Got My Scissors Out Again - this time, the THOTH gets it!

[Little Baron]

Inspired by 'xviiirkna's' comments in the 'carrying' decks thread, I am about to go at the Thoth like a crazed psychopath with a pair of scissors.

I have always had such a problem with those keywords and frames. Looking at the scan of the borderless cards brings the colours right out. The Hermit looks fantastic.

Maybe losing the frames may help me contact with the deck in ways I couldn't before. It's worth having a go, I suppose.

Will keep you informed.

Yaboot (nervous now that I have said I am going to do it, haha)

[contrascarpe]

Yaboot -

The only thing that makes ME nervous from your post are seeing the words "carrying" and "scissors" in the same proximity. Getting this nervous image of you running around your house with scissors.

Good luck with the project - I have had the Thoth for almost a year and cannot connect with it yet ....... perhaps you will inspire another member of my household to play with her scissors.

Dan

[Little Baron]

Hey Dan

I think that the words 'Yaboot', 'Gardener' and 'Scissors' all in the same thread, let alone, the same post, is a very dangerous situation, and one to be avoided at all cost.

I have just multilated the '9 of Swords' and have a little 'nude' card sitting next to me. It looks 'so' dinky. I can't believe how small it is. I suppose, looking at the Thoth, there are even borders bordering the borders. Takes up a lot of card. The hight has gone from 11cm to just under 9cm, so thats a lot sheared off. I have never had a deck that is considered 'mini' so maybe this will be one I can slot into my pocket, should we start to get along.

Yaboot

[mercenary30]

Mercenary30 turns his head. He just can't bear to watch scissors being applied to a tarot card...........................

[contrascarpe]

Originally posted by mercenary30
Mercenary30 turns his head. He just can't bear to watch scissors being applied to a tarot card...........................

Yup, I was a non-believer, too. Then Gardener gave me my circumsized Rohrig and I was hooked. I am still mourning my poor little Haindl though.

And Yaboot - the combination of Gardener and scissors is ALWAYS frightening. I am learning to sleep with one eye open ;)

Dan

[Gardener]

Ah Merc,

It's really quite a lot of fun. The first few snips feel like torturing a puppy, you hate yourself, you can't believe you would do something so heinous, so disrespectful, so cruel! But then, ah then... The pictures leap free of the frames, jump up and kiss you on the nose with doggy gratitude. When complete, the decks shuffle quite nicely and the spreads are beautiful. I've got to get a plain white spreadcloth though, because without the borders, the images have a tendency to blend right into a busy fabric pattern.

I've finished the Rohrig and the Haindl. Still undecided on the Voyager, because the back design would be thrown off, I think.

Yaboot, I think this snip job calls for the larger size Thoth. I've already asked Dan to put one on this week's shopping list! Although the idea of a mini-Thoth does have a perverse appeal...

[Little Baron]

I used to be the same. I thought it would be terrible to take a pair of scissors to the cards, and there are some decks that I wouldn't. In the case of the Rohrig, I just couldn't get on with it as it was. In terms of the Thoth, if I hadn't got 'snappy' with it, it would spend another two years in the cupboard not being used. As the cards are being sheared, I am seeing them a lot clearer. The colours are brighter and I am looking at the images, rather than concentrating on the stuff around the outside. I always thought the courts were hard to get to know. Now I have to get to know who they are, since I have no words to tell me, lol.#

Yaboot

[Little Baron]

Hey Gardener

They do look 'veeerrrrryyy' small. But now, they look almost 'naughty' and a bit cheeky, rather than bland, which is how I viewed them before. I hated the 'Hanged Man' because it seemed incipid to me. The colours just bleed out now. I am feeling instantly attracted to the results.

Yaboot

[Macavity]

Having been through the process once (was enough!) with a straight-edge and a craft knife (mind your fingers) I think it impressed on me that it meant, in total, 4 x 78 actions! An additional disincentive was the fact that I got though about 95% of the process and the knife slipped - cutting a "chunk" out of... one of the cards. <phew> But these days, disgression is the better part of valour. But I sense it is a good idea in principal! :D

I think I'd like some more... "automated" way of doing things. (And one that produced a more uniform size!) At my workplace, we once had a card/paper cutter, which had a wheel which moved along a bar to make the cut. It was capable of quite remarkable accuracy - A bit like a Pizza cutter - but safer than a (finger) guillotine! })

Hmmmm I am still tempted to buy a replacement for that deck I "butchered" slightly ;)

Macavity

[Jewel-ry]

I can't believe I am reading this thread!!

Thank-goodness I don't own the thoth. That said, I have spent more time with the Rohrig since its been chopped. I love it and don't regret it at all!!

Go Yab ;)

:TAS

[mercenary30]

So now you have all these little pieces of tarot lying all over the table....what do you do with them? :confused:

Aren't they still tarot? Do you think it is fine to just throw them in the trash like scrap? :(

What ritual would be suitable for the proper disposal that would show the appropriate dignity and respect?

[Gardener]

the blank borders were just a cage for the images, they are trash. The keywords I keep for journals and writing exercises. After I finish the cards, I trim the corners of the keywords so they look pretty too.

[Little Baron]

I always look at the magic of the tarot to be within the reader, and not the peices of card. The cards, for me, are a way of expanding the mind, and removing the borders is one way to enable me to do this a little better.

I appreciate your points Mercenary; if you can think of any ways that might fit as a goodbye ritual, I would be interested. Otherwise, I don't have any problem with them being in my wastebin.

Yaboot

[Jewel-ry]

Hi there Yaboot,

I wholeheartedly agree, so much better!

Colours jump out again, don't they?

~

[mercenary30]

Originally posted by Yaboot001
I appreciate your points Mercenary; if you can think of any ways that might fit as a goodbye ritual, I would be interested. Otherwise, I don't have any problem with them being in my wastebin.

Yaboot


I think you should cut them all in to much smaller pieces, and then put them in a bag and use them for confetti the next time you go to a parade!!! :D

Or grind them up into powder and tell everyone it is dark fairy dust.......

[Little Baron]

I like the confetti idea. I am going to a wedding next year! Then again, not sure I want to be showering the bride with words like 'ruin', 'cruelty' and 'sorrow', hahaha.

Maybe I will shred and burry them.

Yaboot

[contrascarpe]

Originally posted by mercenary30
I think you should cut them all in to much smaller pieces, and then put them in a bag and use them for confetti the next time you go to a parade!!! :D

Or grind them up into powder and tell everyone it is dark fairy dust.......

I'm going to make Gardener use them to make little tarot jewelry to hand out to our handfast guests, hehe.

Dan

[Anna]

Eek!!! I have a small Thoth. I have siccors. I have a corner cutting device.

I even have a wedding to go to soon, and would delight in showering the bride and groom in keyword confetti!

I want to naughtify my Thoth :D

Eek!!!

[Little Baron]

Hey Pixie

Mine is definitely looking naughtier. The decider was deffinitely the 'Moon'. That one did absolutely nothin for me before, but now it feels like it has so much morev energy.

I can't believe how small the deck is now. It wasn't that big in the first place. Now, the LWB has become the Big White Book, since it is larger than the cards, hehehe.

Yaboot

[Anna]

Well....I have been lusting after a pocket sized Grimaud...and a pocket sized Thoth would be a lovely deck to carry around while I save my money...and they look fabulous, and so much more "alive".....

Ok, if I still feel like this in 24 hours time, my Thoth gets it too! (How's that for restraint? :D)

[Tarot Galadriel]

Oh Yaboot what are you doing, not again, your such a bad influence ! lol

Luckily I don't have the thoth, but I adore my Rohrig now its been cut. I must admit the scans look lovely of the clipped Thoth though.

It always amazes me how fab these cards look without borders, so much more vibrant.

Good luck................

hugs
Galadriel

[Moonbow*]

OMG I do not believe it!

Someone take the scissors away from him quick........

This is what stopped me from cutting my Rohrig - I knew I would not stop at one deck. Yab please do not do any more decks - come to your senses!

Scissors are for hair (what am I saying) no.... I take that back - your hair is fine! :P

But do you realise you are cutting off the doorway?

(I admit the depth of colour is much better)

This is the one deck where I quite like 'some' of the keywords. Some of them I just don't get and it makes me look further into the meaning of the card.

STOP!...

No more please!

[Little Baron]

Hey Moonbow

I have locked my scissors away. Jack the manequin breathes a sigh of relief and stops holding on to his arms and legs!!

He knows me only too well; the person that if unhappy when getting ready in the morning, without thought, hacks the collar or arm off of a top, hehe.

It all reminds me of an episode of the smurfs I watched the other day - where a magic needle was summoned to do all of the sewing for the villiage. Obvioisly, it all went wrong and the needle went beserk, screaming 'neeedddlllee, needddllle, needddllee!!!' and sewed all of the smurfs to their beds and unpicked the roofs of their mushroom houses.

Seriously, I am more happy with the Thoth than my hair, which does need a blooming good cut. My Thoth has sat in the cupboard for close to a year without being pulled out once. I looked at it the other day and then put it back. The keywords and grey colouring stopped me from getting to it, but as I hacked away today, it felt like I was giving it a whole new life.

Moonbow, I will stop now, hehe. But I now have a bootiful little pocket deck that fits into my wallet.

Nightmare's over!

Yaboot (wink!!!)

[lark]

Kind of like giving OL" Aleister a vasectomy.
Hummm I think I like that.

[Moonbow*]

Originally posted by lark
Kind of like giving OL" Aleister a vasectomy.
Hummm I think I like that.

*giggles* I like that too Lark.... :D

[Little Baron]

Originally posted by Moonbow*
*giggles* I like that too Lark.... :D

Does that mean I am forgiven Moonbow??? Can I have my scissors back now??? I have just noticed a a couple of alterations that could be made to the Universal Wai.......snip! The mischievous little clown skips off into the nightime, accompanied by his shiny and trusty chainsaw .........

[Moonbow*]

No....

No sharp scissors for you Yaboot.. you get those nice plastic ones with the round ends so that you cannot do any damage to any more decks.

But what concerns me about the Thoth IS the borders. That grey colouring you mention is supposed to be a doorway to each card (so I have been told). If you had any left you could see this....

(but they DO look much better - I have to admit. The colours are so much bolder)

[Anna]

oh wow, they look FANTASTIC!!!

Can I lend your scissors please? :D (sssh, don't tell moonbow*)

[Flavio]

Originally posted by Yaboot001
Seriously, I am more happy with the Thoth than my hair, which does need a blooming good cut. My Thoth has sat in the cupboard for close to a year without being pulled out once. I looked at it the other day and then put it back. The keywords and grey colouring stopped me from getting to it, but as I hacked away today, it felt like I was giving it a whole new life.

The attached picture seemed pretty much like a crime scene :D all this "cut away the borders" trend doesn't seem to appeal to many AT members including me (by now :)) but I see it as one more ritual to personalize a deck, like selecting the perfect bag, put under moonlight or burying it.

Yaboot001, let us know later your experiences with your Thoth after its plastic surgery :)

[catti]

Yaboot-
what do the backs look like? one thing that has stopped me on some of my Lo Scaraveo decks is that the art on back will be messed up........but given how much i dislike the border it might be worth it...hmmmmmmm.

and bump this thread in a few months and let us know how the edges have fared...

[Little Baron]

Originally posted by Flavio
but I see it as one more ritual to personalize a deck, like selecting the perfect bag, put under moonlight or burying it.

Yaboot001, let us know later your experiences with your Thoth after its plastic surgery :)

That is absolutely what it was like. I have only cut two decks out of all of the decks that I have owned, and for me, there was very good reasoning behind it. I had been going back and forth with the Rohrig for about eight years, but something always held me back. I knew that since it was my first deck, it would always be special, and for that reason, cutting away the edges meant that I could use it better. In that case, it worked well. I found it very difficult to 'get away' from the keywords and in some cases, when reading for others, they would become fixated on the more negative ones, and could never get past anything possitive that I felt was coming from the cards. I don't regret cutting them at all, even though I was as nervous as hell when Gardener and I began the operation.

In terms of the Thoth, I bought it quite a while ago, but however I tried, I could not connect to it. I wrote in one of Kittaines threads the other day about how little I got from it. This was unusual in the sense that I really like the artwork.
So in the example of the Thoth, I felt I had nothing to lose, since it wasn't getting used as it was. After I saw 'xviiirkna's' scans, the images really opened up to me - especially the 'Star' and the 'Hermit', two images I think are beautifully orchestrated. So that's why I thought I would give it a go.

