Taking Care of Your Cards?
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| TaranRavenfrost |
15 Jul 2004 |
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I keep reading about differnt ways people take care of there cards, like Waxing them. So, if you have any PHYSICAL processes you do when you get a deck for reading, share them here. It can be anything from waxing, making a deck bag, ANYTHING! Just explain how you do it! :)
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| morandia |
16 Jul 2004 |
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well, I keep my cards in a bag... Unfortunately the one bag I have now is too big for the deck I'm using. I need to make a new one. The one I have was made from leftover material from a shirt I made a dear friend - so it has special significants for me. it has a drawstring I made by crocheting 4 chains - red, yellow, blue, green to represent the elementals. I braded these 4 strands together. Each end is lashed together - one with black, one with white to represent the god and the goddess. I have it looped thru the bag and tied, symbolizing the unity of the elements and deities.
It's not much to look at, but it's mine, and it's special to me. It's a simple heavy cotton material for the bag and embroidery thread for the tie.
being in the south, I"m not sure about waxing the cards.. I'm tempted to try, but... I like the idea of making it a ritual done on a regular basis... we'll see on that!!
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| TaranRavenfrost |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Yeah, waxing the cards IS tempting, but I dont know what to set them on, or the process or anything. I am kinda afraid they would curl up, like wet paper.
Also, Does anyone know how post it notes do with tarot? I want to write down keywords for each card on a mini Post it, and stick it to the card. Then, As I study the card, one every two days (or more) I wanna take off the sticker and post it in my Tarot Journal. Is this a good idea or not? And if I do do this, should I wax my cards first?
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| September Pixie |
16 Jul 2004 |
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post its should be ok as long as the glue isnt super sticky.. waxing I would adivse you to spray on the cloth, rub on, and rub off (wax on/wax off sorry couldnt help myself lol) don't spray directly on the cards, especially if its thin card stock. I never wax mine but a lot of people say that it works.. if your cards start to get static cling , simply gently rub with a dryer sheet.
Hope this helps :)
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| uXses |
16 Jul 2004 |
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For my large Thoth deck, I didn't have a real box, since it came in a set and the cards were in a half box inside the big box. So I could put the cards in them, but if you would be stupid enough to turn it over, they'd fall out.
This bothered me, so I made a lid for it from cardboard that I took from a binder. It worked out really well.
Maybe later I'm going to make a "classic" card box for it, in 1 part, but for now I don't see the need yet.
I also have a Rider-Waite deck, but they are kinda crappy: the fronts of the cards are smooth, like with normal playing cards, but the backs seem like a rough kind of paper. I'm not going to bother protecting these. Maybe I'll get another Rider deck later on, but I'm going to make sure they are "real' cards, and I'm going to get a small version too. (With reversible backs, because the ones I have now aren't even that... so imho they are _really_ crappy.) (They are in a normal box so they're well protected anyway.)
Then the Bruegel deck I have are normal cards, in a normal box. I don't think I'm going to use them enough to bother with extra care.
For any other decks I get, if they are the size of normal playing cards, I think I'm going to use plastic card protectors. I have a lot of those, since I used to play Magic: The Gathering, and I put all of my decks in them.
So to summarize: I think those plastic card protectors are good for protecting your cards, IF they are "standard" sized.
Edit: I just found out that they sell those protector thingies in different sizes too. I didn't know that... Magic cards only come in one size :-)
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| September Pixie |
16 Jul 2004 |
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hey Umbrae, do you have any idea how to remove um weird gunk from the edges? I let one of my relitives take my deck home, about 5 weeks later it returned and the edges all have this spotty gunk on them.. its not sticky, not flaky, but comes off if you scrape it but some how still sticks together...
I tried the usual talk, rub down, dyer sheets, and even scraping it off the cards but some how it always comes back :( I dont wanna tell her to chuck the deck but im out of ideas as to how to clean..
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| Umbrae |
16 Jul 2004 |
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dunno - dunno what it is.
Sound like it may be that they are sloughing off their factory finish. Or they have picked up a substance that they keep picking up.
If it causes the cards to stick together, Fanning Powder will prevent fruther 'sticking'.
