preparing cards

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Oct 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

bonnycat	14 Oct 2003
hi all I have been reading some of the articals on the this site and in Dan Pelletiers series he talks about how he phyisically prepares each card in a new deck in order to make shuffling easer by reducing the gloss factor that new decks tend to have. I have never done anything like this but like the idea and was curious to see if other did anything simlar. So do do you? bonnycat

wavebreaker	14 Oct 2003
I don't normally. But I have one deck (the Glastonbury Tarot) that was very difficult to shuffle when I first got it, because the cards tended to stick together. I sprinkled all the cards with powder, and that did the trick. ;)

Sulis	14 Oct 2003
The decks which I use for reading have been 'stressed' a la Umbrae's article and yes it makes loads of difference, the cards handle and shuffle much better. Love and light Sulis xx

Logiatrix	14 Oct 2003
Where is this article? I have a slippery deck that I need to roughen-up a bit... :)

wavebreaker	14 Oct 2003
Tauni: you can find this series of articles here. ;)

lark	14 Oct 2003
There's also a very good Seven Card Horseshoe spread in that article. I've been looking for one I liked for awhile. I've used it with good results. And added it to my list of spreads I use when I read on the weekends.

Logiatrix	14 Oct 2003
Nifty! Excellent articles; I guess I should root around the rest of AT, instead of always flying directly over to the Forum! :D Thank you's all around for the recommendation... :)

Umbrae	14 Oct 2003
Someplace there is a TOC for those articles as they originally appeared.

bonnycat	15 Oct 2003
Thank you still not sure about stressing but will give it a go. I am just not sure about treating my cards so harshly but i hate the way cards just pop out in a newish pack. I like the way Umbrae caters for all of the querents senses and have started to use lavender in with the cards.

Umbrae	17 Oct 2003
One final note. Look at the card stock first. Cards by Lo Scarabeo and US Games Systems are ‘finished’. Preparing them works wonderfully. Some self-published decks, or decks my smaller publishing houses should not be ‘prepared’. Decks like the Vargo Gothic are thick and not finished. The Tarot du Chat is too thin. Now ‘preparing’ these decks will not ruin them, but you may not like the results. Also be gentle when giving them the treatment. Tear a card because you stressed it too much and you have to replace the entire deck. I do this process with all of my reading decks. Including the Gothic. But I’ve learned to be gentle and not produce ‘creases’ in the cards. You may want to buy some cheap regular cards at the store to ‘learn’ on.

Teranar	17 Oct 2003
Wow, these all are much better than my way (Shuffling new deck about 90000000000000000000000 times) All shuffled out, Teranar

Logiatrix	26 Oct 2003
I wiped down, then "powdered" my Visconti Gold, and it's like new again! I didn't realize how much I'd handled it into mucky near-oblivion. I like how shiny and new it looks after this make-over...problem is, now I don't want to mess it up again! :)

bonnycat	13 Dec 2003
Well I finally plicked up the courage to try and yes it works I have had comments from everyone who has shuffled the pack saying how much easier it is. so give it a go

Majecot	13 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by wavebreaker I don't normally. But I have one deck (the Glastonbury Tarot) that was very difficult to shuffle when I first got it, because the cards tended to stick together. I sprinkled all the cards with powder, and that did the trick. ;) Forgive me, I just found this thread... I understand Umbrae's stressing technique ( that I have not yet been able to bring myself to do) But Wavebreaker .. what kind of powder are you powdering with?