I will definitely let you know how it goes with the deck. I am happy with it right now, but should I feel that it lacks in any way, I can always purchase another. I have the one from the blue box, so it does come up quite small when cut; I don't have any small decks so it is nice that now, I can carry a small one with me.

Yaboot

[Little Baron]

Heres a sample Catti

[Anna]

Well I am half way through my keyword-ectomy :D If anyone wants the chopped off bits to make keyword confetti, I am very happy to part with them!

Its very easy isn't it? I'm using 2 pairs of scissors for the procedure and listening to my Nine Inch Nails CD as I chop, it is helping to create a suitably naughty atmosphere :D

[Jewel-ry]

Go CP,

I did this to my Rohrig and I still can't believe the difference. I did find though, that I got a sore finger. :(

Let us know how you get on.

~

[Moonbow*]

Moonbow* is feeling quite faint! :eek:

everyone else....

PUT THE SCISSORS D O W N

[Flavio]

Someone call the paramedics... Moonbow* skin is loosing color :eek:

[Little Baron]

Oh Moonbow! Come round Sweetie; Pixie's hidden the scissors!

(*whispers* How's it going Pix? Do you like the results so far? What size deck is it? Mine was the blue AG Muller one? Very dinky now)

Moonbow comes round and asks 'What was that?'.

Nothing dear! Just humming a little song I learnt today ... dum dee dum dee dum.

Yaboot

[TemperanceAngel]

Yaboot this thread has almost inspired me to cut my deck, the photos you posted look wonderful. I mean the cards look wonderful.

*TA holds her hands over Moonbows' ears...*

Moonbow* cries, "What was that, TA, all I can hear is a muffled sound. It sounds like

SCISSORS CUTTING TAROT CARDS....AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

*TA laughs her wicked Temperance laugh* }) :P })

lark giggles, " It's another Aleister Crowley vasectomy :D "

Yaboot keeps singing to himself...knowing that his avatar can turn up anywhere and at any time ;)

[Little Baron]

Moonbow Luv! ... I think I heard the telephone ring ... could you just pop in the other room for a moment and take a look? ... I am sure it will be for you...

(Ok TA! We're alone! They certainly look different, but I suppose time will tell whether I develop a better relationship with them now that they have been cut. Because I am used to bigger decks (the Rohrig, and now also, the Enoil Gavat), it is nice to have a smaller one. I appreciate what Moonbow said about the borders being gateways, but I found the colouring disruptive and it softened the images; but that is just me. Now that the edges have gone, I can see the darkness and lightness of the cards more as they stand together. Similarly, I can see where colours flow and compliment. I am quite a 'Thoth' novice but look forward to seeing how they work for me in readings. Like Flavio said, it does give it a personal touch; the process of cutting and taking care over the cards developed a bond between the deck and me. As I cut, I could see what parts the borders complimented and what parts felt more free. It was a satisfying exercise. Some borders do not bother me; I think it is more of a keyword problem that I have. If you do do it, I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing how you find them)

*Coughs* Hi ... wrong number was it?

Yaboot

[TemperanceAngel]

(Pssstttt....Yaboot, I just realised that perhaps you cut the horrid words off them too??? Is this true?)

[Little Baron]

(Pssstttt....Yep, that's right. They are all gone! I found some of them to be a problem when reading for others, as I also did with the Rohrig. If a querant saw the word 'cruelty' or 'sorrow', as examples, it was very hard to show them any signs or feelings that I had that were possitive about the card. They would be fixed on the negative word. That was one of the main resons why the deck wasn't working for me.

[TemperanceAngel]

Good thinking 99, I have the same issues with those words, but the colors speak 10 fold to me and I love using them for myself. I find if I pull a card (because the deck is new to me) I really get a message from it quite clearly.
I wonder if Mr. Crowley will haunt any one who cuts his cards? })

[Little Baron]

You know, I thought exactly the same thing, lol. I am sure he wouldn't mind. That's the thing about doing this. It doesn't suit everyone. But as I said the other day, tarot (and this forum) is not a 'one size fits all' thing. We are all different, and respectively, all have different tarot needs. Any news from Pixie yet? Last I heard, she was chopping away quite contentedly, humming along to Nine Inch Nails.

[SongDeva]

Originally posted by contrascarpe96
I'm going to make Gardener use them to make little tarot jewelry to hand out to our handfast guests, hehe.

Dan

Yeah, I think I'm all set, thanks.

[SongDeva]

Originally posted by Yaboot001
Hey Moonbow

I have locked my scissors away. Jack the manequin breathes a sigh of relief and stops holding on to his arms and legs!!

He knows me only too well; the person that if unhappy when getting ready in the morning, without thought, hacks the collar or arm off of a top, hehe.

Moonbow, I will stop now, hehe. But I now have a bootiful little pocket deck that fits into my wallet.

Yaboot (wink!!!)

That's what I like about Yabber...he's such a badass!

[Little Baron]

Who? Me? (Yaboot winks as he sits in a room full of sawn off sleeves and bits of hacked up trouser bottoms).

[xviiirkna]

Originally posted by TemperanceAngel
I wonder if Mr. Crowley will haunt any one who cuts his cards? })

Nah...I snipped the borders of my Thoth over a year ago and haven't felt haunted by Uncle Al one bit. ;)

Yaboot - the pics of your cards all fanned out look divine! I like the pic where you still had some bordered cards beside those free from the frames - it REALLY does make a huge difference, doesn't it?

Congratulations on another successful borderectomy! (sorry Moonbow!)

If I go searching past threads, did you post pics of your Rohrig (ahem) operation? I'd like to see what those look like sans borders and key words. Hmmmm...where'd I put that paper slicer?

Blessings,
Sally Anne

[xviiirkna]

Hey Yaboot...I just found your thread on the Rohrig and wanted to let you know that this deck will be my next project. Those cards look fabulous with no border!

Blessings,
Sally Anne

[Moonbow*]

It's no good sending me out of the room Yaboot Scissorhands.......

I know exactly what you are up to. TA... bad girl! bad bad girl!

I actually think Al might like the inspiration of all this cutting, he never was one to abide by the rules was he, but no gateway? How are you going to get in them?

[Little Baron]

Thanks Sally Ann.

I was so happy with the Rohrig after the cut. It does make such a difference; especially since they are so big anyway, regardless of the removal of the edges.

What size Thoth did you cut? How has it changed your usage of the deck in the last year? Any major differences? What about the gateways Moonbow speaks about? I may no longer have a gate, but I think I am going to enjoy shinning up the wall and jumping straight in.

Good luck with the Rohrig; and thanks for inspiring me to chop up the Thoth!

Yaboot

[Sulis]

Well I think you did good - I think they look great. A vast improvement in fact.

I read somewhere that the Thoth borders were added later at the time of publishing. I think Lady F and Crowley would be proud of you.

Love

Sulis xx

[Anna]

Well I am done!!! And my cards look great :D

Be gone "cruelty" and "sorrow" and "indolence" and all the other rubbish that meant I could never read these cards for anyone!

My deck started out the same as yours Yab, the small blue AG Muller. But now I have liberated it from those pesky keywords, it is tiny!!! And yet, I feel like I can finnally SEE it. Although, my chopping is not as neat, I started out very careful, but I was going just that bit too fast at one point and I maimed the fool :( Its just a few missing fingers, I'm sure he will recover.

[Little Baron]

Thanks for the encouragement Sulis and I glad you are happy with your 'new' deck Pixie. I drew the '2 of Cups' this morning and the messages really opened up to me without the barriers. Was quite enlightening. As much as I would recommend doing this to everyone, it has helped me to finally try and connect to a deck that I have had little to no interaction with. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

What's a 'few fingers' amongst friends, eh?

Yaboot

[primaryreality]

Inspired by all of you mad people with scissors, I took a pair to my Thoth yesterday (the small deck) because I've also not been able to connectwith it or use it much because of the annoying keywords, and now it is lovely. The artwork seems much more mysterious and alive and pure, and the new smaller size fits wonderfully in the hand or pocket. I'm very happy with the result.

[Eco74]

Well, now you've all done it.

I've NEVER been able to cope with the toth, and now, seing little bitty scans of it without that horrible border and those nasty words I LIKE it...
Only from a distance sofar, but this may well be the beginning of yet another studypath for me.


Far ahead in time though since I have several decks to get to know properly AND a tarot-cupboard for housing the decks in to be completed, decorated front and all, before I will be getting any more decks.



Edited to add:
What is a "cornercutter" and are they available in bookstores?

[lunakasha]

Just wanted to add my two cents here....

First of all....this thread has had me LMAO with some of the comments made....very entertaining!!! :D And yes, I will keep watching, hehehe....

Second comment: Yaboot, the cards look AMAZING without borders....what a difference!!! Cannot wait to hear how your first reading with the "edited" Thoth works out....:)

Alas, I am with Moonbow* in that the thought of taking scissors to one of my decks is just....well, I just don't think I could go through with it, much as the idea intrigues me....*sigh*

Meanwhile, I am enjoying reading about several of you who have followed Yaboot's lead and liberated yourselves from those pesky keywords and borders.....

:D Luna <resisting temptation to hack up her icky green }) >

[Jewel-ry]

Originally posted by CharmingPixie
Although, my chopping is not as neat, I started out very careful, but I was going just that bit too fast at one point and I maimed the fool :( Its just a few missing fingers, I'm sure he will recover.

CP,
Having chopped the Rohrig, I think it is wise to do this job in small chunks. I ended up with blisters!!!

~

[mercenary30]

I am so intrigued with the way those look after you finished them Yaboot, but I would never do that to mine.....on the other hand, I am now considering buying the large Thoth with the intention of doing exactly that.....

Alas, I do not have a corner cutter.....

[Imagemaker]

Ok, my German Rohrig arrived, I have my super sharp scissors and a corner cutter ($4.99 from a craft store--in the scrapbook section).

Having clipped my New Palladini last winter, I have no reservations--just have to find the time. This weekend, I hope. It IS a big project, but I'm so looking forward to the results!

[Savoyali]

Gar, this thread is making me want to go buy a Thoth this instant, just so I can snip off the borders. They look amazing, Yaboot!

I'm usually quite fond of borders, actually, but must admit the energy that my naturally borderless Templar gives off is just awesome. Hm, now where did I see that cheap Thoth recently?

And a corner cutter! I'd never heard of these before. Who can resist new toys?

Oh, you people are evil, evil I tell you!

[Eco74]

*mumbles*

And now to see about that extra (another one) christmas perk for myself and to figure out what a "corner cutter" could possibly be called in swedish... :(


This is killing my social life aswell as my fun-funds, but then, tarot is fun right? Arts and crafts (including cutting stuff up) is fun too, right?
And those borders, well, the words can be used for something surely.
A "Crowley oracle" perhaps? Just poke them in a black satin&velvet bag and shake them about, pull one for someone you want to put a little bitty curse on and see what will irk them if the spell is successful. ;)

[Anna]

A "Crowley oracle" perhaps? Just poke them in a black satin&velvet bag and shake them about, pull one for someone you want to put a little bitty curse on and see what will irk them if the spell is successful.

Yeah, but Eco, can you imagine...

"Dear Uncle Al...please help. I am wondering how things will work out on my date tonight?"

*dips hand into bag*

Uncle Al says: RUIN! CRUELTY! DISPAIR!

[Eco74]

Originally posted by CharmingPixie

Uncle Al says: RUIN! CRUELTY! DISPAIR!

And hence the restriction for it only to be used for little bitty curses. ;)

[Imagemaker]

I am wondering how things will work out on my date tonight?"

*dips hand into bag*

Uncle Al says: RUIN! CRULETY! DISPAIR!

LOL!! But hey, better to know BEFORE you go!

What is tarot but a tool to take charge of your life path? Trimming borders is merely a small aspect of that empowering perspective to our daily choices.

Snip and be free, I say!

[Centaur]

Ooooo... losing the borders really bring these cards alive. However, I am not going to circumsize mine as of yet. I am sure I would end up snipping something out of place.

[xviiirkna]

Originally posted by Eco74
and to figure out what a "corner cutter" could possibly be called in swedish...

Hi Eco74

The corner cutter I used for my Thoth snipping and other card making ventures is made by Fiskars. They are like craft scissors but have a guide on the blade you can insert a paper (or card) and *snip* you have a corner.

