The Dynamics of Goldilockian Ergonomics

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 May 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Khatruman	06 May 2004
Ahhh, now that I have your attention, let me put forth a question to foster community and allow people to discuss something they perhaps discuss as a sidelight to other concerns. Since reading tarot has so much to do with the hands and manipulation of cards, I want to give you a thread to discuss your preferences with the cards themselves. What is "just right" for you? Talk here about concerns and pleasures you have with decks as far as how you enjoy or are irked when using them. Size: Too big? Too small? Oddly shaped? Cardstock: Too thin? Too thick? Edges: Too sharp? Too easily damaged? Texture: Too rough and cardboard-like? Too slippery? Age: Too new and stiff? Too old and bent? New better than old? or visa versa? Don't limit yourself to this criteria. All I ask is that you address the aspect of working with cards in hand. You may talk about decks you love the feel of, ones that are wonderful EXCEPT for being able to use them, suggestions for making decks better. Let's see where this journey goes..:D

lionette	06 May 2004
Ok, Khatruman, I'll start :) Regarding physical feel of cards, probably the nicest in my little collection are LoScarabeo decks. I've about 3, I think, and there's something about the finish that is a real tactile treat (especially the Leo da Vinci deck -- very soft and just feel good in hand) There's a dilemma for me between size and comfort of shuffling a deck, yet having the deck large enough to see artwork/images as clearly as I wish. Love the size of Light and Shadow deck as it's a nice compromise between being large enough to see detail and get full effect of art while still being a managable size to shuffle and spread (I've large hands). I find that a satiny finish and nicely cut edges of the cards holds more importance than cardstock. Attention to these two little details really can make a deck shuffle nicer and feel nicer to the touch. Those are my first thoughts ... might add more later.

Khatruman	06 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lionette There's a dilemma for me between size and comfort of shuffling a deck, yet having the deck large enough to see artwork/images as clearly as I wish. Absolutely! I was thinking of this too. I bought a second Thoth deck simply because the large deck was so difficult to shuffle. I love working with the smaller deck in reading because it is very comfortable in my hands. However, I like the larger images after I have drawn the cards. Thus I might keep the larger deck handy to look at the cards after I draw them from the small deck. Another deck I love is the Rohrig. The images are so full and vibrant! However, the deck is enormous and I end up shuffling them by mixing them on my reading surface rather than my preferred way of shuffling. Would be wonderful if a smaller Rohrig were manufactured. I would buy it in a heartbeat.

janomalee	06 May 2004
Large decks pose a dilemma for me. I usually want them because there is more room for the artwork, but when I get them they are harder to shuffle. I will end up s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g my short fingers as much as I can to shuffle these decks.

lionette	06 May 2004
Khatruman, honestly I think the "normal" size decks are all too small for artwork. (Sorry, janomalee and others with smaller hands.) (Just at this moment realize that maybe I should buy a magnifying glass!). Have bought the Minchiate Etruria and El Gran Esoterico for study and find them to be too miniature to see the details well, and despite the fact that finish is nice, ultimately the artwork is what I find as the most important aspect. If I can't see the card images clearly, it's awfully hard to read them, no?? :confused:

jmd	06 May 2004
It partly depends on the purpose of the deck (teaching vs reading, for example), but generally prefer to have a deck which is a little smaller than many 'standard' decks. The SIZE of the Héron Conver Marseille, or the US Games Schaffhouse 'Classic', are ideal for my sense of 'just right'... The CARD STOCK has progressively become thinner with time... I personally prefer it a little thicker than has become the norm... EDGES I personally prefer to have a little 'roundedness' too, but some decks have taken this too far - a tiny bit, to prevent a sharp corner and ease of damage, is sufficient. The TEXTURE I prefer to be like weaved material, but well compressed. I do not have any Tarot decks which I like which also have this. Some 'standard' plastic-like playing decks have moved to this textured material, but have yet to see the same in Tarot (though I would prefer not plastic!). For myself, a very thin cardboard stock with sheen finish takes away from the sense of holding something of substance, and its surface likewise I prefer to have with some 'feel' to it. As to AGE, what does this have to do with it? likewise, whether straight or not, stiff or not... errr... must have gone off-topic... oops... I like my cards to feel used, but not abused :D

le pendu	06 May 2004
The tarot of Prague is near perfect for me. The size still fits well in my hand, I can shuffle fine, large enough to really see the art, and the finish is perfect... I don't like cards with too slick a finish, if they slide against each other too easily, or if they feel too "plastic", it bothers me. robert

