How to keep your cards neat?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Apr 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Aure	15 Apr 2004
What is the best way to store your cards and shuffle them if you wish to keep them neat as possible for a long time? Some of my decks have been slightly bent when I've opened the plastic wrapping (not with a fold but slightly curved) and I hate that, perfectionist as I am... I love my Golden Tarot, but already it seems that the gilding is wearing off... I know that the decks will with time look more used and I don't mind that, I love the look of old decks and hate how my Radiant RWS always seems brand new. I'm just worried about things like moisture and mechanical wear and tear. Does wrapping your cards in a cloth and storing them in a pouch cause more damage than a box? And what kind of box, does it have to be lined etc.?

dadsnook2000	15 Apr 2004
We are all concerned about our cards, especially those decks that we use a lot. FIRST. Cards are made from card stock, large sheets that are printed backside first. Depending upon the number of decks to be printed, small lots of the card stock are used for each single card image. Since there are 78 cards in all, some cards are printed much sooner after the back side of the whole lot was printed. It is also likely, for many decks, that the image side has to pass through more printings than the back side. This assures that more ink and more drying cycles occur. The end result is that one side is stressed more by ink and heat than the other and will cause a bend or curve to develop. SECOND. The way you store a deck can affect its flatness. I see some who keep their decks in bags and just toss the bag into a purse or basket. This can affect decks where the bag is big enough to allow the cards to spread out within the bag, placing more strain on some corners or cards. THIRD -- and very importantly is the manner in which you shuffle and handle the deck. We see some game-card players both front and back shuffle cards to keep the "bending" equal. But, Tarot readers tend to keep the cards always face down. Shuffling by slightly bending two stacks to fan them together will cause a curve. Conversely, loosely holding two stacks and dropping one into the other will put stress on the edges and corners but will not bend or curve the cards. It helps when you can find a favorite deck available in two/more sizes so that your hands can manage the deck. You can't do much about the printing process (first point) but you can be more careful about storage (second point) and shuffling (third point) the deck. After that its just quality and usage levels. I'd suggest asking a friend or relative that plays a lot of card games to show you different ways of shuffling -- also explain your problem so that person can suggest the best approach. Then store each deck in its original box flat side down, or in a bag that is not overly loose (also flat side down) or in a box. Avoid environments that are damp, like near the seashore, when leaving your deck out and open to the weather. Dave.

September Pixie	15 Apr 2004
If you aren't looking to carry your cards in your purse.. I would invest in a box.. I have a box I bought from http://moonbeamgarden.com or click for a direct link to boxes here http://moonbeamgarden.com/boxeschests.htm I suggest if you plan to carry them with you often to get a bag of a sturdy material.. something like a thick cotton, strong velvet, or even leather.. this will protect them from your purse damaging them.. and make sure you get a bag that isn't too loose for them.. either lay them standing up, or on their side in the bag. Give them room to "breathe" but make sure they are well protected. :)

BlueLotus	15 Apr 2004
I keep some of my decks, in their original packs, in plastic sewing bags, with multiple detachable layers. Each see through layer holds up to three decks, horizontally, although I have seen ones that are larger, but I prefer this size. I think you may want to check the household and/or home improvement sections of your department store. These bags come with a plastic handle, and are neat, and can be placed in any drawer, thus won't take much space, and will keep your decks neatly stacked, and unbent. As for shuffling, I do this by loosely inserting about half of the deck into the other half several times.

lawguy51	17 Apr 2004
Oh, I love how-to threads. Lawguy51's rules for keeping your deck pristine. 1. Can't remember where I read this, and it's terribly anal of me but it protects your cards. If your cards came in their own box then try the following. You know that useless LWB that came with the deck. Well turns out it has a use. When you return your cards to the box lie it down with the tongue flap on top. Place the one or two non-deck cards in first. Then the LWB. You can pull the LWB out a little to act as a kind of landing pad for the deck. Now slip the deck in. Now, when you insert the tongue of the flap back into the box, make sure it goes in behind the two non-deck cards. Now there is no way that you can damage the cards with the tongue as it is 2 cards and a LWB away from the deck. 2. Sone decks have that annoying curve whereby you can actually bend the deck and all the cards will reverse the curve. I hate that. My Victoria Regina deck is like that. There's nothing you can do about it. 3. If you riffle, do it side by side, not end to end. You don't need to apply as much pressure and it insures no reversals if you don't want any. I've been using my Thoth deck for well over a year every day and it doesn't have the slightest curve in it after all that riffling, but the Thoth deck is a sturdy deck. 4. Take care of your deck. Honour it. Value it. Protect it. If it didn't come in a box, buy a bag for it or a box. I once asked Mary Greer what she did with a deck once it got worn out and she said, she buys a new one and uses the old cards for her classes. Go figure :) . Lawguy51