Here's a link to the webpage:

http://www.fiskars.com/en_US/crafts/category.do?cat=2&fam=3

I have the plain corner edger - they have ones that make fancy scalloped corners and such, and the one called 'Regal' looks like it might be good if you wanted a sharper corner than the plain one makes.

My corners are kind of 'squared off', but they are all uniform and I've been thrilled . Here's a picture that I scanned to post to another thread...my digital camera was on the fritz at the time, so Yaboot's pictures in this thread came out much nicer than my crooked scan - but you can see what I mean about the corners.
http://www.angelfire.com/in2/moonmagic/tarot/img/thothsnip.jpg

There are other kinds of corner 'punch' rounders...this is just the kind that I've used.

Have fun and good luck in your search to find something!

Blessings,
Sally Anne

[Eco74]

Thankyou Sally Anne!

Not only did I find an online store that carries them, but they are at a reasonable price too. :)

Will take a look at the local arts/crafts-store first and if they don´t have them I'll know where to look and how to order. *s*

[DarkElectric]

Oooooooooooooooooh!
Yaboot, I see what you mean...so much better, I think. I also like the way you rounded the edges. The cards do seem more alive to me. I believe you've started a fad, my friend. The circumcised Thoth ~ Never miss a bris!
Gods, ya gotta love it.................

[Anna]

I can't stop thinking about Uncle Al's Oracle, I am going to have to make one out of my keywords!

Anyone want to voulenteer for the first reading? })})})

*turns the Nine Inch Nails CD back on*

[xviiirkna]

Originally posted by Yaboot001
What size Thoth did you cut? How has it changed your usage of the deck in the last year?

Hi Yaboot -

The deck I snipped was the large Swiss - but I still have a small Swiss with the borders. The de-bordered deck is now about the size of a regular playing card deck...only 80 cards thick.

I don't very often read for other people, so I've never used this deck for any thing other than personal readings or meditations. I really like to use it comparatively with other decks in a reading. I think it works great in that way with Tarot of the Crone (which also has no titles or keywords) and also the Light and Shadow Tarot.

When I read for myself, many times it's rather 'abstract'...I don't know how to explain this - I get a whole LOT out of my readings but it would probably take me hours to speak or write the words. The Thoth art is very kinetic....most of the time I relate to it with an archetypal message of the Tarot but the minors are the hardest for me, basically because my mind still tries to translate directly to the RWS. (learned habits are so hard to break!) Sometimes I just kind of let myself melt into the card and just soak up whatever happens to oooze out of the image.

I find these cards to be so much easier to enter into for meditation without the distraction of borders...I hardly ever used them before but now they are often my first choice.

But you know, I have not used them for a Moon reading yet - which I do quite often according to the phases, and now that you have me thinking specifically about the ways I use the Thoth...I'm not quite sure why I've never considered using it, except for the fact that perhaps my mind is conditioned to regard this as a highly masculine deck - which clashes with the feminine Moon energy. But really, Thoth without borders turns up the volume of Lady Frieda's passionate artwork...not to say Crowley still isn't there...I think I'm going to try it for my Full Moon reading at the end of the month. (thanks for nudging me to sort that all out!)

Hope I didn't ramble too much there...I do have the tendency. ;)

Blessings,
Sally Anne

[Little Baron]

It's turned into a 'scissor swiping' riot in here!

Glad you are all enjoying snipping. Very much enjoying my little naked neck.

Best wishes to you all.

Yaboot

[TemperanceAngel]

Yaboot you obviously don't need a gate, you can just walk right in!!!!

[Kissa]

Yaboot is a genius.

The first person ever on earth to make me want to buy a Thoth. That is huge. I am still in shock. I could NEVER EVER have imagined that Crowley's cards look nice somehow.

Yaboot is my master.

Kissa

[mercenary30]

I found a giant Thoth at the local bookstore and bought it.

Then I proceeded to Hobby Lobby and purchased a large corner cutter and instead of using scissors, I purchased a straight edge cutting board that has a sliding cutter on it......

WOW it works perfectly!!!!

I am getting the cards done in about 90 seconds each and they are almost identically sized......very little room for error!!!!

No blisters! No accidental slips! and the final result is a circumsized Thoth that is NORMAL SIZED!!!


ohhh....that last sentence sounds kinda bad...... :eek:

[Eco74]

*muses*

Cutting board with sliding cutter...

*adds to wishlist*

;)

[Anna]

hehe, I have finnished making "Uncle Al's Orcale: The Keywords of gloom and doom" and a very pleased with it ;)

How's that? 2 "decks" for the price of 1 :D

No blisters! No accidental slips! and the final result is a circumsized Thoth that is NORMAL SIZED!!!

LOL.....everything I want to say to this will make it look even worse merc! Lets see, how about "well done" ? :P

[Little Baron]

Thanks Kissa and TA for the kind words. The pictures do look lovely and seem to be making sense to me in the few daily draws that I have done. I hope that you also go get yourself a copy and join in. Like me, you may be very surprised about how a deck that at one time had no connection with me, has finally grabbed hold. Having said all of this, I can't take all the credit, since it was 'xviiirkna's' post that inspired me in the first place. Her Thoth has been nude and naughty for over a year now.

Mercenary, I am glad that you gave it a shot, and I am glad that you are happy with the results. I very much like the 'cut' version, but also, if I ever found them to be a proble, know that an extra copy is not that hard to come by, should I want one. I think that I would have less problems with the keywords after a long time of study with the cut deck. The keywords make it difficult to have a relationship with the deck; it is like they hold me at arms length and don't allow me to project any of myself onto or into it. Maybe, after a length of studying them like this, I would be able to read with a bordered deck and not notice the keywords. For now though, I feel that is not likely.

"Ya Ya Boot Ya Ya"

[Eco74]

Originally posted by CharmingPixie
hehe, I have finnished making "Uncle Al's Orcale: The Keywords of gloom and doom" and a very pleased with it ;)

How's that? 2 "decks" for the price of 1 :D


Well well... Do let us know how it works out for you.
Actually, if you feel like getting a guinnea-pig here I am.

I'm trying out the hugest spread I've ever encountered this weekend.
Care to ask Uncle Al how I'll do?

*dons protective gear in preparation for the doom and gloom* ;)

[Anna]

I asked him Eco,

Uncle Al says: PLEASURE!

Phew! Looks like you will have great fun with that spread. :D

[Eco74]

Well, that's nice. :D

*undons protective gear and makes the bed that now no longer looks all deserted sans pillows and covers* ;)

[yve]

This idea is quite intruiging....I have a couple of decks that I just didn't seem to connect with. The option was to trade them for another deck that I may like, but now I have sinister ideas on a possible future for them.....

[lark]

Originally posted by yve
This idea is quite intruiging....I have a couple of decks that I just didn't seem to connect with. The option was to trade them for another deck that I may like, but now I have sinister ideas on a possible future for them.....
I know what you mean yve,
I've been sitting here looking in my BIG DRAWER 'O TAROT.
And instead of thinking in terms of trading I'm thinking hummm maybe I'd like this better with the border off..... snip, snip.
This thread is dangerous!

Yaboot you need to change you name to: Runs/With/Scissors.

[Little Baron]

Haha Lark!

I just looked in on the Thoth draw thread and Moonbow responded to my daily card, 'The Knight of Swords' with 'how apt!'. Think she has a point.

Yabootio

[Eco74]

Originally posted by Yaboot001
Think she has a point.


Think you have a couple of points yourself. :D

[blackroseivy]

Yaboot, I think you are soooooooo funny!!! "YIKES, HE'S A MADMAN & HE HAS A PAIR OF SCISSORS!!!! *RUN*!!!!!!!"

[Little Baron]

Originally posted by danubhe
"YIKES, HE'S A MADMAN & HE HAS A PAIR OF SCISSORS!!!! *RUN*!!!!!!!"

Just incase .... any of you thought I was some kind of loony that ran around dressed up as a clown, weilding some kind of saw about the heads of poor little tarot cards, I thought I would just defend myself with this little photograph ...

Moonbow, I would advise you to close your eyes for this one ...

Yaboot

[Majecot]

Yab.. I have been avoiding this thread because, well I was shocked and horrified... *eek*

I still have not circumsized my Rohrig because I love them and at the same time I hate the keywords. I thought I was almost ready when SNIP... your at it again and with Thoth!!!!
I was a bit frightened for you at cutting Thoth.

Now this is not a particular favorite of mine, and actually, the giant 30 something year old deck that my friend owns kinda creeps me out. But I was kinda thinking Ole' Uncle Al mighn't be too pleased.

I do have a small grey Thoth (which I never used) that I got on whim from Ebay... maybe... I won't feel bad cutting that one I am now thinking. If I can bring myself to cut the Thoth that I have (and do not touch) just maybe I can bring myself to cut my beloved Rohrig???

If Merc has the nerve to do it.. then maybe this deck I never ever touch is one to practice on.. perhaps I will go to Hobby Lobby tomorrow for a corner snip.
Hehe.. Yab your such a rabble rouser ;)

[Moonbow*]

Originally posted by Yaboot001
Just incase .... any of you thought I was some kind of loony that ran around dressed up as a clown, weilding some kind of saw about the heads of poor little tarot cards, I thought I would just defend myself with this little photograph ...

Moonbow, I would advise you to close your eyes for this one ...

Yaboot

Hehehehehe

I was right the Knight of Swords IS Ya Ya boot Ya Ya Scissorshands!

I really do fear for the rest of your decks!!

[Imagemaker]

Trimming Report: I've done the Rohrig--wow, love it! I'd never used this deck before and now, ooooo, it's wonderful. My new current favorite!

So last night I trimmed the Thoth and what an improvement. I'd used it awhile months ago. Will go back now, reinspired, and see how it reads. Trimming takes off all identifying names and numbers, so the cards look completely different.

Compared to the Rohrig, which has small words and names in script on each card, the Thoth becomes even more "unlabeled" when trimmed. Freed from all surrounding chatter of Golden Dawn and Crowley!

Using the corner cutter makes a huge difference in the "finished feel" of the trim. I'd trimmed my New Palladini last winter, before I knew about corner cutters, and it feels more raw. Will finish it off now with the rounded corners.

Prowling through my collection looking for more to trim. Have started trimming a Robin Wood. Just cuz I CAN!

[Jewel-ry]

Well done Imagemaker,

The difference is amazing isn't it? I always liked the Rohrig but now its been chopped it is so much better. Careful now though, don't get too carried away ;)

~

[lark]

I want to cut something. :(

[Tarot Galadriel]

Imagemaker, show us some pics of your trimmed robin wood, I am dying to see how that one looks as its my fav deck.

Galadriel

[Jewel-ry]

Lark,

You were itching to cut on the 17th!!! Are you still dithering???

~

[Imagemaker]

show us some pics of your trimmed robin wood, I am dying to see how that one looks as its my fav deck.


Ok, will probably finish it tomorrow and will post scans.

[lark]

Originally posted by Jewel-ry
Lark,

You were itching to cut on the 17th!!! Are you still dithering???

~
I am just one big dithering mess...:D
Wish I was brave enough to cut my Thoth.
But ....I ....just....c.a.n.'t......do...it......
I even have a corner cutter.
Oh me oh my...sigh sigh sigh.

[Imagemaker]

Do you have an old deck (of any kind) that you don't care so much about? One you could try trimming and not mind learning on? I did that with the New Palladini--gave me huge confidence to cut the new Rohrig! And I never would do a deck I couldn't replace.

[yve]

Maybe i've missed the answer to my question in the many posts to this thread...but do you have trouble with the corners/edges curling, bending, becoming weaker or the paper seperating once you've cut the borders off? Or do you treat the edges afterwards? Sorry, if this was already answered.

[Little Baron]

Hi Yve

I havn't had any problems like that with the decks I have trimmed and I didn't treat them in any way. Of course, neither of my decks have been trimmed that long so only time will tell how they hold up.

Best wishes

Yaboot

[Imagemaker]

I've had no problem at all with edges. None of these cards I've cut are thick or multi-layered enough to split.

[shelikes2read]

I'm wondering if I should hide my cards' eyes from some areas of the forum. Cutting decks, burning decks, oh my gosh! My poor little cards will have nightmares if they see any of this. ;)

One idea I've had, though, is this: if any of the decks prove to be vastly improved once they've had a border-ectomy, the publishers of said decks should be sent scans of the new, improved cards... along with readers' testimonials, if possible. Maybe if there are several AT posters who have all become satisfied users of a trimmed version of a deck, they can get together and compose a grouo e-mail.

