Decks with great cardstock?

I broke out my old Haindl the other day and was struck again by the great cardstock of that deck. The cards have a heavy, thick and stiff feel to them that adds a luxurious feeling to the shuffling experience.
None of my other decks feel so good and I was wondering if there are more decks out there with such heavy cardstock.

Edited to say sorry to the mods... This should have gone in the tarot decks section I suppose...

I have to say the Golden tarot cardstock is exemplary, even though I traded it. Sticks when shuffling, but wonderfully cardboard-y and matt.

Anything Meneghello of course. LoScarabeo cardstock is also good in a discreet, subtle way. Grimaud too...

Actually, on reflection, anything except Llewellyn really...

For "heavy, thick and stiff", none of mine come close to the Golden. It's a fat deck, because the cardstock is quite heavy, and very stiff. But I'm concerned that it'd crease easily, with lots of shuffling.

I had an older printing of an LS deck that had awesome stock, not so slippery and flippy and thin as the current stuff. Traded it away. Stupid me.

\m/ Kat

you can't beat Deirdre of Sorrows for cardstock. It is on linen and feels / shuffles wonderfully

Davina

Jean Noblet - just love the silky feel of its cards and the ease of shuffling.

I have Il cani from il Meneghello and though the stock is indeed thick, the lack of coating makes them sensitive to wear and stains. At least in my sloppy hands...
Linnen sounds very interesting!

Sakki-Sakki is the winner for me. Hands down.

Then there are some other favourites:

1. The first edition Tarot of Prague
2. Il Meneghello decks (the unvarnished ones, like the Minchiate Fiorentine)
3. Lo Scarabeo decks, especially the gold foiled ones, with that little extra heft
4. Golden
5. Thomson Leng, with the lovely lineny feel to the cards
6. Vandenborre Bacchus/Flamand
7. Full Moon Dreams
8. and not exactly Tarot, but Mystical Lenormand and Rune Tarot (Japanese)

And, well, anything except the newer flimsy Llewellyn stock. I have an old World Spirit and Robin Wood whose stock is fine. Newer ones, forget it.

I have to agree with those before me.
The Golden and first ed Tarot of Prague are great and the Sakki-sakki is also very nice and most Lo Scarabeo are too.
The soft feel of Deirde of the Sorrows is also very special

I also like the feel of my Animals Divine for some reason.

As for the US games ones, I'm torn. I like a softer feel to my decks but indestructible is nice.

I found the Golden way too stiff for my taste - it actually hurt to shuffle that deck. Perhaps that's because my hands are small, and it was a stretch to reach from one sided to the other, because the deck was so thick. I considered Umbrae-ing that one, but never did. In fact, perhaps I'll buy another copy and do just that. It worked on my Ukiyoe - which had stiff card stock with almost sharp edges.

I agree on Haindl card stock, very nice. AGMuller's card stock is also great, LS is okay (I thought that my recent purchase of the Liber T had too-thin card stock), I think the best cards I have are the Greenwood, old-style Shining Woman (vs. S. Tribe, which is Llewellyn), old-style Hanson Roberts, etc. The Greenwood really rocks - I think that deck will last forever (and well it should, given how much they are going for these days!)

Many folks rave about the MRP cardstock, but I don't enjoy shuffling my BBC 2nd edition deck. I riffle shuffle, and the deck is too "whippy" for my taste, the cards are too bendy to riffle well. As I've used that deck more and more I find that the cards aren't sticking together as much (I guess I should've gotten some fanning powder, eh Umbrae?), and I'm getting used to shuffling it. I know that it will last forever because MRP uses excellent card stock, but it does feel weird to shuffle that deck. Meow!

thorhammer said:

For "heavy, thick and stiff", none of mine come close to the Golden. It's a fat deck, because the cardstock is quite heavy, and very stiff. But I'm concerned that it'd crease easily, with lots of shuffling.

I had an older printing of an LS deck that had awesome stock, not so slippery and flippy and thin as the current stuff. Traded it away. Stupid me.

\m/ Kat

Click to expand...

Yes, older card stock was definitely better, with things getting so expensive printers are cutting corners.

I know what you mean about the Golden - I'm considering getting another one and Umbrae-ing the hell out of it, even doing the "tea soaking" thing on the edges. Or maybe not, with that heavy gilding, come to think of it. But dammit, that deck should look OLD! grrrr.