purple_scorp	17 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by dadsnook2000 FIRST. Cards are made from card stock, large sheets that are printed backside first. Depending upon the number of decks to be printed, small lots of the card stock are used for each single card image. Since there are 78 cards in all, some cards are printed much sooner after the back side of the whole lot was printed. It is also likely, for many decks, that the image side has to pass through more printings than the back side. This assures that more ink and more drying cycles occur. The end result is that one side is stressed more by ink and heat than the other and will cause a bend or curve to develop. Ah, light goes on. Dave, that's a very technical but interesting bit of information. I have one pack that is curved.....very colourful cards.....now I know why. I'll shuffle them face up and see if this helps. Cheers purple_scorp

Le_Corsair	17 Apr 2004
I'm not much for reading the cards; I collect them and nervously shuffle them so as to have something to do with my hands. Occasionally during this process I will do an informal reading, but not often. Consequently I have more problems than most with the permanent bend that happens to a deck from shuffling in one direction only. The cure is simple. Don't shuffle in one direction. If seeing the cards face-up as you shuffle gives you the feeling that you are cheating in some way, or getting a clue about which card will fall, cultivate a habit of looking away when shuffling the cards face-up. Your deck will never develop a bend if you alternate shuffling from face-up to face-down. This is especially important with older decks that don't have the plastic content of more contemporary decks. As for storage - buy what you can afford. If all you can afford is a plastic Rubbermaid bin from Wal-Mart, then buy it; you'll actually be well-served by such a comparatively air- and watertight container. Go to World Market or Pier One Imports and buy a trunk for a fraction of what can be had from a US manufacturer. If you have the money, buy a Lane cedar chest or other piece of fine cabinetry for your decks. The main requirement is to get them into a protected area where they are less exposed to the elements. This is especially important if you live in a damp climate, or in a beachside environment where salt vapor can affect the cards. For carrying a single deck with you, in purse or briefcase or backpack, I'd recommend keeping it in it's original box, then placed into a tarot bag or small Rubbermaid/Tupperware container. A tarot bag is nice if you are careful with your deck, but the plastic container is probably better if you're a camper or backpacker, or have to the money to be into yachting. (sigh) Bob :THERM

Astra	17 Apr 2004
Actually, the reason that some decks tend to take on a permanent curve is that the card stock is a 2-ply laminate - fibers going one way in one ply, and 90 degrees to that in the other. If the lamination is done when the two papers have different humidity levels, then you get uneven shrinkage between the plies, and voila, a permanent curve. Which suggests that it might (maybe) be possible to get rid of the curve by putting the deck in high humidity for a couple of days and then finding some nice big heavy books to flatten them with while you let them dry for a week or two. I have to admit I'm with Mary Greer on this one - decks I read a lot with I want to be able to replace when they start crumbling. They're "only" paper, when all is said and done. (Ducking behind a steel cabinet for protection from the barrage ...)

Emily	17 Apr 2004
Hi Aure, If you use a wooden box just make sure the dye that was used is stable. I used to keep decks in wooden boxes, proper tarot boxes too. My Diamond tarot had sat in its box for a while so I decided to take it out, I was horrified to find that dye from the box had gone through the cardboard card box and had stained one of the plain white cards a light shade of yellow. If I had placed the cards in without their cardboard box the deck would have been spoiled. I took all of my decks out of the wooden boxes now and don't use them. I have bags for my most used decks and the others sit in a glass book case. :)

lark	17 Apr 2004
I us no ouch ponytail holders. They have no metal on them so they don't hurt the cards. They are soft and come in many sizes and thicknesses. They come in an array of beautiful colors that you can mix and match to your hearts content. There cheap about $3.00 for 15-20 of them. I have bags for all of my decks but, found that having them lose in a bag they can spread out and sometimes they get bent. So they get a pony holder before they go in their bag. Matching colors..of course. Also it's nice to have them all in their little pony holders on my shelf. I can see exactly which one is which and have easy access to any deck without having to untie tarot bags and rummage inside. Putting them in rubbermaid containers is great too like Bob said. I get mine at the grocery store for $1.00. The size I get holds 6 decks perfectly. Great for travel.