Why not let the manufacturers do the job, and print a "new, borderless" version of some of these decks? Then more people can have a keyword-free, borderless deck without having to overcome their fear of applying the scissors themselves.

It's just a thought. :)

[lark]

Originally posted by Imagemaker
Do you have an old deck (of any kind) that you don't care so much about? One you could try trimming and not mind learning on? I did that with the New Palladini--gave me huge confidence to cut the new Rohrig! And I never would do a deck I couldn't replace.
I just read a post by Gardner where she had chopped her Haindl deck.
(or maybe it was Dan's.)
I dislike my Haindl deck the way it is so maybe I'll start with that one. :)

[Imagemaker]

Why not let the manufacturers do the job, and print a "new, borderless" version of some of these decks? Then more people can have a keyword-free, borderless deck without having to overcome their fear of applying the scissors themselves

Somewhere, in the deck creation threads, I think, Baba-Prague (co-creator of the Bohemian Cats deck) and Jeannette of Tarot Garden wrote about why and how difficult it is to get publishers to publish as we'd like them to.

Production is easier if there are borders for trimming cards en masse. And publishers won't reprint even popular decks unless there's a super high demand, and to convince them to change the format of the cards for manufacture would be very hard indeed.

It's so much easier just to make the deck like YOU like it!

[Little Baron]

Originally posted by shelikes2read
One idea I've had, though, is this: if any of the decks prove to be vastly improved once they've had a border-ectomy, the publishers of said decks should be sent scans of the new, improved cards... along with readers' testimonials, if possible.

Why not let the manufacturers do the job, and print a "new, borderless" version of some of these decks? Then more people can have a keyword-free, borderless deck without having to overcome their fear of applying the scissors themselves.

It's just a thought. :)

It is, and a good point at that, Shelikes2read!!!

I am always put off by those darn keywords. As someone said in an earlier post that I read, the place for keywords are in the accompanying book.

There are so many different versions of decks on the market -
Large Thoths, Mini Thoths, Keychain Universal Waites, Radient RW's, Large Rider Waites, even Glow in the Dark Rider Waites ...

You can get the cards in so many sizes and styles; why not have a choise between whether you want a keyword and border or whether you want to go it alone without. I am surprised that this has not been considered by the publishers before. I wonder just how much input to this kind of thing the artist has. My other peev is when I see a deck where the font used on the deck is in no way in keeping with the subject; for example, an ancient looking deck or deck with an antique style to it that has some kind of modern text splashed along the bottom.

Yaboot

[blackroseivy]

I'm creating a Tarot of Celtic Antiquity - hey, the name just struck me, I think it's inspired! I honestly don't know what might be done to it in the name of borders, etc. - nothing *too* drastic, I hope!! If they do, it won't be *my* fault!

[Gardener]

Just thought I'd report on the results of chopping my Haindl. I love the new size, it's just a wee bit shorter than a Lo Scarabeo, and feels real nice in my hands. Fun to have them so easy to riffle too! The images become much stranger without the keywords and borders. The suit tokens are floating above the earthy paintings to begin with, and now freed from the border, they are even driftier and more surreal. I find them as tricky to read as the Marseilles, in that you don't really have narrative pictures any more, just symbols that require you to sink into a deeper kind of looking, to find meaning in colors and delicate details of placement. I hadn't really noticed how abstract the pips were, distracted as I was by the keywords.

One note on trimming. The person who first suggested it (sorry, I've forgotten who) mentioned that s/he cut along the front, leaving the backs with a grey line across the top. I hated the way that looked, so I sacrificed a very thin line of color across the top in order to take all the grey off the backs. That was quite tricky, and not ideal, but the results are great. I don't notice the tightness of the tops, and the backs are beautiful. Go for it, Lark!

Yaboot, I might be able to do scans tomorrow night. I'm waiting for some software...

Simone just gave me her big Thoth, so it gets the scissors tomorrow, when she's not looking. Still wavering about the Voyager.

[lark]

Thank you Gardener you have given me fresh courage.
The Haindl is out sitting next to the scissors and will be chopped at the light of day....

By the way you looked absolutely RADIANT in your hand fasting pictures.
Congratulations.

[Jewel-ry]

Yeah

Go Lark!

Let us know how you get on.

~

[darwinia]

Originally posted by Yaboot
My other peev is when I see a deck where the font used on the deck is in no way in keeping with the subject; for example, an ancient looking deck or deck with an antique style to it that has some kind of modern text splashed along the bottom.

Depends what you mean by "modern." Some typefaces that look modern to us are actually Roman styles that were first seen in the 15th century. Also humanist script or oblique typefaces were developed from handwriting first seen in Venice in the 15th century.

Often, I think typefaces have a modern "look" because they are so regularized when done on the computer. Some of these have been reconstructed in the 20th century to standardize them, which also lends a look of modernity.

Have you ever seen an old newspaper or book where lead typesetting was used--they are always a bit jaggly, like someone hiccupped when printing. That too makes a font look ancient when actually we are still using the typeface today and it is considered modern looking.

A lot of Renaissance typefaces do have a blobby terminus much like you would get with pen and ink. Some don't, they loved style as much as we do and fiddled around with all kinds of typefaces.

Examples of Renaissance Roman typefaces: the font Centaur was designed in 1914 after Nicolas Jenson, Venice 1469. Bembo was cut by Monotype in 1929, based on the design of Francesco Griffo, Venice 1499. Adobe Garamond (which is quite prevalent today as typefaces go) was designed in 1988, after Claude Garamond, Paris circa 1540.

They are hypothetical reconstructions because the earliest punches existing are probably for Garamond. Our reconstructions of older typefaces are based on books from the 15th century, and there are subtleties that make them replicas.

Now, if you saw a font like (my favourite name!) Zing Diddly Doo on a Marseilles deck, I might wonder at the taste of the Publisher. I don't think the artist would have much say in it, it's probably the decision of an art director of the Publisher's choosing that makes such decisions.

[Myrrha]

Yaboot, your Thoth is lovely! How did you do the corners? I might be tempted to give my Thoth a second chance. I have the medium sized US printing which is lighter and brighter than the large AG Muller one. I will have to look at how large the cards will be if cut.

--Myrrha

[Imagemaker]

I will have to look at how large the cards will be if cut.

This is the Thoth size that I trimmed. Final cards are now 3.5 inches long by 2.25 inches wide (sorry, this ruler doesn't have metric on it).

I love the size! And the way the images are energized is just amazing.

Still working on the Robin Wood. It's tricky--the images are not the same size! When I trim along the border lines, some cards are just a trifle wider or taller than others. So I'm going back to trim a sliver off. Loving the size of the result, though.

[Tarot Galadriel]

Imagemaker this is exciting, i am dying to see the results. I adore the Robin Wood deck, I have trimmed my Rohrig but would never have thought of the Robin Wood.

I never realised the images were slightly different sizes, I swear mine all look the same size, the white border looks the same of them all. Strange. That would make it more difficult.

Still, your sticking with it. it takes ages doesn't it!?
My fingers were sore after my Rohrig trimming. My middle fingertip was numb for about a week afterwards !! lol

Good luck, keep going.........Hey Yaboot, I bet you never dreamed the new fad you have started would happen ! What have you done to us all ! lol ;o)

hugs Galadriel

[jmd]

...now that you've done the first step, how about trying this:'If you cut out these cards and remove their frames, especially the trumps can be put together in a very harmonic fashion'This is an extract from Newsletter N°15 (which may be downloaded here (http://association.tarotstudies.org/newsletter.html)).

What Claas Hoffmann does is show the projective geometrical relation which exists between various cards - quite well worth looking at his work, if nothing else.

I have only 'cut & pasted' these electronically, and the patterns, as to be expected with projective geometry, are not only stunning, but harmonious and 'alive'.

[Imagemaker]

Here's the evidence of the sculpting. Pardon the slanted scan, feeling tilted this morning I guess! These are large scans, may take awhile for download on slow connections.

To show the relative finished sizes: a Rohrig, Robin Wood, and Thoth, after trimming: 3 cards (//www.innerdoors.org/tarot/relative%20size.png)

and how the Robin Wood turned out. As you can see, a couple majors shown here lost a bit of their numbers. All the other cards have names and full numbers. I'm actually very pleased with the way the trimming turned out. No decks should have borders! Robin Wood cards (//www.innerdoors.org/tarot/Robin Wood.png)

[Tarot Galadriel]

Not sure if its just me, but I can't see the pics at the moment......

[SongDeva]

No, I can' t view them either. :(

[Imagemaker]

Hmmm, will see what I can do. They open for me . . .

[Imagemaker]

First pic of relative sizes attached: 3 cards (http://www.innerdoors.org/tarot/relative%20size.png)

Does this work?

[Imagemaker]

Here's the Robin Wood:

cards (www.innerdoors.org/tarot/Robin%20Wood.png)

If these don't work, I need more tech help!

[mercenary30]

Here is a pic of 4 Majors......

This is from the Big Green Thoth......

C-Thoth Majors Pics (http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/75c4fc25/4568/__sr_/d506.jpg?phoXLXBBhgH2QOLc)

C-Thoth Minors Pics (http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/75c4fc25/4568/__sr_/f8b2.jpg?phoXLXBBcSOo4p.I)

I hope these links work better!!!

[Little Baron]

Robin Wood looks great Imagemaker!!! Images bleed out very nicely!

Yaboot

[Little Baron]

The Thoth does come alive after a good haircut Mercenary30. Looks lovely. Have you worked with the deck yet or have you still got a way to go with the trimming?

Yaboot

[Gardener]

I'm eight cards into the oversized thoth and it looks WONDERFUL! Contrascarpe is very opposed, whining and pouting, but I'm delighted with the cards. They are so beautiful. I never even noticed the intricate background on the three of pentacles before. Amazing painting. Frieda is da bomb!

The corner cutter really makes them look like regular cards instead of mini-paintings.

Simone took great pictures of the chopped Haindl for me, but I'm having trouble sizing them for the post. She and Contrscarpe both hated it chopped, they say it's not just circumsized, but castrated!

Not that it's slowing me down any...

[Gardener]

The Haindl in all its glory

edited to add:
(ooops, the picture went away!)

[Gardener]

second Haindl picture

[Gardener]

first Haindl picture, resubmitted

[Gardener]

third Haindl picture, because I'm so happy with them

[mercenary30]

Originally posted by Yaboot
The Thoth does come alive after a good haircut Mercenary30. Looks lovely. Have you worked with the deck yet or have you still got a way to go with the trimming?

Yaboot

Actually that deck is completly done, and I did a second one as well.

With the straight edge cutter and the cornering tool the job is pretty quick and very accurate.

I did use the big Thoth for this. So my cards are close to the size of the normal Thoth without the borders cut off.

[xviiirkna]

Originally posted by Gardener
third Haindl picture, because I'm so happy with them

Gardener,

No wonder you're happy...these cards are gorgeous without borders! Thanks for sharing the pics. I have a snipped Thoth deck, but I think my Haindl might need to get scheduled for an elective surgery very soon.

:)

Blessings,
Sally Anne

[Gardener]

Yaboot and Merc (and anyone else who has trimmed the Thoth),

Is it just my deck or is the Queen of Wands smaller than all the other cards? This is very weird.

Merc, what is the tool you are using to chop decks? I'm still slogging away with scissors, and as this is the fourth deck, I'm starting to think I'm not being as efficient as I could be...

Sixteen cards to go, and I cannot wait to try a reading!

[TemperanceAngel]

Gardener they look awesome, Yaboot has started such a trend! And a good one at that, I do love a bit of anarchy })

[Imagemaker]

Just wanted to point out for the nervous that in the Rohrig, at least, the keyword on each card can be found among the handwritten words on the card itself. If you really want them, they're still there.

Love my cards without borders!

[xviiirkna]

Originally posted by Gardener
Is it just my deck or is the Queen of Wands smaller than all the other cards?

Hi Gardener,

I trimmed my Thoth about a year ago, but I do remember that a few of the cards seemed like they had more border area around them than others. I looked at my deck, and my Queen of Wands doesn't seem any smaller, but my Queen of Swords does. But my cards aren't perfectly even to one another in size, so it's hard to notice unless it's something blatantly out of proportion. Two cards I would consider that, are because of my over zealous slicing...the Three of Cups put a stop to the constant bacchanalia and went on the South Beach diet, as a result it is about 1/8" thinner that the rest of it's mates. And after the first slice, Temperance was quite visibly off balance and in order to set her straight again, a bit of height had to be sacrificed.

