Best cardstock ?

Carojulie

Bonefire Tarot (self published)

Perfect combo of thickness, size, and matte lamination. Perfect for overhand shuffling especially if you hands are small!

Pagan Otherworlds:

On first sight it looks like an ordinary linen laminated cardstock but as I riffle shuffled it (and I am not a very good riffle shuffler), I can feel how amazing the cardstock is. Not only are they flexible enough they also bounced back resulting in NO bowing or bending after several riffling. I am guessing it is something in the core of the cardstock that makes this difference. Just amazing.

Starchild:

I am not a fan of the deck, but the satin matte lamination, the thickness, the antiqued gold gilding... The gilding is not technically the cardstock but there it is

The Wild Unknown:

A bit weird to shuffle with as it makes that hshsh shshs sound and feel but once you get over that, the first cardstock of its kind and it is still reigning high on lists of amazing cardstocks.

Tarot of Prague (2nd ed? The latest one):

Satin matte finish, great thickness, great hand feel, great to over hand shuffle (I will never riffle this). It feels luxurious. Very close to Starchild maybe not as thick?

The Urban Tarot (self published):

Wonderfully slippery and smooth against each other amazing to fan out, but matte at the same time and of the right thickness to shuffle anyway you want.

Hi Happy Squirrel, I love your pseudo :)

Thanks for sharing this list of decks !

I heard of the Urban Tarot, and I liked the pictures I saw online, but I did not see many.

I have the tarot of Prague 2016 and I believe it is the same cardstock than the Bohemian Gothic 3d edition (or extremely close), so I gather that it is what Baba Studio uses these days.
When I first opened my tarot of Prague, I admit that the cardstock did not make a bad impression on me, on the contrary.
It is indeed a good cardstock, thin but not flimsy at all, seems durable, and the surface is fine grain, which makes the printed colors pop. And, what Baba Studio did with the metalic foil surimpression on this tarot of Prague is very, very beautiful and adds a luxurious feeling to the cards.

It is just when I compare that cardstock to the one of my Bohemian Gothic second edition, that it seems flimsy in comparison. I like the BG 2d edition cardstock so much, that it led me to be disapointed when I received the 3d edition.

And I totally agree with you on gilding ! It is not the actual cardstock, but there it is and it adds a lot ! The Fountain's gilding is such a plus for me. As is the gilding of the Bohemian Gothic 2d edition.

One deck with gilded thick cards that disapointed me, though, is the Illuminati tarot. The cards are thick and not shiny, wich I usually like... but this particular deck does not give me the impression of luxury that the Fountain, for example, gives me. I think the Illuminati cardstock is lesser quality ; thick but not as fine.. and the gilding was done in such a way that when I first got the deck, the sides of the cards stuck to one another where the gilding is, and I had a lot of trouble separating them. Also, the gilded edges are not smooth, and never have been.
So, yes yes yes to gilding when it is well done ! But no t cheap gilding : I rather have no gilding at all than a poorly done one !

:)
 

Carojulie

It's interesting, albeit predictable, to see how subjective this topic can be. Someone's trash is TRULY another one's treasure.


For moi, off the top of my head:

All time winner: Pagan Otherworlds

Second place: Marseille Sophistiqué

Third place: Bohemian Gothic 2nd ed

Honorable mention: Bohemian Gothic 1st ed (too flimsy, IMHO, but otherwise incredible to the touch)


Conversely, one of the very worst I have ever seen is the Efflorescent's. As much as I like this deck, I have not dared shuffling it yet, for fear that it might just disintegrate. I printed a couple of Greenwoods at Office Depot, and their stock was a lot better than this garbage.

Flizarraga, you made me laugh out loud with your "not dared shuffling it yet for fear that it might just disintegrate ! Very nice to know that about the Efflorescent ! Ha !

Thanks for sharing your favorites ! I agree +++++ for the Bohemian Gothic 2d edition ! Does yours have the gilded edges ? I think I understood that there were one version of the 2d edition with gilded edges, and one version without ? And maybe even one version with foil appliqué, but maybe that was the 1st edition ?
I only have the 2d gilded version, and the 3d edition (thinner cardstock, not as good in my opinion)
 

FLizarraga

Flizarraga, you made me laugh out loud with your "not dared shuffling it yet for fear that it might just disintegrate ! Very nice to know that about the Efflorescent ! Ha !

Trust me, it's BAD. It's a real pity, because it is a wonderful deck. I wish the artist did another printing with, well, something other than that papery garbage?