CreativeFire	15 Feb 2004
Was about to start a new thread asking about "preparing" a deck as mentioned in the "Process" articles and searched/found this previous one - so hope it is okay to "bump" this one up again. I went ahead and "prepared" or "stressed" my latest deck as it was very slippery and difficult to shuffle and have been very, very pleased with the results. :-) The deck definitely feels a lot more comfortable to handle - and am going to go ahead and do my other decks when I get the time! Would be interested to hear if others do this as well. CreativeFire

ol_crazy_Legs	15 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae One final note. Look at the card stock first. Cards by Lo Scarabeo and US Games Systems are ‘finished’. Preparing them works wonderfully. Some self-published decks, or decks my smaller publishing houses should not be ‘prepared’. Decks like the Vargo Gothic are thick and not finished. The Tarot du Chat is too thin. Now ‘preparing’ these decks will not ruin them, but you may not like the results. Also be gentle when giving them the treatment. Tear a card because you stressed it too much and you have to replace the entire deck. I do this process with all of my reading decks. Including the Gothic. But I’ve learned to be gentle and not produce ‘creases’ in the cards. You may want to buy some cheap regular cards at the store to ‘learn’ on. When you "roughen" up a deck keep in mind that your killing the decks life span. Ive been through Dons tutorials and I tend not to like his teachings all that much even though he has some insiteful things to say. A better online corse is http://www.learntarot.com/course.htm by Joan Bunning. If your deck is sticky or just to shinny then use a hint of baby powder. That will help and keep them smellin fresh. ;)

ol_crazy_Legs	15 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by bonnycat hi all I have been reading some of the articals on the this site and in Dan Pelletiers series he talks about how he phyisically prepares each card in a new deck in order to make shuffling easer by reducing the gloss factor that new decks tend to have. I have never done anything like this but like the idea and was curious to see if other did anything simlar. So do do you? bonnycat Heh... WHOOPS this was who i ment to quote orignally in the post befor this one.

Umbrae	15 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ol_crazy_Legs When you "roughen" up a deck keep in mind that your killing the decks life span. ...If your deck is sticky or just to shinny then use a hint of baby powder. Stressing your cards, does not shorten the life span of the cards, in reality, bending the cards in a shuffling accidents shortens the life-span, stressing helps prevent shuffling accidents with overly stiff cards. Some baby powder may become sticky with use. As stated before, open your phone book and find a 'Magicians Supply Store', buy 'Fanning Powder". OR go to Tannen's magic online and buy some. Or in some countries, just buy zinc stearate. Apply liberally.

Logiatrix	15 Feb 2004
I have found good results with basic body and/or baby powders, those with nothing more than talc and fragrance (in fact the cheaper, the better, 'cuz this means no added ingredients). I dust my decks every few months or so, after I look them over and remove any smudges or residue. A simple, super-light dusting with a powder puff over each card does the trick. :)

Bacchus	16 Feb 2004
I've been using the fanning powder for a few months since reading Umbrae's article. It works great. Also, I didn't want my cards smelling like a baby's butt. :-) I haven't stressed my cards, but the way I shuffle doesn't bend them very much, and they react well when they are powdered. I used to deal blackjack, so my shuffling is a little different than most people's. I apply the powder with a large rouge brush, (bashfully purchased at Walgreen's-I'm kind of a manly type man), then shuffle a few times to get the excess off. I have to do this about every other month with my most used decks. J.D.

ferrous	18 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by CreativeFire I went ahead and "prepared" or "stressed" my latest deck as it was very slippery and difficult to shuffle and have been very, very pleased with the results. :-) The deck definitely feels a lot more comfortable to handle - and am going to go ahead and do my other decks when I get the time! Are you able to bring that deck to the next Time Out for Tarot meeting, CreativeFire? I'd love to see how it turned out. My African tarot is rather shiny & slippery & I've thought about doing this 'stressing' thing with them, but I'm unsure about it, as a few other are, too, it seems.

CreativeFire	18 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ferrous Are you able to bring that deck to the next Time Out for Tarot meeting, CreativeFire? I'd love to see how it turned out. My African tarot is rather shiny & slippery & I've thought about doing this 'stressing' thing with them, but I'm unsure about it, as a few other are, too, it seems. Hi Ferrous Sure, it is my Sharman-Caselli deck, I will bring it a long so you can see it. I really need to do it to my Radiant Rider Waite as well as that one has a real shiny laminated feel to it, but just have not got around to doing it yet. :) CreativeFire

The preparing cards thread was originally posted on 14 Oct 2003 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.