I used a little cheapie guillotine arm slicer I got at a craft store - I think it cost me just over $5 - and it's not very accurately calibrated for measurement or squaring up the item to the blade, but the blade is nice and sharp and I was happy with the results. I rounded the corners with a pair of Fiskars corner round scissors.

I'm looking into a nicer quality paper slicer for deck making purposes. I think that I'll probably wait until I get it before I do any more deck 'borderectomies'...a nice cutter would sure make the process go easier! I can't imagine doing 78 cards by hand with scissors! I would make such a mess of that, but your Haindl cards look so nice!

Blessings,
Sally Anne

[Imagemaker]

I can't imagine doing 78 cards by hand with scissors!

I've actually found this method to be a great focusing, meditative exercise. I don't hurry, I stop when I'm tired, and I actually like the challenge of getting the cut straight (I'm weird in other ways, too!)

The small decks go a lot faster than the big ones like the Rohrig, though!

Itching to trim another one . . . it's becoming an addiction!

[WolfSpirit]

It's a rainy Sunday afternoon and I thought it was a nice occasion to do a Yaboot on my Thoth :D It's great to see the pictures come alive one by one. So I also trimmed the Merryday - that has become a nice small travel deck now, there was so much on it: name of the card, numerological references and keywords, and also a number on top. Now the pictures get all the attention.
I think the trimming went rather fast, once I got used to it, and it's great because you have immediate result.
It also feels like a very personal deck now :D but yes, trimming decks can become addictive. I really have to put my scissors away now.

[Imagemaker]

Is this where I admit that in addition to my New Palladini, Thoth, Robin Wood and Rohrig, I've now trimmed my Gill, Spiral, Secret Tarot (the one with the shiny gold people on the minors), and one (which has has turned out to be my absolute favorite) that I dare not reveal because I'll be attacked and evicted for desecration and blasphemy.

Come to think of it, maybe I've actually done a couple more--specifics are lost in the forgetful haze of addictive trimming.

But I really do use and bond with all of them so much better without borders.

I blame Yaboot, he enabled this downhill slide (though I'd first tasted the euphoria when I did the New Palladini last winter).

[Tarot Galadriel]

oh go on imagemaker, do tell, Im curious now, which one was it? :o)

[Imagemaker]

Oh, no. There are some depths of depravity of trimming that cannot be revealed.

But it's a deck that can be easily replaced, just to get myself of *some* hook or other :D

[Tarot Galadriel]

chicken ! lol

[Imagemaker]

Cluck, cluck - - - sqwaaahhck.

(Don't want my neck wrung.)

[Jewel-ry]

OK, if you wont own up, we will just have to play the guessing game. Twenty questions right?

~

[Tarot Galadriel]

Nice one Jewel-ry .

I think it could be a rude one ! lol

Wow if the images jump out on a normal deck imagine things jumping from those ones ! lol

[WolfSpirit]

LOL Tarot Galadriel :laugh:

I think it is a deck that was created by someone who is a member of this board...and she doesn't want to confess she circumsized his or her baby, LOL

[WolfSpirit]

And I'll confess I've been looking with a lustful eye at my scissors...and then I just had to see what the Swedish Witch would look like without borders. I hesitated a bit because the keywords in Swedish look so funny, but the borders are just such ugly grey while the pictures are so colourful.
And the deck came in an ugly grey box too, ugh.

This will be the last trimming for now, though. I think ;)

[Jewel-ry]

This is my question Imagemaker: Did you have an excuse for chopping this deck? Like - Keywords!!

Or did you do it just for the fun of it? ;)

Are you getting just a little too scissor happy?

[Imagemaker]

Are you getting just a little too scissor happy? [/B]

You know, scissoring DOES make me happy! :)

After trimming so many, I've developed a strong need to have the borders GONE. The images are so much more alive to me, the decks are smaller, and I don't feel as much of a barrier between cards (one to the other).

I don't mind the keywords on the Gill, they're still there. I just didn't like the blank surrounding border.

There are some decks where the labels or decorations can't be trimmed away cleanly, and in one case I just cut through the objects and it turned out very well, anyway. Somehow I'm connecting closely with decks I'd abandoned for awhile, by trimming them.

I'm not trimming decks with really narrow borders, they're not enough of an interference to warrant the effort. And some decks don't have a straight line around the image, I need that for a cutting edge.

I invite anyone to take a deck they never look at, never cared for, and don't want to bother to trade, and see if it's trimmable, and go for it! You'll create a new relationship.

[Jewel-ry]

Originally posted by Imagemaker
You know, scissoring DOES make me happy! :)

I invite anyone to take a deck they never look at, never cared for, and don't want to bother to trade, and see if it's trimmable, and go for it! You'll create a new relationship.

OK, I shall go look through my numerous decks and see what I can do! I have chopped the Rohrig and its wonderful now so I am not averse to a little bit of snipping either ;)

[tmgrl2]

NONONONONO....bad, bad YABOOT!!

Sit!

Stay!

Put down those scissors...

You now have...

What?? What?? What do you have now?

I dont' know what you have?

You don't have a Tarot deck anymore.

There are probably all these little uneven bumps sticking out around some of the edges, and when you shuffle and IF you use them to read, a card that saved a bump will come up over and over and haunt you.

Oh dear.

Tmgrl wanders around holding her head in her hands.

She doesn't read with her Thoth...but CUTTING them...

Ouch!

I think the confetti idea works...cut them into little pieces, put them in a bag, go to a high roof and scatter their "ashes" upon the unsuspecting people walking beneath the God of Thoth.

terri

[Imagemaker]

Tmgrl wanders around holding her head in her hands.

She doesn't read with her Thoth...but CUTTING them...


*a soft lullaby plays in the background*

Picture yourself relaxing by a table. On the table is a lovely pair of scissors and a stack of cards.

*humming rises*

An idea pops up. "These cards would be so beautiful without those ugly, interfering borders."

*a soft yellow glow appears around the scissors*

"I--in my own small way--have the power to make these cards more beautiful. I could trim away those borders."

*little silver sparkles appear around the cards*

"These cards could speak more clearly if they weren't muffled by printer's regulations and publisher's requirements. The borders are stifling the tarot!"

*snip, snip. Useless cardboard falls away from the brilliant colors and now released movement of the inspired images.*

"I hear . . . clear words . . . and feel smiling angels urging me on . . ."

*snip, snip*

"Aaaahhhhhh"

[Jewel-ry]

Is torture allowed on this forum?

:P

[Imagemaker]

Nope, only liberation is allowed, and encouraged!

[tmgrl2]

OHNOOOOO....Imagemaker...it's pulling me in. I keep putting the Thoth away because those WORDS, those WORDS ....

they DISTURB me...

Your soothing meditation almost had me

Taking out a sharp pair of scissors....

and cutting, cutting, cutting....

Alas...I cannot bring myself to the point of cutting a deck.

It would be like...like....

Cutting out.....a piece of the artist....

I could

Give them away....but then...

Someone might READ with them...Oh dear, better I should hide them away...or perhaps BUY them all until they become OOP and put them in some dark, locked box and a far corner of a cave or castle where they will be safe from some yet unborn tarot reader of future times.

My greatest fear???

One day I will pull them out, look through them again...and

say...

Hmmmmm....I could read with these...

tmgrl

[tmgrl2]

After reading through all these posts again....tmgrl begins to

Imagine other decks she has...

without their borders....

certainly without the words....(except for the usuals on the Trumps and Courts...although the card with no name and the card with no number....are there....actually there is another with no name...Le Vaslet de Deniers)...

tmgrl is now thoroughly confused.....

[Imagemaker]

. . . only when you're ready . . . it's a big move to walk through that door . . . no pressure, just consider . . . the possibilities . . . of freedom . . .

*sparkly golden light surrounds you*

[tmgrl2]

Originally posted by Imagemaker
. . . only when you're ready . . . it's a big move to walk through that door . . . no pressure, just consider . . . the possibilities . . . of freedom . . .

*sparkly golden light surrounds you*

I feel the light!! I feel the light!! I'm not ready to make the move. It could happen one day, though.

terri

[Imagemaker]

I remembered what else I trimmed: the Halloween deck.

Now the untrimmed ones are starting to look funny.

[tmgrl2]

Originally posted by Imagemaker
I remembered what else I trimmed: the Halloween deck.

Now the untrimmed ones are starting to look funny.

Aha! the truth unfolds...

terri

[Myrrha]

How do those of you who do not have corner rounding scissors do the corners?

The only corner-thingy I could find at the craft store was like a giant toenail clipper and it doesn't have any way of making sure the curve is evenly centered so it comes out lopsided each time.

-Myrrha

[Imagemaker]

My corner-rounder made all the difference in making the trimmed deck look finished. It's a blue thing, sits on the table, that I put the corner of the card into and push the button down. It clips the the pointed corner off.

The sides of the card make it fit in right, so that the card doesn't come out lopsided. It cost $5 at our local craft store, in the scrapbook section.

[Sulis]

I'm sooooooo tempted to snip my new Druidcraft - it's just too big for me and it has a 'stone' coloured border and a white border - I just think the white border is unnecessary.

I think that left as it is I won't use it that much but chopped - well you never know :)

I'm going into Nottingham this afternoon, I may have to look for a corner rounder.

Love

Sulis xx

[Imagemaker]

I think that left as it is I won't use it that much but chopped - well you never know

This is my philosophy--when I already know what's down one path, I'm willing to take a small risk (it's only replaceable cardboard) to explore the other.

And if you use the deck, instead of shelving it, wouldn't that please the artist more?

[Sulis]

Do you snippers think that a craft knife or scissors are better for this?

Love

Sulis xx

[Imagemaker]

I use long, super sharp scissors. I used to cut mats for framing and I don't have as much control when I draw a knife along a straightedge. Sometimes the blade went off the line.

So I use scissors.

[Sulis]

Thanks Imagemaker, I have some sharp, long dressmaking scissors - I think I'm going to do it - be still my beating heart :)

Love

Sulis xx

I've still to track down a corner-rounder

[Jewel-ry]

Hi Sulis,

I used some very sharp scissors. They came out of a victorinox pocket tool kit as pictured here.

http://www.minitools.co.uk/index.htm?url=products/victorinox/index.htm

They were very sharp but did the trick. I didn't use a corner cutter, I was just extra careful with the scissors. To be honest, they are not perfect but they are pretty close. Doesn't bother me at all.

Make sure the backs aren't affected because I imagine that could be a stumbling block with some decks. Also you want to make sure the borders are the same size on all cards.

:)

[Imagemaker]

For me, longer blades mean less chance of changing the angle with each stroke. Also, perhaps big scissors have more power to cut through using less force.

After I cut the whole deck, I hold it on edge and see if any individual cards stand out. I shuffle and look again and again, on the short and long sides.

If any are wider or longer, I trim a sliver off. With care, you can get them very, very accurate. My goal is not perfection, but not to have any cards develop a tendency to get chosen in regular use.

The prime goal through all this is to USE the deck for readings!

[WolfSpirit]

Wow Sulis, how brave to start your trimming on a brand new deck :) I started on a deck that I had lying around and that I wanted to jazz up a little.

[Sulis]

Wow Sulis, how brave to start your trimming on a brand new deck
I haven't done it yet ;) Will let you know how brave I am when I have.

Love

Sulis xx

[tmgrl2]

Yes, Imagemaker...I agree.

I haven't actually "used" the deck yet. Just didn't like the words.

Another project during retirement is to actually READ with some of these decks before I cut.

I feel I owe that much...

terri

[Imagemaker]

to actually READ with some of these decks before I cut.

Wise indeed. Renovation should always come after a period of evaluation :)

[tmgrl2]

That's what I think, too, Imagemaker. I am so new to Tarot. I bought some decks initially because I thought I "should." Then I got them and was disenchanted. I still intend to take them out and work with them before I

CUT...

terri

[TemperanceAngel]

I'm being a bit lazy, (and I am in a hurry), but I am sure someone wrote that they snipped their Haindl deck...am I correct or going bonkers???

[WolfSpirit]

Yes it is somewhere in this thread...with pictures.

[Imagemaker]

I think Gardener did that.

[Gardener]

Yes, I snipped my Haindl a couple weeks ago.

Imagemaker, it is an amazing addiction, isn't it? I was getting tempted to do what you did and take off all borders larger than a hair's width, but contrascarpe suffers so, with each and every deck-ectomy, so I haven't had the heart since I finished the Thoth...