DeLani	17 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lawguy51 Oh, I love how-to threads. Lawguy51's rules for keeping your deck pristine. 1. Can't remember where I read this, and it's terribly anal of me but it protects your cards. If your cards came in their own box then try the following. You know that useless LWB that came with the deck. Well turns out it has a use. When you return your cards to the box lie it down with the tongue flap on top. Place the one or two non-deck cards in first. Then the LWB. You can pull the LWB out a little to act as a kind of landing pad for the deck. Now slip the deck in. Now, when you insert the tongue of the flap back into the box, make sure it goes in behind the two non-deck cards. Now there is no way that you can damage the cards with the tongue as it is 2 cards and a LWB away from the deck. 2. Sone decks have that annoying curve whereby you can actually bend the deck and all the cards will reverse the curve. I hate that. My Victoria Regina deck is like that. There's nothing you can do about it. 3. If you riffle, do it side by side, not end to end. You don't need to apply as much pressure and it insures no reversals if you don't want any. I've been using my Thoth deck for well over a year every day and it doesn't have the slightest curve in it after all that riffling, but the Thoth deck is a sturdy deck. 4. Take care of your deck. Honour it. Value it. Protect it. If it didn't come in a box, buy a bag for it or a box. I once asked Mary Greer what she did with a deck once it got worn out and she said, she buys a new one and uses the old cards for her classes. Go figure :) . Lawguy51 Oh my gosh, Lawguy, we are so alike. I keep most of my decks in the original box (with LWB just like you do!), inside a cloth bag, inside a wooden box. I riffle shuffle, but usually I have to do it end-to-end because of my tiny hands and the large size of the decks. My teacher was similarly anal about how she kept and shuffled her cards - we're both stodgy old Capricorns. BUT - my Robin Wood, which is over 10 yrs. old and has done at least 1,000 readings, still looks almost new - it's just a bit darker than a new one due to oils from handling. I think it looks richer, not dirty.

lawguy51	17 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by DeLani Oh my gosh, Lawguy, we are so alike. My sympathies go out to you and your family ;) . Many of you might remember my trauma with a hardly visible bend in a Queen of Swords. I bent it riffling too hard. Forum members gave me many cures but ultimately, I contacted US Games and they sent me a new one :) . Or the time I got two drops of water on a card and replaced it with an entire new deck. I know, I know, there are therapies and medications....:D Lawguy51

WolfyJames	18 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lark I us no ouch ponytail holders. They have no metal on them so they don't hurt the cards. They are soft and come in many sizes and thicknesses. They come in an array of beautiful colors that you can mix and match to your hearts content. There cheap about $3.00 for 15-20 of them. May I ask you what is a ponytail holder? This is me saying my English is not that good. ;)

