards. Yep, I know that this conflicts with a previous proffer where I said that you shouldn't drop the cards. Only dropping cards occasionally is part of the cost of progression in cardistry or magic. Every good cardist will driblet cards in the grade of learning and attempting new and challenging moves. If you never driblet cards, and then you evidently aren't challenging yourself or pushing yourself to new heights. And if you know that you are going to drop cards, then it makes sense to have them autumn on a surface that is going to exist as friendly to them as possible. A clean and soft carpeting is best. A hard and muddied wooden floor, or a muddy puddle outdoors most definitely isn't!

Practice nothing. There's an onetime saying that "time is a not bad healer", and it can apply to playing cards every bit well. Of course, if your ii yr quondam nephew has chewed off the corner of your favorite Ace of Spades, no amount of time is going to brand that corner abound dorsum - non fifty-fifty your best Torn and Restored magic routine! Simply sometimes when a deck of playing cards is starting to feel clumpy or spread unevenly, it just needs a intermission. Just like a car can overheat, sometimes a deck that has been handled for a long flow of fourth dimension simply needs a sabbatical. So put it back in the box, and possibly in a carte clip if you have ane, store it in a cool and dry out place, and give it a run a risk to dry out and get back to normal. You may find that in an hr, a day, or a week, the cards handle amend once again. Just like a holiday can practice a stressed person a world of good, an overworked deck tin can benefit from having an occasional pause, and then give it an well-deserved and therapeutic residuum from fourth dimension to time!

Good Playing Carte Accessories

Use a deck protector. Don't have your deck rattling around in the glove-box of your auto or in your pocket without whatsoever course of protection. That'south non what you'd do with your pet gerbil either is information technology? No, you'd give him a nice carrying case, or put him inside some kind of container. Well equally it turns out, you tin go protective containers for playing cards besides. One option is a card clip, just it is important to realize that this tends only to protect a couple of sides of the deck, leaving the other sides unprotected. Nosotros'll cover the benefits of a carte du jour prune later - they are all-time used for a unlike function. A plastic carrying case is probably a improve option to use for transporting a deck, and there are products available like the clear plastic playing menu storage boxes here that piece of work well. Whatever y'all do, don't just let those tuck boxes fly effectually loosely while yous are traveling, because they are sure to go dinged and dented, potentially damaging the cards in the procedure.

Apply a card clip. So you've given your cards a skillful workout, and yous've noticed that they have a slight bend or are warping? A card clip is utility item, oftentimes made of stainless steel metal or alloy, that fits around your tuck box to help with this. Once again, opinions tin vary on the benefits and advantages of a card clip, and whether they actually make any divergence. These are typically claimed to increase the longevity of your playing cards, past providing extra protection and thus ensuring greater durability. A quality card clip typically doesn't come inexpensive, just the quality is usually axiomatic immediately. They should have a strong natural spring that ensures that your deck is wedged firmly between two pressure level points. In exercise, considering playing cards can have different thicknesses depending on the stock used, you may demand to accept some cards out in guild to fit a deck inside a card clip - at that place's fifty-fifty potential for the tuck box to be damaged if you notice yourself trying to squash the deck inside. As far as protection goes, bill of fare clips typically only protect a deck from a couple of sides. They certainly offer some protection for a deck that'due south in your pocket, but don't wait them to exist bullet proof, because your constrict box will notwithstanding get banged effectually and somewhat damaged. In my experience, a carte du jour prune is peculiarly useful for straightening out a deck that has become warped. Yous could try the more primitive method of placing a deck under a heavy book or table, just placing a deck in a practiced menu clip overnight can work wonders. Besides that, card clips are swell accessories, and can make their own statement of way and class.

Use a play mat. I may be starting to sound similar an overprotective mother here, but a play mat can really make a difference to the health of your playing cards. Of class a good plain-colored table fabric might do the trick, but there are better options. Whenever we play card games in my family unit, we use a very large table sized neoprene mat that we purchased specifically for this purpose. Not only does this protect the tabular array, but more importantly information technology protects the cards. Information technology makes them stay in position nicely on the table, and it also makes them very easy to pick up. Many of our visitors who have played carte games or enjoyed card magic at our dining table have been super impressed with this neoprene mat and wanted to go their own! Magicians take been using shut-upwards mats for card magic for a long time, and the principle is the same. In that location'due south good reason why poker tables at casinos are typically made of a felt-similar material. Even a tablecloth is a better option than playing on a hard wooden table, because invariably cards can exist hard to pick upward on a hard wooden surface, and have a much higher risk of existence damaged that way. You can even purchase a roll of thick felt from a fabric shop, which will do the trick likewise.

Use fanning powder. All good quality playing cards are given a coating at the terminate of the production procedure, and what that does is help cards fan and spread evenly, and promotes their longevity. Depending on the publisher or creator, this blanket can be called things like Magic Finish or Functioning Blanket. But over fourth dimension this coating volition article of clothing, and every bit a result the cards will no longer slide over each other as smoothly, and the deck volition start to go "clumpy". One solution to this is to use fanning pulverization or talcum powder, which can help minimize the extent to which the cards stick together, and restore some of the smoothness to your fans and spreads. For black cards you can't use white powder, considering it will exit a noticeable white residue behind, but it's definitely an pick for not-black cards. Fanning powder is probably much less necessary today than it was in the previous centuries, given the advances of applied science and the improved quality of cards today, particularly the coating used. So you'll likely only need to give this a shot with a cheaper deck of cards, or with one that is very worn.