Over time, your deck will and should develop 'character'. It should show signs of use.
Remember - as sick as it sounds - sitters, clients, will prefer readings with what looks and feels like a well used deck. As long as it's does not feel 'sticky'.
Rubbing a deck with a 'dryer sheet'? Scraping the edges? Could be part of the problem...but without seeing the cards - I honestly don't know.
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| cjtarot |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Hi,
I make Tarot Bags and Reading Cloths and Bags the hold book and deck sets.. (I need to add some more pictures to the web site..will do it soon..) BUT I still have a few in their original box..Will remidy that somday. I keep them in a open square basket..it makes a nice display..and easy to dig thru for the deck you want
As far as care, I have gently wiped down a card if it got goop on it. I have also run the edges thru incense. It doesnt help keep the cards, but it gives them a nice scent
I don't keep them from getting "Lovingly Used looking" The truth is I like the look of a well loved deck, my Sacred Circle now has that look.
The one thing I can say is a DEFINATE NO..NEVER PUT A ELASTIC BAND around a deck..
Blessings
CJ
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| Emily |
16 Jul 2004 |
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And also if you put your cards into a wooden box make sure the dye is stable or even better the inside of the box isn't stained. Because if they sit in there for while the cards could pick the wood stain up - I've had this happen and none of my decks live in wooden boxes now.
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| Little Baron |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Originally posted by cjtarot
[b]
I don't keep them from getting "Lovingly Used looking" The truth is I like the look of a well loved deck, my Sacred Circle now has that look. [b]
I know what you mean. I have a few decks that need to loved just a little more so that I can acheive that nice used look. At them moment, they have that very glossy, laminated 'cup mat' look which I am not so keen on.
Yaboot
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| Little Baron |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Originally posted by Yaboot001
laminated 'cup mat' look
My brain went dead there. Why could I not remember the word 'coaster'? Left it there, rather than editing it out, since it made me laugh. Hehe.
Yaboot
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| Sulis |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Yaboot, your laminated cup mat made me laugh too :D :D :D
Love
Sulis xx
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| TaranRavenfrost |
16 Jul 2004 |
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For the sticky situation, you could go buy a kneaded earaser, and rub it on the sticky parts. It might help. :)
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| Alta |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Hi TRF and the rest of the posters,
I moved this thread from Tarot Decks as it isn't about a specific deck.
Interesting thread!
Marion (moddie of Tarot Decks)
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| September Pixie |
16 Jul 2004 |
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a kneaded earaser, is that an artists chalk eraser?
When I said scrape I didnt mean enough to take the finish off! :eek: lol its still got the coating, at first thats what I thought it was too, but apparently it isnt, it looks like... I am not even sure what it looks like.. just gunky stuff... its not sticky to the touch and talc powder or static cling removers have no effect, I really have NO idea whats wrong with it..
However, I would recommend if you are going to store your deck in a bag, remove the box. I've lost 2 decks due to the humidity there, the silicon packets you get in pockets of new clothing will help with that :)
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| colusaskye |
16 Jul 2004 |
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when i get a new deck i usually find a cloth and a bag for it, and some extra stuff to put in the bag. the deck i'm currently using has a little carved stone turtle. not sure exactly why i put him in there, it just feels right.
i'll smudge the deck, shuffle it a zillion times, wrap it up all nice and put it in the bag. :)
once in a while I'll go through and wipe off all of the cards, if they need to be wiped.
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| littlehermit |
16 Jul 2004 |
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Spent my downtime at work (I'm in a callcentre, so any time between calls is pretty much my own) "preparing" my deck using the edge of the wooden Zen garden my husband built me for Christmas a year and a half ago.
yeeeeOW are my hands tired!
and now my deck is extra thick, and extra tiring for small hands to shuffle.
But it no longer shuffles in thick glossy clumps, so it's all good. I know the cards will settle again - it's kind of like teasing hair, nothing can stay that puffy forever. ;)
BTW, something learned the hard way - do not let a grain of sand from the Zen garden get between your card and the table while you do this process!