Mimers	06 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Khatruman Ahhh, now that I have your attention, You tricked me! Size: Too big? Too small? Oddly shaped? I rather them too big than too small. I do have long fingers, so it doesn't really matter to me. Also, Firemaiden has a great way of shuffling that I picked up from watching her. You can shuffle, and size won't matter! Cardstock: Too thin? Too thick? I prefer them thicker. The deck will last longer that way. I am always worried about damaging my thin ones. Edges: Too sharp? Too easily damaged? Rounded edges please! Texture: Too rough and cardboard-like? Too slippery? I prefer the slippery decks. I do like the TofP, but sometimes they stick together. Age: Too new and stiff? Too old and bent? New better than old? or visa versa? I like them a little worn in, but not too much. My favorite, just right deck for all the criteria considered would be my Universal Rider Waite by US Games. Perfect size, perfect stiffness, a little, but not too slippery. Good questions Khat!

_N_	06 May 2004
I actually love the feel and smell of a new deck, no matter if it's slick and slippy or "sticky". I have problems with large decks because I have small hands, but that doesn't make me dislike them. My biggest pet peeve about decks is when someone you are reading for, (or even WORSE, someone you aren't reading for who just grabs the deck to have a look) bends the corners up, shuffles with the poker shuffle and just about cracks the cards in half, or shuffles so hard they split the edges of the cards. Call me anal, I'll accept it as it's true - I like my decks to stay NICE. :) N

Ravenswing	08 May 2004
I've got pretty big hands, long thin fingers (rings fly off them-- no joints), so any one'll do. Although the Rohrig does give me problems now and again. My favorite was the Gill that I clipped the borders off. Great deck to just sit and shuffle. No reading intended, no questions, no thought-- just shuffle. It was a great meditation. I like my Nigel Jackson. Cards ltend to pop out of it. No need to do a spread lots of times-- I just do a simple one card reading/contemplation. And that way the deck chooses. fly well Raven

hedgecub	09 May 2004
Size: Ahh yes, size, a very important criterion for someone with tiny paws like me. I've gotten used to the standard deck size and can shuffle and deal with them easily. However, I do enjoy the smaller size of the Hanson-Roberts and African tarot decks, as they actually fit into my hand comfortably. It looks like their artwork was drawn nice and large specifically to suit the card size, so I don't think any detail is lost. I appreciate the greater detail you can put in large decks such as the large sized Thoth, the Druid Animal Oracle, and the Vertigo Tarot (which I can just about manage to shuffle if I stretch my little paw as far as it will go). However, the difficulty in shuffling more or less consigns them to use for meditation and ogling only. :p Cardstock: I definitely prefer thick, flexible cardstock. If it's too thin, it feels like the slightest pressure at the wrong place will put a crease in it. If it's too stiff, I feel like I'm shuffling bricks. Edges: I haven't paid much attention to edges so far, but ones that are too sharp feel like they need lots of gentle use to rub them smooth. Texture: I actually prefer a slippery deck with a nice, thick laminate. It reassures me that the cards will be hard-wearing and resistant to dirt and moisture damage. Decks with a thin laminate feel papery and fragile, which makes me nervous when I use them. I personally think the Druid Animal Oracle and the Vertigo Tarot could both do with a nice buttering of laminate to make them feel less like they'll fall apart at the slightest hint of sweat and dirt. US Games, AGMüller, and Llewellyn generally achieve the optimum in laminate IMO. Their cards are slippery enough for them to glide easily when shuffling and for them to feel like they can take being in my hazardous life ;) At the same time, they're just a little sticky so that they don't slide all over the place.. much. ;) Of course, there is such a thing as too much laminate. The Tarot Nova is so thickly laminted that the cards just stick together and are impossible to shuffle or work with comfortably. I really wish they'd had a bit more restraint, as I'd love to be able to use the deck. Age: I don't like a deck that feels too new as the edges feel sharp and are a bit rough from bits of card that stick on them from the factory. This goes away after a little bit of use though, at which point I feel decks reach their optimum in age :) I love decks that are obviously used but still in excellent condition, with straight and smooth cards. It shows that the cards have been used lovingly and with care. I've seen a few readers at new age shops and faires, and the decks they have are always very worn and dirty, probably because of heavy use by years of numerous, careless clients. I wouldn't mind having such a deck in my collection (I'd probably use it for public readings as I wouldn't mind if a card got bent), but I wouldn't like to read with it at all. It would be too used for me, and obviously not used with love or care.

The The Dynamics of Goldilockian Ergonomics thread was originally posted on 06 May 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.