Star Spirit	18 Apr 2004
My Hudes Tarot has a lovely box. But boxes are expensive (at least that one was) and so is silk and whatnot. So I have taken to making my own bags. It's really easy with a small amount of fabric (or how I started out, cutting sleeves off nice old shirts :D). I just sew them by hand inside-out (with a lining of course) and create a hem (if necessary), then use a knot weave to make a tie for the bag. It takes a little while but it's so rewarding and really very simple. Quote: The way you store a deck can affect its flatness. I see some who keep their decks in bags and just toss the bag into a purse or basket. This can affect decks where the bag is big enough to allow the cards to spread out within the bag, placing more strain on some corners or cards. Good point! Now I'm actually glad that I make my bags to "just fit" the deck. It used to bug me that I always seemed to cut the fabric nearly too small, but my Celtic Dragon is in a pre-made bag that is too large and I've noticed myself wanting to make it smaller because I really don't like how the cards move around in there. Quote: Can't remember where I read this, and it's terribly anal of me but it protects your cards. If your cards came in their own box then try the following. You know that useless LWB that came with the deck. Well turns out it has a use. When you return your cards to the box lie it down with the tongue flap on top. Place the one or two non-deck cards in first. Then the LWB. You can pull the LWB out a little to act as a kind of landing pad for the deck. Now slip the deck in. Now, when you insert the tongue of the flap back into the box, make sure it goes in behind the two non-deck cards. Now there is no way that you can damage the cards with the tongue as it is 2 cards and a LWB away from the deck. That's actually not a bad idea lawguy. Quote: Sone decks have that annoying curve whereby you can actually bend the deck and all the cards will reverse the curve. I hate that. My Victoria Regina deck is like that. There's nothing you can do about it. My Faeries Oracle is like that! I noticed it right away and thought it was the strangest thing in the world. The cardstock is great but when you bend the cards, they practically snap in the direction you bend them and stay there until you bend them back. Luckily it's not actually a "curve" per say, it's a pretty straight bend either way so it doesn't bother me. Lark, I also like your ouchless elastics idea :D I have some of those actually. So, WolfyJames, to answer your question--they're just elastics used for tying your hair up--these particular ones don't stick or rip your hair when you take them out, hence why they call them "no ouch" or "ouchless" :)

Delphina Kalika	18 Apr 2004
Hi every1..:) Even thou I be a novice.... I like these types of threads as they are general ...:) I Only own 1 deck at this moment in time.... (But have two decks waiting for me;)......) The deck I have with me at the moment is the Art of Tarot (liz Dean)... and although I have read the posts on the LWB.... I read in mine.... about how to keep ur deck:| I have opted for the "keeping in a box" as i have a 7 years old who just loves to Play with mummy's things:|.... so my thoughts where automatically :eek: ... when reading that I am to be the main holder of the cards.:| I found my old broadband modem box... which turns out VERY handy ... as it has a little shelf inside that the modem sat on... and a space underneath.. where I have stored my LWB :|... (remember I a novice.. :| )... I spent the first night with my new deck... covering the box in sparkly wrapping paper and metalic stars..... (I tend to go a little over board once I start getting arty farty:|:|) My actual deck is wrapped in a dark purple materal.. silk lining fabric.... an I also have another piece of this fabric which I store with my deck to cover the table I use to do my readings..... both are tied up with a pretty ribbon...:| (like I said I go over board:|) I thought if I took time and aplied some effort it would benefit me... get me intune with my deck.... I plan to keep all my decks in boxes... I just have to find the boxes now:confused:

mysticali	18 Apr 2004
Call me old fashioned but I really think the thought of storing cards in tupperware - or plastic containers is - well - not right. I'm sure it is practical and a good travel tip - but - it needs to be silk and wood for me.

tmgrl2	18 Apr 2004
About half-way down on this link at AT...Dan's article covers what he does with decks when new....haven't done it yet...but plan to hunt for the powder....actually, the whole link is chock-full of information: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/learn/process_one.shtml Right now, I have my decks for studying in photo albums that hold four to an open page.... My reading decks are in velvet bags, stored flat.... like the idea of a box to carry things when I go to someone's home to read or at my home... but if I go "on the road" to that small cafe Umbrae talks about...the one where I pull out a deck and do a reading for myself while I sip tea or coffee....just the deck in a bag... terri ty all for some good pointers about storing and shuffling!

Macavity	18 Apr 2004
I keep my "reference copy" (Pretentious, Moi?) LARGE Crowley-Thoth deck in an A5 "postcard album" - 20 pages of plastic pockets, holding 2 cards per side = 80 cards (conviently)! I keep the rest of my collection (30 or so decks) in their original boxes in a kind of home-made "spice rack" thingie! Several standard sized decks for regular-ish reading live in (very) brightly coloured plain silk bags. Their occupancy does change... For everyday/regular use (generally "kick around") I'm now very into the pocket-sized Thoth and RWS decks. At a "Tenner" at time (doubtless cheaper in $US) I figure they're almost... "disposable"? They are left open under study in "speads" on my (Tarot) table! (Actually just a chest of drawers, slightly higher than a table - to be CAT proof!) I too am very careful (anal) about inserting decks into boxes i.e. without creasing LWBs ;) Recently I bought some Pokemon(?) type "collectors boxes". I didn't like those much though - all plastic construction with dodgy short-life hinge and VELCRO closure - Aaargh! Indeed most of my problems seem to be with the HINGES "going" on standard boxes. Maybe I should just cut the top of as soon as I get them? But I'm STILL looking for a source of two piece (Plastic would be O.K.) boxes with a slide-over lid. A kind of right-sized photographic slide box? Someone, somewhere must make such a thing... :D Macavity