- littlehermit, with a scratch on the back of her Seven of Swords
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| Indigo_lady |
16 Jul 2004 |
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the lowest the temp gets around me is 26°C, the average is low thirties.
It rains at least once a day for 9 months per year.
You see those floods that they show in Europe? They're normal here.
I am sorrounded by rain forest
I know what HUMIDITY is...
We have a big library in my house. For years now we've been trying to use different methods to protect the books against dust mite, cockroaches, different assortments of bugs and pests, fungus and humidity
And the only efficient way we've found has been waxing them periodically. We do not wax page per page. Just the outside of the book, the cover and the edges of the sheets, and actually some pages that have special prints. Nothing is sticky... it is like murphy's law, in a humid place everything dries out except for your hair and humidity itself...
We don't use spray wax.. actually I've never really tried it. Good old fashion Johnson Wax, comes in a yellow can.
This wax is a VERY thick paste
take a cloth, rub off some wax on it and spread it even on the cloth (you've got to make sure that you don't have a big lump left on the cloth)
Now run it on your cards / books
Let them sit there on the table drying
Now when you're done take a clean cloth and polish them
Thay builds a protective film on the card. Most cards are made from different densities cardboard that already have some kind of protective glaze.. need not worry...
I mean, you can see what kind of thickness it has
if you were to wax regular bond paper, or that virgen paper surface that they sometimes print Bibles on, then you might damage the paper.. but I don't see them making cards out of those two
is this helpful in clearing up the sticky thingy????????
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| LadyMedusa |
17 Jul 2004 |
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I keep my decks in a cloth bags most of which I make my self. I usually take the deck shopping so it can help pick out the fabric. A few I have gotten from other members here.
I keep the bagged decks in wooden boxes. (I have a dog who thinks decks are chew toys.) I take care of the stain transfer problem by glueing a lining of cotton felt to the inside of the box.
I leave a little section on the top unglued so I can slide in a piece of stick incense or dried herbs to scent the box and the deck.
LadyMedusa
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| Umbrae |
17 Jul 2004 |
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Originally posted by Indigo_lady
is this helpful in clearing up the sticky thingy????????
Looks like we have two different solutions to the same problem.
Magicians Fanning Powder is designed for pasteboards – cards - playing cards, and Tarot cards.
It is designed to keep them from sticking.
It keeps them from sticking and collecting the oils present in human skin that gets on the cards and makes the ‘stick’. It removes the stickyness when then do get sticky.
It is a very inexpensive product designed for use by people who make their living with cards (regular or Tarot).
Wax may work wonderfully in some parts of the world. However I know that Magicians never wax their cards (ever see those guys produce fans of cards from mid-air?), globally, they use Fanning Powder.
If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.
And…the folks who’ve tried it love it (read the testimonials in one of those threads).
It will not however protect books. Only cards that are being used.
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| ferrous |
18 Jul 2004 |
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Originally posted by September Pixie
hey Umbrae, do you have any idea how to remove um weird gunk from the edges? I let one of my relitives take my deck home, about 5 weeks later it returned and the edges all have this spotty gunk on them.. its not sticky, not flaky, but comes off if you scrape it but some how still sticks together...
I tried the usual talk, rub down, dyer sheets, and even scraping it off the cards but some how it always comes back :( I dont wanna tell her to chuck the deck but im out of ideas as to how to clean..
To me, it sounds like mould. :(
As far as I know, mould can't be removed once it has its roots into a pourous surface.
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| September Pixie |
18 Jul 2004 |
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no :) its definately NOT mold..
It almost looks like the gunk under your fingernails but is grey in color and seems to reappear everytime the deck is used.. I am not exactly sure WHAT it is.. i've had edges of my cards get dirty and i have had cards get sticky (I've never had one mold! :eek: ) but its not exactly the same kind of stuff... the cards stick together but it isn't sticky and powder and static removers dont work... the goop is soft but isnt smooshy.. it flakes off (kind of like dandruff, for lack of a better explination)...
I am rather pristine with my cleaning rituals and how I store cards, so thats why it bothers me.. I may just end up gifting this deck to the student if I cant keep it clean lol
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The Taking Care of Your Cards? thread was originally posted on 15 Jul 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.
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