Good Card Decks

Get quality decks. When you lot buy, choose your decks carefully. The writing is on the wall for some decks before you fifty-fifty utilize them, and a shorter life expectancy for them is almost guaranteed before you use them! This is nigh always true of a cheap papery deck from your corner store. In dissimilarity to a quality deck of Cycle playing cards from USPCC, such a deck is doomed to clothing out apace. So it is worth the fourth dimension to research the publisher of your deck before making a purchase. Anything produced by USPCC or by other manufacture leaders like LPCC/EPCC is likely to be a longer lasting deck. Information technology volition even so wear out in the end, but you will get more mileage out of it due to the quality of the playing cards and the technology used in the production process.

Avoid black decks. This is a fleck of sneaky tip, considering playing cards with black bordered backs or faces actually don't wear out any quicker than playing cards with white borders or faces. I have read that the black ink can pick upwardly dust and absorb moisture more rapidly than white cards, but I'g not enlightened of scientific evidence that backs that upwardly. But what I do know is that the signs of wear will be much more noticeable with blackness cards. Why? Like most playing cards, cards with black borders/faces are made of newspaper, and equally the cards are used with any kind of frequency, the edges tend to scrap and show signs of wear, because these are the parts of the cards that are handled the almost and have the most contact. Unfortunately, that means that with black cards the white underneath will naturally show upward more than quickly. White bordered cards wear in the same way, of course, simply since the wear unremarkably shows upwardly every bit white, it is far less obvious. There are techniques yous can utilise to breathe new life into a deck with black cards, and a uncomplicated fix can be to use a black permanent marking on the border of the cards. You lot'll notice other tips for extending the life of decks with blackness cards in the Blackness Deck Book from Ellusionist, which you'll find here. Merely if you are going to choose a deck with black borders, just realize that it won't look pristine for as long every bit a deck with white borders.

Save your custom decks. 1 affair you might want to consider is reserving your higher finish custom decks with fancy artwork for special occasions. If yous are practicing some new cardistry moves, or trying to learn some new bill of fare sleights that you know are going to be hard on your cards, and so it'due south probably not the all-time idea to employ your prettiest deck. You may want to take a gear up supply of cheaper USPCC produced decks for "grooming" purposes. These decks all the same offer quality handling and operation, but don't toll equally much money. Sure, they won't win a Miss America contest for playing cards any fourth dimension soon, but if yous are going to vesture out a deck through some crude handling during practise, it might as well exist a budget deck like this. Relieve your custom decks for that special performance, that special games night, or when you want to treat yourself to something special.

Rotate your decks. Someone I know has a fairly large collection of unlike decks, and has a self-devised organization that ensures he "rotates" through his decks, to give them all a chance of striking the table. Many cardists tend to work with a rotational system of some kind. Not only does this help ensure that all of your decks go "air time", just it can help extend the life of certain decks that might otherwise get used constantly.

Final Thoughts

Accept the inevitable. The bad news is that a deck of playing cards volition wear out. About playing cards are made out of newspaper, and paper wears when information technology gets used. It'due south but a fact of life, and so y'all need to have it. If you program to utilise that beautiful deck of playing cards, whether for card magic or for playing menu games, it is inevitable that your prized deck is somewhen going to show signs of clothing. There's a good reason that finding a century old deck of cards in pristine condition is a rare matter - not that we don't accept many decks from that time period, simply it'southward just that most decks that go the distance have been played and used, and y'all can tell at a quick glance that the cards wait worn. The same will be true of your decks of playing cards - at least if you actually accept the cards out of the box and actually use them.

Not that a deck which shows signs of wear is crusade for sadness or grief. A deck that is being used and enjoyed is a happy deck! So actually signs of wear are usually evidence that yous are using a deck of playing cards for its intended purpose, and enjoying it for what it is - and that's often better than leaving it untouched in the fearfulness that it might get hurt. By all means go alee and utilise those decks!

Retire the irreparable. Magicians and cardists are known to use a make new deck for each performance, and can oftentimes wear out a deck of playing cards quite quickly. Virtually of u.s.a. will notice that we won't go through decks at quite that level of frequency - especially if you go along the above tips in listen. Simply eventually a deck will accept overstayed its welcome, and y'all know that it's time to put information technology into retirement when cards are sticking together, when fans plow into ugly and clumpy messes, when individual cards expect dogeared or bent, or perhaps when you've had spectators sign cards (which they've kept equally a gift) and it'south no longer complete.

Enjoy the perishable. Playing cards are perishable, but don't let that finish you enjoying them. But hopefully if you lot go along some of these ideas in heed, you lot tin can brand your decks last a little longer than they otherwise would. Who knows, possibly someone will exist admiring one of your decks a hundred years from now, silently thanking you for the skillful intendance you took of it. But more importantly, with a chip of loving care and attention, y'all can get extra enjoyment and mileage out of those playing cards already at present!

Do you lot have any tricks yous use to  to take care of your deck?  Have you tried whatever of the above?  Let usa know in the comments below!

Other articles you might find interesting:

• Card Clips: What Are They, and Why Get One?
• Breaking in a New Deck: Why & How?

Nearly the writer : EndersGameis a well-known and highly respected reviewer of lath games and playing cards. He loves card games, bill of fare magic, cardistry, and card collecting, and has reviewed several hundred boardgames and hundreds of different decks of playing cards. You can see a consummate list of his game reviewshere, and his playing card reviewshere. He is considered an authority on playing cards and has written extensively near their design, history, and part, and has many contacts within the playing bill of fare and lath game industries. You can view his previous articles about playing cardshere. In his spare fourth dimension he also volunteers with local youth to teach them the art of cardistry and card magic.

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