Deck Laminations

There are so many different laminating styles for decks and I feel like some make it very difficult to shuffle a deck.
Is that just me? Does anyone else have this issue?
I love my sirian starseed deck but the way it is laminated kid of makes the cards stick together and refuse to shuffle. Drives me mad

People will mention fanning powder to you to make it unsticky, but you know what, unscented talcum powder is much easier to access, and works just as well.

Spread some powder out on a plate. Pick up a card. place it in the powder, pick it up again, wipe the powdery face with a finger to shift any excess, wipe that finger down the unpowdered side. Put to one side. Get the next card, do not powder it, put it on top of the first card. Work your way through the deck, powdering every second card. Shuffle vigorously.

I just riffle shuffle sticky decks into submission. But not everyone is a fan of that, so...

I've long wondered if talc could sub for fanning powder, if I truly needed it. Good to know!

achlys, I too find some decks have lamination so sticky that the cards clump together and just won't shuffle properly. I have used fanning powder and still have a bit, but honestly the process is such a pain that unless I really love the deck that quality is enough for me to set it aside. Too bad.

I'm kind of worried of powders damaging the deck in all honesty.
It is such a shame because the deck is so bloody gorgeous but it's just such a pain to try and use it.

The main ingredient in fanning powder is zinc stearate. It won't abrade or damage the lamination in any way --if anything, it will protect the cards from humidity.

You may also use fanning wax instead. Apply it very lightly and you won't even notice it's there, but it will make a WORLD of difference in handling your cards.

There's also Greatdane's Tried and True Method: Whenever you're not doing anything with your hands --like when you're watching TV, for instance-- you shuffle and shuffle your sticky cards, and shuffle them again, until you beat them into submission. It doesn't require any ingredient, except patience.

FLizarraga said:

There's also Greatdane's Tried and True Method: Whenever you're not doing anything with your hands --like when you're watching TV, for instance-- you shuffle and shuffle your sticky cards, and shuffle them again, until you beat them into submission. It doesn't require any ingredient, except patience.

Click to expand...

That's what I do, too, combined with periodically separating each card manually. It doesn't produce immediate results, but it does make a significant difference over time. And it's a great bonding experience with your deck.

Maybe I will try it
I trimmed the deck because the edges were getting damaged from sticking to each other when shuffling. It seems to have helped a little but it's still not quite there yet.
Maybe the deck doesn't care for me >.>