The majors and courts of the Haindl look STUNNING clipped, espeically if you lay them out on a shiny red tablecloth. The minors, though, I had no idea the extent to which I was relying on the keywords. They are very difficult without keywords, and I find myself relying on the standard RW meanings as an alternate crutch. I think I'm going to have to dedicate some time to sitting down with the companion book if I want to use the deck.

Anyone else working with a clipped Haindl? Any thoughts?

[Imagemaker]

I haven't done my Haindl yet, maybe that's my next candidate (as I AM running out of ones I want to trim--finally!)

[Sulis]

I just finished doing my Druidcraft - much better in my opinion. It's not too big for my hands now so it's going to get used - before it was too big so I know that after a little while I'd have stopped using it.

I've really enjoyed doing the snipping, I feel as if it's been part of the bonding process with this deck - it feels as if I've had a part in the creation process; I've really made this deck my own.

I've left on the titles and the small stone style border, just got rid of the white border. I couldn't find a corner rounder that would take just a little off - I didn't want to damage the stone border as it's very thin so I used a nail clipper on the corners - it's worked just fine. Sadly no scanner so I can't show you the cards but to me they're an improvement and that's what counts :)

Love

Sulis xx

[mercenary30]

Originally posted by Sulis
I just finished doing my Druidcraft -

Mercenary30's eye's bug out, his jaw hits the floor and then he passes dead away....


~~THUMP~~

[WolfSpirit]

Merc are you okay ? Say something !!

As there are two borders on the Druidcraft, I think the white one was not intended by the artist but is just there to make the printing possible. Surprised it makes such a difference - I thought it was just a small border ?

About the big borders with or without key words: someone (I think it was ravenswing) talked about templates for his cards that hid the borders, so you can see what the deck is like without key words and with a different border, not quite without a border, but if you have a template in the same colour as the spread cloth it is almost like "without a border".
Maybe an idea to see if trimming would be a good idea ?

[Jewel-ry]

Sulis!!!

Way ya go!!!

Does anyone have a handy link to the Druidcraft so I can see them with the borders? It'll help me imagine what they look like without them.

Merc - get up quick, you might miss something ;)
~

[Sulis]

Merc, oh dear........didn't expect anyone to keel over in shock :)

Jewel-ry I wish I had a scanner so I could show you the difference - The white borders were small (added up to a surprising amount though) but they were a little uneven and hey, I've just got a thing about white borders - I don't like them.

This deck feels much more 'me' now and I can actually shuffle it.

Love

Sulis xx

[lunakasha]

Originally posted by WolfSpirit
Surprised it makes such a difference - I thought it was just a small border ?

I agree...the white borders are pretty thin...but I guess removing them made a difference and Sulis is happier without them.... very brave taking scissors to these cards. I would be terrified of "killing the patient", hehehe!!! :P

:) Luna

[Diana]

This is a very funny thread.

I would love to join in... only I don't know how to cut straight with scissors. My mother used to tease me about it... and now I am teased by my son and husband. They think it is hilarious that even on a straight line I can't cut straight.

But I did cut off all the borders as well as all those FOUR LANGUAGES :mad: on a Lo Scarabeo historical deck once. It made the cards very incy-wincy-tiny but they are much more historical that way.

But like I said... I can't cut straight, so I used a guillotine.

[Sulis]

This is what my cards look like now, except that the text box is white not red http://druidcraft-tarot.druidry.org/majorarcana.html

Before the cards had a white border surrounding the one in the scans - as Wolfspirit says - the type most decks have to enable easier printing.

Love

Sulis xx

[Imagemaker]

the snipping, I feel as if it's been part of the bonding process with this deck - it feels as if I've had a part in the creation process; I've really made this deck my own

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is what I've experienced--that slow meditative trimming as you work with each card has a bonding effect.

Yay Sulis!!

And where is Yaboot? He's missing how his seed post has bloomed into a humongous gorgeous flowering thread!!

[TemperanceAngel]

*TA looks around all the boxes from her move*

"Where are my scissors???"

*Thinking, thinking, thinking....*

"When I get those scissors I am going to do it, cut the borders off my new Haindl deck I got from WolfSpirit in a trade!!!!"

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Kissa]

yes, just do that, TemperanceAngel, it it well worth the trouble.

i just cut all the majors and they look stunning. the colours suddenly appear. i dare anyone now to say that the haindl is grey, serious, hermetic, difficult... it is full of colours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they were just hiding and dying behind those grey borders!

the cards have a very nice size now. 0,7cm narrower and 1,8cm shorter (that's a lot). they handle so well.

i don't think cutting your own cards is such an horrible thing to do. i just got that deck back (after trading it a few years ago) so it was kind of calling me... but i just couldn't cross those grey borders. so i did a Hedera, a Yaboot, a whoever-bless-them-and-their-sharp-scissorsl.

and now i feel a special connection to the deck already. i don't feel shy and stupid in front of it, it finally feels reachable.

:) :)

i doubt haindl chose himself those grey awful things anyway.

kissa

[lark]

I was going to do my Haindl.
Had every good intention...but I don't seem to have a pair of scissors sharp enough.
What do you cuttters recomend?
Dress maker, hair scissors, craft scissors?
And how big?
If I'm buying something new I want get the best thing.
All I have is dollar store scissors. :(

[mercenary30]

Originally posted by lark
I was going to do my Haindl.
Had every good intention...but I don't seem to have a pair of scissors sharp enough.
What do you cuttters recomend?
Dress maker, hair scissors, craft scissors?
And how big?
If I'm buying something new I want get the best thing.
All I have is dollar store scissors. :(

I would recommend going to the same scrapbook section that you find the corner cutters. They have little straight edge cutters.

THIS (http://www.fiskars.com/en_US/crafts/lookupItem.do?cat=8&itemNumber=45653&fam=1) is the one I have, and I have done three Thoths with it so far, it they were nearly flawless. No sore fingers and it is WAY faster!!!!

[lark]

Oh that's really nice Mec..
And you can buy blade replacements too if they get dull.
Thanks for taking the time to look that up for me.
I have a corner rounder so I'm half way there.
Now I'm itching to try this. :)

[Kissa]

never noticed the death card had so much purple in it before i trimmed the card...

the grey borders are a killer to this gorgeous deck, really.

kissa

[Imagemaker]

Ok, that does it--going to do my Haindl! (I never read with it now, time for a reconnection.)

[Gardener]

Kissa, Lark, TA and Imagemaker:

I agree that the Haindl majors and courts are stunning once clipped, but I am interested to hear what you think of the pips. Also, have you tried USING the cards yet??? Not to skew your answers, but I'm having a very hard time connecting to the pips. I almost want to just read with the majors and courts...

[Imagemaker]

Ok, I just trimmed the majors. This deck is tricky--the inner colored line is not printed precisely square on some of the cards.

I trimmed the bottom gray band off by looking at the front of the card, along that black line. Then I trimmed the sides and top by looking at the back, along *that* black line (making sure all the black is off). Otherwise the front wasn't as cleanly trimmed. The black lines on front and back don't fall along the same line.

After the trim, a few cards were slightly taller or wider, so took an extra sliver off, using the colored inner band as a guide.

Tricky! Not for a beginner at this trimming thing. BUT yes, the cards (as always) look better without the border.

Onward to the minors . . .

[TemperanceAngel]

I haven't done mine yet, I need to get some scissors.

Gardener what makes the pips difficult for you? Is there anything you can pinpoint?

Maybe it's about 'letting go' ideas and meanings you have for the cards, and relying on the imagery and your intuition for card interpretations.

Just a thought!

[Kissa]

Gardener:

1) i find the pips much more talkative without the grey borders. i agree with TemperanceAngel that you have to let go of traditional/learnt RWS standard meanings. The pips are non scenic (ie don't involve any character), I am very stupid for never having read or studied Thoth but isn't it like that in Crowley's deck?? I have tried studying Marseilles decks but I get bored and annoyed and feel extremely frustrated for not seeing any meaning in the way the decorating flowers in the cups mean something...
Thus the Haindl pips are a very good option to the RWS pips.

2) i am planning to study Pollack's books seriously and I am pretty sure she will unlock many secrets for me... I have always heard that Haindl was not a beginner's deck and Pollack's books about it were excellent. I still consider myself pretty much of a beginner but i decided to try seriously with Haindl. I think if you are attracted to a deck, you should go for it.

3) to be honest: haven't used the trimmed deck yet. still have some minors (about the half) to trim. I plan a little "let go" ceremony before using this deck and whatever it has to say, i will listen to it, even if it doesn't make sense without books or lwb... it might be the best reading i will ever do ;) better sharpen my pen to write it in my journal!

Best luck to you, Gardener, and if you feel like putting the minors aside for a while: why not???

warm blessings,

Kissa

edited to add: i had the same problem than ImageMaker with this line. I decided to go according the front (the card image) instead of the back ie i still have about 1mm of that ugly grey border on the back of my cards. doesn't bother me too much, i prefered to save the pictures on the front than trim according to the back and lose some of the details (maybe?).

[tarobones]

Hello to the group. I am absolutely no good with scissors, etc. I would be willing to pay for a deck somebody else had trimmed though. Any takers? Thanks to everybody for an enjoyable thread. BB, Michael

[rainwolf]

So now you have all these little pieces of tarot lying all over the table....what do you do with them? :confused:

Aren't they still tarot? Do you think it is fine to just throw them in the trash like scrap? :(

What ritual would be suitable for the proper disposal that would show the appropriate dignity and respect?

There is a whole thread on disposal...
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=26359&highlight=tarot+disposal
...but i think it would be similar to a flag, but in a different fashion. I would think of how it helped me in the past (the specifc deck) and maybe of each card, or the ones i connected to teh most. Then i think i would wrap them and burn them to be one with the earth again...i guess taht would be alright. I just hope they dont scream like a ouija board does...:-/

[RedMaple]

consider whether it's worth it. The entire suit of Stones is based on misinformation about Native American religion. My Haindl's sitting in a box, and probably will be until I use a couple of images in a collage or something. It's a failed deck, in my opinion. ( There's a post of mine with more opinions on the Haindl in the Study Groups section.)

[Ulfdis]

I read this thread and the one about Yaboot trimming his Rohrig. Now I'm kicking myself for losing my Rohrig... I didn't really connect with it, and I'm convinced that if I had just trimmed off the border it would have been a better deck for me. It was too big for my hands to shuffle comfortably, and the keywords were really distracting.

But anyways... now I'm thinking I should take the shears to my Osho Zen. My wife has a second copy, so there's already a replacement handy should the results be disastrous. Hmmmm.... I'm gonna take them out, maybe cut a "window" in another piece of paper to see how it would look.

[Imagemaker]

To me, trimming is like hemming a pair of pants. The length the store sells isn't quite right for me, would look slightly off and be inconvenient. So I "hem" my decks in the same way :)

[Gwynne]

Oh my.... I used to have the Thoth. LOVED it! Then it didn't love me so much anymore so I gave it to a friend. Looking at how those cards look (their NAKED!!!!) I want to go get the Thoth and start chopping!!!! :lol: And I can imagine a few other decks that would probably look better naked too!

[RedMaple]

Has anyone thought about trimming the Gilded? :D

[stella01904]

MM ~ I'd only trim a deck with one of those paper cutters - you know, the things with the squares and the hinged blade...BB, Stella

[tarotbear]

Buy a small paper cutter - like the one you used in grammar school; keeps the edges nice and straight!

[Simone]

I have finally made may way all through this thread, and I found it hilarious in places - thanks for the chuckles, friends! I would never think of cutting borders off the cards, as I said to Gardener back in September, castrating them...

But there is one thing that shocked me though - a thing I had never even thought about: waaah, if I get my deck printed, it will have to have borders???!!!??? It should definitely not!!

Well, if any of you ever considers buying it, feel free to circumsize, castrate, cut, guillotine, snip, trim, corner cut it... and I will see to it it has the right size so one can still see the details, not too big for little hands but still big enough without being too tiny to handle with cut corners ;)

Off to think about card backs now, a design that will not suffer from border cutting ...

[OakDragon]

I have finally made may way all through this thread, and I found it hilarious in places - thanks for the chuckles, friends! I would never think of cutting borders off the cards, as I said to Gardener back in September, castrating them...

But there is one thing that shocked me though - a thing I had never even thought about: waaah, if I get my deck printed, it will have to have borders???!!!??? It should definitely not!!