Simone	18 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by WolfyJames May I ask you what is a ponytail holder? This is me saying my English is not that good. ;) A ponytail holder is the élastique used to tie long hair together at the back of the head in the form of a horse (pony) tail (queue de cheval). "No ouch" is the version where the élastique is covered by cloth so that the hair won't get entangled and torn when taking it off again (avoiding the "aïe" cries ;) ). This being said, I don't have an answer to you, Aure, because I lkie my cards well worn... Love Simone

baba-prague	18 Apr 2004
Absolutely the best solution I've ever seen is a card press. When we were photographing cats one of the people we met (breeder of wonderful Siberians in fact) had a very beautiful antique wooden card press that we photographed. I'll try to fish out the pictures and edit this post to show them. It works like a box with a screw-down lid. Hard to describe. I thought it was brilliant, and a perfect way to stop cards getting that permanent curve. By the way, it was also a very lovely thing in its own right. I think these should be revived. They could be wonderful decorative items apart from anything else (though it could get pricey to have one for every deck!)

MeeWah	18 Apr 2004
Do not use rubberbands on cards. Rubberbands tend to deteriorate fairly quickly or over time & may even melt onto whatever they are used on. For convenience, I used rubberbands on the decks I used most. That is how at least one of the cards in my Mythic Tarot was heavily damaged, another slightly. (Thus am looking for a replacement deck though iffy due to it being the earlier edition.) The sticky residue that remains impedes shuffling & spoils the enjoyment of using the deck. The ponytail bands Lark mentioned is far better & does not result in damage--which I wish I had thought of first since I have so many of them for the hair.

Moongold	18 Apr 2004
I remember when taking my first RWS deck to work one day and my lunch box leaked salad oil. Some of my cards now are stained with salad oil. I was new to Aeclectic at the time and people were going through another of those times when they speak about cleansing the decks with all sorts of rituals. Being so new, I got worried about my salad oil stained RWS and posted a query about it Hahahahahaha :). People were wonderful of course and responded with dignity and grace. It is still the only RWS I have and I'm proud of the initiatory oil stains now. They have not affected my reading. The affected cards are Strength, III Wands, VII Wands and Page Pentacles. Should I read something into this? Moongold

purple_scorp	18 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by baba-prague Absolutely the best solution I've ever seen is a card press.....It works like a box with a screw-down lid. Hard to describe. I thought it was brilliant, and a perfect way to stop cards getting that permanent curve. Hello baba-prague, is that like a flower press to press dried flowers??? Quote: Originally posted by Macavity But I'm STILL looking for a source of two piece (Plastic would be O.K.) boxes with a slide-over lid. A kind of right-sized photographic slide box? Someone, somewhere must make such a thing... :D Macavity And here is yet, another resource that we could all benefit from. Hello to any entrepreneurs and/or designers at AT. Cheers purple_scorp

ncefafn	19 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Moongold The affected cards are Strength, III Wands, VII Wands and Page Pentacles. Should I read something into this? Moongold Before wrestling lions, dispatching ships, defending your position or studying, make sure you are well-lubricated. And if I can't be bothered to keep my house neat, what hope do my cards have? Kim

Aure	05 May 2004
I found one!!! If only I would know where and how to order one or two... I also wonder if you can fit large tarot decks in one... I bet there are just loads of us who would buy a tarot card press if one was available! Here's a link, scroll down until you get to the 'Spielkarten-Presse' :) http://www.agm.ch/Zubehoer%20D%20134.html

The How to keep your cards neat? thread was originally posted on 15 Apr 2004 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.