I Bent A Card...need Therapy!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 19 Nov 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

lawguy51	19 Nov 2002
Ok, I know there are those of you out there who say, don't riffle the deck, but I do. I do it length-wize, not Vegas style. Those darn Universal Waite cards are really stiff. And normally I just let the cards fall from my hands without pressure but last night the top card stayed in my hand and I creased it ever so slightly. You have to hold it to the light to really see it. Queen of Swords btw. But when it sits in the deck it rises ever so slightly and I can see where it is sitting in the deck. These are the kinds of things I obssess over. Is there a card doctor in the house? Will the card heal itself? Should I iron it? Should I run out and by a second deck and pull the queen from it? Should I recognize that it's just a card and the deck will never remain pristine and get over it? Is there a support group I can plug in to? HELLLLLP!

Alissa	19 Nov 2002
Take the card out and set it on a firm surface like a desk. Then, place the biggest, heaviest book you can find over it and don't touch it for a week. Make a stack of small books if you don't have any big ones handy. This will encourage the card to straighten without damaging the card surface. And don't despair! The day will come when you've used those cards for so long, you can't tell which ones have creases, and which ones dont! It only means you're using your cards, and they're well loved, imo!! :D

Umbrae	19 Nov 2002
just shuffle the deck a lot. It will 'remember' and the crease won't affect anything. shuffle and bridge...just like poker.

Demonesse	19 Nov 2002
Either that (Alissa' suggestion), or shoot yourself in the head....:P Aggravating the crease with more shuffling isn't what I'd do, and if you chose to iron it the crease can become even more pronounced, even though it will be flat.

MeeWah	19 Nov 2002
Lawguy51: Believe me, I know what that is like! Alissa's suggestion is a good one & can work, if the crease has not scored the card. You can try contacting the deck's publisher to see if you can obtain a replacement card. Some of the folks here have had pleasant experiences doing so. When I discovered the loss of a few cards from my Robin Wood deck, I was flummoxed until it occurred to me to contact Robin Wood. I was willing to pay for the replacements. She very graciously sent me the missing cards & declined payment!!

Sea Sprite	19 Nov 2002
LawGuy51, I did the very same thing to a Rider-Waite card and was so upset with myself afterwards. I placed the card under some heavy books and now I don't really notice it anymore. :)

Laurel	19 Nov 2002
Last night I was running late to do a reading and couldn't find my Thoth deck and yanked open a drawer and grabbed my Voyager, which I hadn't looked at in a long time. When I was shuffling the cards, I noticed that one of the cards was slightly ripped and felt terribly self conscious about that for a bit. The reading itself went fine, but that niggling detail has me considering getting another Voyager deck, just because. I think of all the things individual Voyager cards or boxes of Voyager decks have gone through in my hands- everything from exorcism when I was 17 & "sent away" by my folks, to having cola spilled on them, to having been accidentally kicked, not so accidentally thrown at my ex-husband when I caught him in bed with a 16 year old, kidnapped by a golden retriever wanting to play fetch... Having two copies of your favorite deck and just replacing cards that get damaged along the way isn't such a bad thing. But don't stress or feel guilty. Life happens. Laurel

Kirali	19 Nov 2002
Lawguy51, I too had a bent card in my legend:arthurian deck and I tried to ignore it for a few months, but I could see the seperation in the deck and it was the 9 of swords, so whenever I'd get that card, I'd think it was because of the imperfection and I'd reshuffle. I tried using other decks but finally couldn't stand it. After trying to iron it, leave it under heavy books for a month, nothing was working so I contacted the publisher who sent me a replacement! (I think the cards are plastic or something.. it warped in the first place, wonder why it wouldn't flatten back.. oh well) Meewah's suggestion is very good. Sometimes the artist might be more sympathetic than the publisher. Or contact both! There is hope! If the imperfection annoys you now, it might not get better with time. Quote: Originally posted by MeeWah You can try contacting the deck's publisher to see if you can obtain a replacement card. Some of the folks here have had pleasant experiences doing so. When I discovered the loss of a few cards from my Robin Wood deck, I was flummoxed until it occurred to me to contact Robin Wood. I was willing to pay for the replacements. She very graciously sent me the missing cards & declined payment!!

Mojo	19 Nov 2002
In the north end of London in the Camden Locks Market, there is an old woman who reads Tarot. She has an old Universal Waite deck and it is literally falling apart. The cards no longer have smooth even edges and some of them have holes in them. The formerly blue background is faded to an uneven grey. I have no clue how she shuffles them without them turning to dust. But she's there every time I go to London and always using the same deck. So I guess you just took your first step to being a truly seasoned reader. Here's to bent and broken cards!