Well, if any of you ever considers buying it, feel free to circumsize, castrate, cut, guillotine, snip, trim, corner cut it... and I will see to it it has the right size so one can still see the details, not too big for little hands but still big enough without being too tiny to handle with cut corners ;)

Off to think about card backs now, a design that will not suffer from border cutting ...

Why does a deck have to have borders? Your cards don't have borders the way you've designed them and they look wonderful! :)

[Strange2]

Why does a deck have to have borders? Your cards don't have borders the way you've designed them and they look wonderful! :)

I second that. There are decks that do not have borders, the beautiful Blue Moon (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/blue-moon/) and Templar Tarot (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/templar/) come to mind. Simone: particulalry with the black background, I think your deck would look great with no borders.

[Simone]

Haha, so maybe the deck will not have to have borders after all? :D yay!

It was so that after reading the thread, I thought someone had said there had to be borders for printing reasons...

[WolfSpirit]

I think with most mass-produced decks, the cutting machines are not precise enough to make sure all decks are cut on exactly the same line, so they have a (mostly white) outer border as a safe margin.
I think the Blue Moon is a limited deck and more expensive than most decks, so there may have been more care in the cutting.
I am happy to buy a deck with a white border and trim the border of myself - often that is what the artist would have wanted.

Some artists choose to make a decorative border on their decks. And then they often still have a white border as well.

[Little Baron]

Simone

After reading through this thread, I went on a little search through the forum to see your deck. I really like it very much. I think that it would definitely appreciate having no borders. I think it would make the pack much more sumptuous; I think the black would look very rich. Just wanted to add my congratulations to you.

LB

[Sulis]

The Morgan Greer (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/morgan-greer/) and Ellen Cannon-Reeds' Witches Tarot (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/witches/) are both mass produced decks which have no borders.
It can't be that hard for publishers to do and the cards just look so much better. I've rejected decks in the past simply because I couldn't stand the borders; the Spiral Tarot springs to mind - hated those purple borders so I traded the deck away.

Love

Sulis xx

[WolfSpirit]

I can't imagine that artists who design a border for their decks, also choose to have a small white border on them - so that must be something that is decided for the production process.

I don't have enough expertise to know how easy it would be to print the deck without it - I only know it is easy to cut it off :laugh:

[Nycelle]

Does anyone have a scan of any Spiral cards with the borders chopped? I love my Spiral but the borders do annoy me. I don;t want to take the plunge without an idea how it will look afterwards.

[Sulis]

No Scan I'm afraid.

I'd bet they'd look much better and the backs would be ok too.

One thing - if you trimmed The Spiral it would be tiny - it would probably make a lovely pocket sized deck.

Love

Sulis xx

[Imagemaker]

I managed to scan my Spiral (the scanner is now on a linux machine here and I know negligible linux). They're a little dark, sorry!

The cards are not quite 3/5 inches long and 2.25 inches wide. The back has a thin yellow line on the top and a tiny yellow line on the side.

trimmed Spiral (www.innerdoors.org/tarot/spiral-sm.png)

[RedMaple]

I just trimmed the Robin Wood, and it is the first deck that gave me any trouble. I couldn't figure out why at first. It is because the borders are not all the same width. The Majors and Minors are definitely different.

My solution was to use the top and bottom borders on the face side of the cards, then turn the cards over and cut along the inside of the black space around the celtic knots. This worked beautifully, and now all the cards are done and are, to my taste, much stronger. White borders always wash out colors, and lent this pack with its fairly delicate palette too much extra light, in my opinon.

[Magi]

*Looks at Thoth, looks at scissors. Begins to plan out the henious crime.*

This should be fun.

*puts in Disturbed into CD player*

[Fudugazi]

*Looks at Thoth, looks at scissors. Begins to plan out the henious crime.*

This should be fun.

*puts in Disturbed into CD player*

ROTFL!

You guys have just given me a way to live with Thoth - great cards but those borders and keywords :(

I still have to order a corner cutter. I don't think Swiss stationers stock objects to commit heinous crimes with.

[similia]

We've been discussing giving thoth the chop in another thread

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=34584

I decided to order a copy in a foreign language (to avoid the keywords) and wait patiently for someone to publish a borderless deck.....

(I'm still waiting ;) )

[Rosanne]

Thanks for the scan of trimmed Spiral, my main personal reading deck, but the silly borders annoy me. I said earlier in this thread ( I think) that I feel really bad about trimming a deck, so I will start with Thoth, who makes me feel warty anyway. A family member pointed towards a scrapbooking shop for guillotine and corner snipper. So next time down to the big smoke... Regards Rosanne

[Ulfdis]

I started cutting my Osho Zen... and I think it's fabulous! My only problem is that little diamond at the bottom of the image on the cards. It has number/court symbol in it and is colored differently for each suit. I cut along the thin white strip, which leaves about half of this little diamond poking up into the card image. I'm going to leave them like that for now, but if it bugs me too much, I might have to sacrifice the bottom few millimeters and trim those off too. I only have a few done, but so far, so good.

[Nycelle]

Thanks for the scans, Imagemaker :) I think they look much better.

*heads for Spiral brandishing scissors and laughing evilly*

[Rosanne]

I am not sure who in this thread said trimming was relaxing. I bought a trimmer and corner punch today and started on my Thoth. It is the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done with a Tarot deck. I dont know who was inwardly screaming louder me or Crowley. Must admit the six trimmed cards look great and the artwork stands out now.. but oh the blood sweat and tears ..I mean trims. Someone told me my pear tree needed pruning badly- so I pruned it badly.

[WolfSpirit]

I always cut my cards with sharp scissors, and I find that relaxing.
I don't think handling a thing called a guillotine would give me any peaceful thoughts, LOL.

[Imagemaker]

It is the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done with a Tarot deck.

LOL--oooh, what a great thread idea! The most non-tarot thing you've ever done with a deck . . .

As for trimming, breathe out with a whoosh, consciously relax your muscles, tell Crowley his deck will be more used if it's trimmed, he should be grateful, and pretend you're in pre-school, playing with paper mosaics.

By the time you get past the first 10 cards, you should feel a lot looser!

[Emily]

Well I looked at my DruidCraft and looked at my DruidCraft........ and I couldn't do it lol

I got as far as getting the scissors ready and my hands wouldn't stop shaking enough to get close to the cards - think I may leave it for a while lol - maybe until I have my second copy and this one looks a little more worn out but I do agree it would look amazing trimmed - it would be just like my Morgan Greer :D

[stella01904]

MM ~ The only deck I've ever really wanted to cut is my Grimaud Petit Lenormand http://www.lepalaisdutarot.com/PalaisT/LenormandGr.htm - Why oh why did they put those awful written interps on them? They don't even go with the pictures on the cards. And Grimaud, which is normally pretty good, was a step ahead of me - if I cut the written interps off, I would also be chopping off the corresponding playing card - or else leaving them as tabs, ick. BB, Stella

[Fudugazi]

As for trimming, breathe out with a whoosh, consciously relax your muscles, tell Crowley his deck will be more used if it's trimmed, he should be grateful

I would think the Beast would be only too keen to encourage transgression (unless he reserved transgressions only for himself?) - no-one need have any fear of cutting the THOTH - quite the opposite. The Tarot Devils will applaud.

[WolfSpirit]

Well I looked at my DruidCraft and looked at my DruidCraft........ and I couldn't do it lol

I got as far as getting the scissors ready and my hands wouldn't stop shaking enough to get close to the cards - think I may leave it for a while lol - maybe until I have my second copy and this one looks a little more worn out but I do agree it would look amazing trimmed - it would be just like my Morgan Greer :D

Emily I trimmed off the white border but my cards still have the "stone" border and the name of the card.
I know what you mean though - I only started doing this when I had another copy, and I also had plenty cutting experience with other decks.

[Imagemaker]

the Beast would be only too keen to encourage transgression

Indeed, rebel to the max!!

[Emily]

OOhhh I have thought of one deck I wouldn't mind taking the scissors to - the Liber T - I'd cut that awful artwork off the top half of the cards and just leave the modern renditions of the Thoth at the bottom :D

This was an inspired instant thought - I could almost hear Crowley behind me saying ' go on do it' lol

[Rosanne]

I have finished trimming my Thoth Deck. Well, I did what Imagemaker suggested and threw aside the zip zap cutter, and used my fine Embriodery scissors. And I breathed in and out calmly. It would have been death to anyone else to use my scissors for cutting cardboard, but I forgave myself.Now my twenty four year old Thoth looks like a new millenium dude.It has lost its spooky edge and its green spooky edge. How liberating. I will use it like it is a clone of something else. I will now call it my O deck having lost its th... and th. It also exorcised Crowley. Please all you Thothers, don't put a Hex on me it would have never been used, now it will. May all your trimmings be not only on Xmas. Regards Rosanne

[Imagemaker]

Yay, Rosanne! Love the new O name! And how do YOU feel now, having conquered this mountain climb?

Making the deck usable is what it's all about.

[jota23]

I'd love to see the trimmed Druidcraft deck. I'm anxiously awaiting the deck and I'm a bit worried about the size and borders. I've seen images people have scanned with the borders removed and find it to be an extremely beautiful deck. Perhaps the scissors will be pulled out when my pre-ordered deck arrives in April.

[rainwolf]

I just finished trimming my thoth, and it looks much better. I thought the pictures were vibrant before-now they are amazing, they capture the essence of crowley's ideas and Harris' art.

[Gwynne]

I'm patiently awaiting the arrival of a Thoth deck in the mail this week so that I can take my scissors to it...

I've read with it before, until my dog got ahold of them (ugh!) and I did enjoy them, but seeing pictures of the Thoth without the borders.... They are quite simply amazing!!!

And knowing that they were not originally designed with those borders, that it was an addition of the publisher, makes me really want to hack away! :lol:

I've even got a plan for the keywords that will be left over!

Now I'm also on the look out for other decks that would be good for border removal. I've thought about removing the border from my Fey Tarot, the titles in multiple languages are irritating, not to mention I just love the artwork and think they'd really *pop* by themselves... But I'm not sure what that would do to the back of them, because the borders are not the same size all around.

[rainwolf]

I've even got a plan for the keywords that will be left over!