Thanks for sharing your favorites ! I agree +++++ for the Bohemian Gothic 2d edition ! Does yours have the gilded edges ? I think I understood that there were one version of the 2d edition with gilded edges, and one version without ? And maybe even one version with foil appliqué, but maybe that was the 1st edition ?
I only have the 2d gilded version, and the 3d edition (thinner cardstock, not as good in my opinion)

I have had both the regular 2nd ed and the Pewter with the beautiful silver edges, and can attest that the cardstock is identical: thick, a little unyielding, and basically all-around wonderful.

I think the 3rd has really good cardstock, just not as crummy (for you and me, apparently; most people do prefer the 3rd). The 1st edition's is silky and probably the nicest to the touch, but it is also the flimsiest, and I have seen what happens to its edges in time. Again, a real pity, since the 1st is really my favorite edition.

P.S. Oh, the one you mention with foil appliqué is the Silver, a special offshoot of the 1st edition. It's not really foil, it's metallic ink, though it does look like foil. I had it, and it's gorgeous, but too rich for my blood, so I let it go.
 

Penthasilia

The Maroon tarot- of every deck I have ever owned it's like melted butter when riffle shuffling. Just perfect in every way- there is no breaking it in. No stickiness, smooth shuffling but not too slick, the cards are crisp but not stiff and just absolutely amazing. I have never really had a deck that came close to shuffling this well. If there is another deck with cardstock this amazing- I would love to know about it.
 

Beanfeasa

Don't tell me you let your cat near it... :bugeyed:

No a toddler, not proper vomit admittedly, he had a chest infection and didn't want his antibiotics, it was like dosing a sheep!! 😷🐏
 

Carojulie

I mentioned my faves at the start of the thread, but I will add a few honorable mentions here :

- the Touchstone tarot by Kat Black has semi-thick cards made of fine carstock, and matte finish. I had not used this deck recently (though I really like it and want to get it out more often this year) and forgot about the cardstock, but it is a nice one.

- The Steampunk tarot by Charissa Drengsen has a very unique cardstock, the only deck of this kind that I have seen so far. Neither thin nor thick, it is very light and shuffles like a dream. The cards are larger than a standard deck, so no riffle shuffle for me, but even with a larger size, the deck is still lighter than most. Very "airy" cardstock. The material itslef is matte, but where the ink has been applied, it becomes satiny. Very slick. Michellehihi mentionned a deck that shuffled like "whipped cream" earlier in the thread (Vachetta il Meneghello), and that is actually what came to my mind this afternoon when I got my Steampunk deck out of its storage box : airy and smooth like whipped cream.
Though I prefer a thicker cardstock usually, this one deserves to be mentionned !

By the way, I also have another Steampunk tarot that is completely different : The Barbara Moore one. I like the illustrations very much, but the cardstock is very flimsy... that is a big downside for me, and I realise that I do not reach for this deck very often because of that. Sad, because the deck itself is nice.

- the Dame Darcy Mermaid tarot is unusual, carstockwise. Not the best but good enough. It does ressemble standard carstock at first sight, but it has a sort of "waxy" surface that makes it sleek and nice to shuffle. The finish is satiny. I do not know how to explain it other than say it seems like a very thin coat of wax has been applied to the cards.... it does not give that luxurious feeling that you get with superior cardstock, but it is nice nevertheless.
 

Carojulie

I've said it before and I am glad to be given another opportunity to share: the Vachetta by Il Meneghello is the best on this whole planet! Really! It is like if you were shuffling whipped cream. I'm not even exagerating, try it! And if you don't have this deck, buy it! The cards are light, light as feather!

You were right ! I just got this deck, and the cards are so light, so airy, that when you knock on the deck the sound is muffled ! They make this soft airy noise when shuffled.... delicious.
It does indeed remind me of the cardstock of the Steampunk tarot by Charissa Drengsen : light, airy, smooth, papery matte... and not flimsly in the slightest - delicious combination of thickness and lightness.
And, BTW, the art in this Vaccheta deck is very beautiful.
 

Michellehihi

il meneghello vachetta

You were right ! I just got this deck, and the cards are so light, so airy, that when you knock on the deck the sound is muffled ! They make this soft airy noise when shuffled.... delicious.
It does indeed remind me of the cardstock of the Steampunk tarot by Charissa Drengsen : light, airy, smooth, papery matte... and not flimsly in the slightest - delicious combination of thickness and lightness.
And, BTW, the art in this Vaccheta deck is very beautiful.

I'm so happy that someone can share this experience with me! Isn't is deliciously different?