Umbrae	19 Nov 2002
that's what my old RW looked like. It was falling apart. I miss it.

truthsayer	19 Nov 2002
well, this is a timely thread. my kitten left some bite marks on a few of my cards from different decks. somehow i feel hesistant to use these decks until i can find a way to sub for the damaged ones. contacting the publisher about replacement cards is an excellent idea! kitty is very lucky he isn't on some street corner with a sign around his neck saying,"will chase and kill mice for food." ;) }) fortunately, i love the little bugger more than my cards. i'm just not allowing him into any room i'm doing a reading until he's finished this teething or biting stage. btw lawguy, where do you live? perhaps i can help you find a good therapist. someone who knows the right things to say... how does it make you feel to have a damaged card in your deck? does it remind you of any long repressed childhood trauma? are you staying up at night worrying about it? there, there! have a good cry! uh-huh! very interesting...tell me more... }) ;) :D

MeeWah	19 Nov 2002
My first deck was a Smith-Waite--the only deck I had for years (until I came to Aeclectic & found its listing of Tarot decks). Well-used, its edges are blown but OMGds--it always came through for me. It "disappeared" over a year ago. I miss it.

Kazz	19 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Laurel I think of all the things individual Voyager cards or boxes of Voyager decks have gone through in my hands- everything from exorcism when I was 17 & "sent away" by my folks, to having cola spilled on them, to having been accidentally kicked, not so accidentally thrown at my ex-husband when I caught him in bed with a 16 year old, kidnapped by a golden retriever wanting to play fetch... Laurel Laurel....LOL :D Sorry...but I had a little giggle, Something needs to be said for the "Voyager Deck"...hee hee Lawguy.......A very well-seasoned deck (bent cards and all) are full of wisdom and hold great character! Cheers Kazz :TQC

Teranar	20 Nov 2002
My first deck feels like it should turn to dust every time I shuffle it! It's so worn out it gave me the feeling it wants a permanant holiday - So I oblidged and got a new deck, and I look foreward to the day it and I have been through so much that they are old, worn and creases won't matter. BTW the old deck when I got it it was already worn some, and It has never been wrong and always given the best advice, so I say the older and more worn the deck the stronger and wiser it becomes.

Fuzzmello	20 Nov 2002
LawGuy, Select two more cards and crease them in as similar a manner as possible as the first. Fuzz

dolphingirl	20 Nov 2002
Hi Everyone! Been al long time since I was able to post (been really sick ) Anyway :) My mom was a postcard dealer and so she delt with ALOT of paper and she found a tecnique that works really well for fixing paper with creases. Put card on a flat surface and you will need another piece of paper and a spoon. put the second piece of paper over the tarot card (something thin that the spoon can move freely over works best. and with the bottom of the spoon rub the crease back and forth ( this can actually mesh the fibers of the paper back together. From time to time take the paper off and check you progesss. Hope this works for you works wonders on old postcards and books DolphinGirl

lawguy51	21 Nov 2002
Thanks for all of the advice. So, I've got the card under heavy books, the iron heated, another deck on order as I bend a few more cards, a spoon at my side, the phone wedged between my shoulder and ear as I make an appointment with my shrink! I think all of the advice is good, but letting the deck age gracefully is probably the best course to take. And yet, I like the idea of a back up deck, or maybe contacting the publisher......... :D Lawguy51

allibee	21 Nov 2002
Yup, the burnishing with the back of the spoon ploy should definately work, but remember your own strength - especially as you're a bloke *LOL* - don't want to wear a hole in the card. allibee :)

allibee	21 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Kazz ......A very well-seasoned deck (bent cards and all) are full of wisdom and hold great character! ...... sounds just like me *LOL* allibee ;)

Teranar	21 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by lawguy51 Thanks for all of the advice. So, I've got the card under heavy books, the iron heated, another deck on order as I bend a few more cards, a spoon at my side, the phone wedged between my shoulder and ear as I make an appointment with my shrink! You forgot a bunch of little books too, and you need to wait a week :P YOu should let it age gracefully, instead of doing all that junk to it. Could you call doing all that at once tarot abuse?

finn	21 Nov 2002
hey - some piece of good advice from little ole me: bend EVERY ONE OF YOUR CARDS so they look the same!

DeLani	21 Nov 2002
Now that's what you get for mistreating your cards so horribly! :) But truly, you can contact US Games and they will replace the card immediately at no charge. They once sent me no less than 17 replacement cards for my ancient Karma Music deck. And when you get your new one, treat it with more respect! No riffle shuffling!!! :)

Keslynn	21 Nov 2002
One thing you might want to consider is gently bending the card in the other direction. Then depending on the effect, try leaving it under a dictionary or something. :) Kes

lawguy51	22 Nov 2002
Well after all of the therapy, for both my card and myself, you can barely notice the bend. That said, I took what I thought was the best advice for me...let me stress...for me! I emailed US Games and they're sending me a new card!!! I promise to be more careful :) Lawguy51

Alissa	22 Nov 2002
Glad to hear the hysteria has gone and you and your Card will be all better. I think it's best that you did what you felt you had to and replaced it.... I worked for libraries for a long time and we would get frantic calls from bibliophiles wanting to know how to rescue their favorite book that just got a beer dousing, or what have you. So I knew how you felt :D

The I Bent A Card...need Therapy! thread was originally posted on 19 Nov 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.