What are you planning on doing?
~~~~~~~~~~
Someone said they were agains cutting cards because it took the name off (such as Lord of...), but i found a solution to that: Cut off the top, and cut off the sides, strait down to the end, so that all that is left is the picture and the words below the picture. I took a picture of mine, and ill try to put it up on my personal site. The pattern in the border even looks good when you do that.

[Raven Reed]

I hate the white border on my Goddess Tarot deck. Hmmmm... I wonder how brave I am?

[Kissa]

hi,

is there a brave druidcraft trimmer who would happen to own a scanner??

the situation is as follows: i trimmed the white borders yesterday but i am still hesitating about rounding the corners for fear of denaturing the grogeous stone frame.

on the other hand, i KNOW the deck will suffer from shuffling if i don't round the corners. Sulis rounded hers but i think she has no scanner.

deciding about the corners is far more difficult than deciding to get rid of those white borders in my case...

bright blessings,

kissa

[Sulis]

Hi Kissa,

We got a scanner a couple of weeks ago but I didn't know how to use it.

My lovely husband has just given me a quick lesson so I've scanned some of my cards.

Let's see if it works.

Love

Sulisxx

[Tarot Galadriel]

ooh they do look nice.
I am so tempted but have been resisting so far. I too was wondering how the corners would look, but they look fine.
I was worried about the card quality too as it is a little flimsy and seems to mark easily, I was wondering how they fare after trimming, if the edges would fray easily. Mind you, I think they would anyway........

Hubby and daughter are off the France for the whole day tomorrow, if I get bored I know what I may do now, plenty of time to fill :o)

You people are such a bad influence LOL

[Kissa]

hmmmm... they look vrey good indeed, thanks for posting, Sulis!!

ok. now i have to get the corner rounder, obviously :D

kissa

[Jewel-ry]

They do look really good don't they?

Where did you get your corner rounder then Sulis?

[Sulis]

They do look really good don't they?

Where did you get your corner rounder then Sulis?

I got it from Hobby Craft.

Cost a couple of quid :)

Love

Sulis xx

[Kissa]

i have a big US games Thoth coming to me, somewhere between Missouri or Minnesota (Tarot Garden) and Finland and it is getting a fresh haircut as soon as it arrives here.

My scissors and brand new corner puncher are *very* impatient.

Would someone like to join me and trim their own Thoth? See what you can get, with a bit of patience and lots of time...

[Rhiamon]

i have a big US games Thoth coming to me, somewhere between Missouri or Minnesota (Tarot Garden) and Finland and it is getting a fresh haircut as soon as it arrives here.

My scissors and brand new corner puncher are *very* impatient.

Would someone like to join me and trim their own Thoth? See what you can get, with a bit of patience and lots of time...
those look awesome!!!!!

[closrapexa]

They really do look splendid. Makes me want to do the same with mine. Not that I mind the keywords that much, only the borders look a bit like skeleton bones, and I'm not crazy about them.

[Blue Fury]

Oh gawd, I am getting palpitations just READING about cutting up Thoth let alone contemplating actually doing the deed.


And yet....

well, I gotta say I LIKE what Yaboot has managed to do to his deck, it looks amazing...

hands are shaking now as I contemplate the unthinkable ... eek!!!

Gonna have to get me a spare deck to experiment with, dammit :)

Fury x (sweating nervously)

[tieduptinkerbell]

when i was little my barbies hair was uneven on one side...so i cut it. then it was uneven on the other. so i cut that side too. then it was uneven on the first side again...so i cut it again...

soon my barbie looked like she was a punkrocker...and that was before there was such a thing...lmao

that would be the reason i would never cut a deck. if i made a mistake i would be cutting them till all that remained was a 1x1 inch square...shakes head...

more power to the scissor people!

love Bell
x

[Kissa]

when i was little my barbies hair was uneven on one side...so i cut it. then it was uneven on the other. so i cut that side too. then it was uneven on the first side again...so i cut it again...

oh! that reminds me of when i was young! i too did that to my barbie dolls.

and i am just doing it right now to my druidcraft, i'm afraid (sensitive souls, don't read the following).

first the cards were too big, cut them square but couldn't do the corners because i had no corner puncher.
last week i found one but it's a real cheap nasty thing that fell in the shop (i know because i was there when it happened... ok, i DROPPED it) and it doesn't block/hold the card when it's inserted so the corners sometimes are not centered. and the borders too get cut unevenly in the process...
so glad this happens with the druidcraft and not with a nice deck like nthe Thoth ;) LOL

kissa

PS: and i got a corner puncher by Fiskars too http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/punches/photo-corner-punches/photo-corner-punch-round/default.aspx but it makes two extra lines and anyway doesn't cut through the cardboard. perfect loss of time.

[Tongodiva]

I had a bit of an accident with my cards the other day, so I had to get a new deck (another Thoth), so this gave me the bravery to snip away at my old deck. I must say the cards do seem ever so small in my hand. They're smaller than the LWB! It does give me a new perspective on the deck, they seem a bit bare witout their border that I've gotten used to for the last three years, but it gives them more substance that just artwork in the card stands in itself. I'll confess before reading this thread I would have never thought to have gone snip crazy! Ya'll are baaaaaaaad! *grin* ;)

Running With Scissors (caaaaaaarefully) - Tongo

[lorettawitch]

I've cut the borders off about 5 of my decks! :-) Thoth, Robin Wood ( I hated it before I cut it and now I love it), Vargo Gothic, Rider Waite and Druidcraft. In all cases it's improved the artwork and they feel niceer to work with. The only deck I wldn't consider cutting is the Voyager tarot because I need the Titles, but I think it would look better without the border.

I always do mine with scissors. It's time consuming but it gets you closer to the cards and it's sort of soothing.

[Brammetje]

Wow, that Thoth really looks different now!
I agree your results are quite impressive!

Do you enjoy reading with it?

Bram

[Valteran11]

Okay, so after reading the entire thread, I also decided to give it a try. I've had maybe a dozen decks and have traded most of them because I was never able to click with them for any length of time. So out came Mr. Scissors and I did some chopping to the hanson-roberts. I don't think I ever realized just how annoying the white borders were. Now, I seem to be able to click with the deck! Its a lot easier to "fall into" the card, i.e. to make a personal connection with it. Jeez, if I had seen this thread in 2003 I might not have traded so many decks before I at least gave the a try! Has anyone tried this with a deck with separate borders and keywords and cutting everything off but the pictures?

M

[Kilted Kat]

This thread reminds me of a T-shirt I see some students running around in --it says "runs with scissors."

[Kissa]

i warmly encourage anyone feeling they want to try it to indeed trim a deck. whatever deck.

i mutilated a druidcraft, trimmed a haindl and a thoth and if it was possible, i'd cut the light and shadow as well (but someone told that the designs/images themselves do not have the same dimensions and the borders cannot easily be removed without having to do serious adjustment with the general card size.

i received a long wanted deck in a trade and unfortunetely two cards were a bit damaged, corners folded. i taped them and smiled because some time ago, i would have cried that my deck is ruined and i cannot use it. by trimming decks, i discovered that the real deal is not in the cardboard, it's in ME. i've always loved old decks, traded decks that come with their own history, now i have trimmed, taped decks and they are the most precious to me. i know i will use them, somehow i've made them mine by modificating them. like a body modification experiment for tarot cards LOL.

so, take your chance, grab your scissors, your corner punchers, anything you need. tune your cards. feel free, basically you have very little to lose.

kissa

[Little Baron]

Has anyone tried this with a deck with separate borders and keywords and cutting everything off but the pictures?

M
There is a silmilar thread somewhere about the Rohrig, which loses both keywords and borders. Will try a search as I managed to find it before. Will post it if I have any luck.

LB

[Little Baron]

There you go. It's started by the same member, Yaboot.

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=30158&highlight=rohrig

LB

[Dwaas]

Well, not the Thoth this time, that one is trimmed already.
But this time I had a look at the 2nd edition of the Tarot of Prague and compared it to the first edition. One of the things I like very much of the 1st edition are the round corners. The second edition has more of square corners and it bothered me from the beginning. So I did it today, I bought a cornerpuncher and started with the extra card to see what it would be like. And then I went on with the whole deck. The result is amazing! The corners are perfectly even because of the good quality of the cornerpuncher. The cards don't seem to be so big anymore but the pictures jump out so much better! It fits perfectly with the playingcard style of the deck and somehow it makes the deck more balanced, well imo that is of course. The cards are more personal and even shuffle much easier as the corners are now more "softened". It really helps when having small hands. And it is not altering that much like trimming as the first edition has well rounded corners as well. Wholehearted recommended to everyone!
Blessings

[anonymous_artist]

I am going to take the plundge with my deck *shudders* bit scared but we shall see how it turns out :)

[Dwaas]

I am going to take the plundge with my deck *shudders* bit scared but we shall see how it turns out :)

And? As I am curious too... :)

[anonymous_artist]

I feel terrible ... don't do it ... I feel like I just shot my best friend in the eye *sobs* That is just my opinion, try as you may with your own but ... be careful

[catlin]

Currently my navigators of the Mystic SEA and the Thoth are sitting at a friend's printing business ready to be trimmed by him (no, I won't do it myself.

Having messed around with the DruidCraft taught me that my cutting thingy is crap and that I am too impatient to do it properly).

[The Red Queen]

I read this thread last night & went to Hobby Lobby this morning & purchased an inexpensive Fiskars trimmer and a generic corner rounder. It was the only type of corner rounder they carry & it almost didn't get the job done. Thank goodness, my son helped me punch the corners -- it required a lot of strength to punch through the Thoth card stock & I never could have done it alone. (His fingers are pretty sore right now.) I am going to shop around for a better one next time I decide to trim a deck, and I'm pretty sure I will since this one turned out so great! The trimmer worked well -- a whole lot better than scissors would have.

Anyway, I knew I HAD trim the borders on my Thoth, as soon as I started reading this thread, because the keywords have always presented a huge stumbling block to my ability to use the deck. My eyes would snap to the keyword, my left brain would start whirring, and then I could hardly focus on the image. Now, it feels like a brand new deck -- one I've never seen before. There are no titles, no numbers, no keywords. Only the astrological correspondences remain, which are part of the artist's design, and that's really cool, because I've begun studying astrology in conjunction with my Thoth. Now, I see expression in faces and body language. I can even hear the water gurgling and feel the heat of fire. I love the art, and now I can truly appreciate it and learn something from it.

It has been an extraordinary transformation. I'm glad I did it , , ,

HOWEVER, I can understand how the result could unnerve a reader, especially someone who has bonded with their deck. The trimming process totally (and irrevocably) changes the personality of the deck. I feel like mine has been set free -- released from its prison of huge ugly gray borders. Now, there's nothing between us to interfere with bonding -- no labels to confuse our relationship.

I like my new Thoth -- a lot!!!

Thank you all for taking the time to post on this thread! I really appreciate your help!!

Laugh & be well,
Mme. Finestra

[Papageno]

this is such a frightening thread :eek:


good Lord, the Mystic SEA is such a beautiful deck



alas, no more :(

[Debra]

A few weeks ago, emboldened by reviewing what people said on this thread, I did major surgery on the Tarot of the Four Elements. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-four-elements/
I found this lovely deck simply too busy visually...so I trimmed the sides only. Now the cards are longer rectangles and the central images really POP! It reads much easier.

Then yesterday I looked in the mirror and realized that my hair looked terrible. So I took out my trusty scissors and took off a couple of inches and I look MUCH BETTER, no kidding.

The next thing I knew, I had done the obvious trim job on the Goddess, taking off the white borders so it really DOES look like these scans: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/goddess/
Exquisite!

Since it was 2:30 a.m., no reason not to attack the Classic/Classical Tarots, which are terrific EXCEPT for annoying and bizzare divinatory meanings running along one side: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/classic/
Snip! Gone! Much better!

Four in the morning? No problem! The Classical Tarots look so much better...how about the Tarot of the Master, also with annoying and arbitrary key words and way too much green? http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-master/
Trimmed both sides, leaving the tops and bottoms intact. As with the Classic Tarots, the backs are now a bit out of whack...but I don't read with the backs of the cards.

Wow. I am totally delighted. (*dancing around the kitchen!*)

[Piper]

Wow Debra, that's alot of trimming to do!

I've got my eye on my large green Thoth and my scissors, but I know I would completely ruin the deck, so I'm not touching it.

[Debra]

Don't be scared, Piper...It's not really that hard, and I found it both soothing and empowering at the same time. Now I feel like these particular decks, which I was having mixed feelings about, really belong to ME....I invested some labor in them and they're better off for it.
I did buy--for the first time in my life!-- a really good pair of heavy sewing scissors. Wow, what a difference from the usual cheap ones. These cost $30, but they can be taken apart and professionally sharpened and they worked just great...I had real confidence using them and can imagine owning them until the day I die. I also bought a corner rounder punch for about $5. I also screwed up a corner on a card or two in each deck. "Oh well." ONLY CARDBOARD! Go for it, girl!

[thinbuddha]

I've got my eye on my large green Thoth and my scissors...


Take a close look at how the BACKS of the cards will look if you trim them. Some (white bordered) decks are perfect- others will have the tips of the cross clipped off making the results a bit sad. I think the greenie might just be in the "sad resullts" category. That said, I've trimmed two Thoth decks by hand, and have never regreted it a bit.

-tb

[WolfSpirit]

I just got the Tarot of the Four Elements. I can see it is a bit busy...maybe I will want to trim that one too. Thanks for the heads up Debra :)

I can also see why you trimmed the Classic Tarot. It looks as if the old cards got glued on a white background. If I had that one I would trim that too.

I also trimmed my hair today but I made the fringe too short (I knew it was a mistake to cut that when it was still wet...) but I know it will grow back a lot easier than tarot cards, haha.

[Debra]

Wolfspirit...a person after my own heart! If you can trim your own hair, you can do anything!

For my next trick, TOMORROW!, I'm trimming the tree branch that hangs over my parking space and whacks me in the head whenever I get out of the car. After that....time to put down the scissors, I guess!

[shadowdancer]

I have no qualms about trimming, particularly when it is lovely artwork surrounded by a huge white border. (mostly the US Games decks)

have lost count now of trimmed decks I have but off top of my head are:

Druidcraft
Vargo Gothic
Arcus Arcanum
Robin Wood
Whimsical
Hanson Roberts
Gendron
Prague
Cosmic
Ancestral Path
Rohrig
Ananda
Mythic
Connolly
Victorian Romantic (not the Gold one!!)

Absolutely no regrets. The Rohrig is now size of half a house brick instead of a whole house brick :)

The Ananda in particular looks beautiful.