Is there any way to speed up the aging process of a deck?

Not sure where to post this, so moderators please help me out! Is there any way you can take a deck of cards and speed up their aging process to make the deck look very old and used? My friends and I are shooting a film next week and a used deck is part of the scenography. However, despite the fact that I have several very old decks, none of them look especially used. I guess I am one of those people who don´t really wear out things very often, perhaps I have very gentle hands??? Which is great, of course, but not if you need an old looking deck... Any suggestions on how to age a deck without ruining it? That would be much appreciated!

a wash of brown water color (too much will warp your cards)
lots of shuffling with not so clean hands
tumble dry (no heat) in a pillow case- perhaps with a few poker chips
smoke, smoke and more smoke (maybe a better idea than watercolors, no warping)
fire- lightly brown some edges (don't let the deck catch fire or get even close to catching fire!)

Just some ideas- I have not tried any of them. YMMV

I could air express you my Morgan-Greer deck. Even fanning power didn't help it, yet structurally it is in good shape, just used to death. But in the photo it doesn't look too bad.
Will the camera be doing close up of the cards? If they are just part of the scenery just chose an older style deck and it should work fine.

If you 'break' cards they will look older and worn. Breaking means you run the card in 4 directions over the edge of a table. Its hard to explain and I can't bring myself to do it. Look for Umbrae's thread on the 'Process'. Or PM him.

Jen

File them. With a big file.

If you file the edges, then use varying grades of sandpaper (from rough to fine grit) on the fronts you can make them look like the cards I once saw a lady read with in Key West.

They looked cool...but I suspected , after examining them...that she did this trick.
Also...the watercolor wash...(or a Burnt Umber acrylic wash) makes them look "antiqued" and washes all the color out of the cards.

Splash some tea on them, rub in a little dirt, drag them over a sharp-edged table in all directions.

if your just going to use them as a prop - get a mister (like you spray plants with). Mix up a batch of espresso and mist them.

I'd use some extra-fine wet&dry sandpaper to roughen the surface (if they have a plastic coating it will reject moisture to some degree) before spraying with espresso or diluted sepia watercolour.

that might ruin them, though

There's an antiquing rubber stamp ink pad that would work too, it's supposed to age card stock and art, and would work on playing cards too, especially if you lightly sanded up the surface to break up the laminate on the flat sides.

Set a wet coffee mug down on one, you'll get 'rings' that way. Or a light spatter with paint on a toothbrush over the front or backs. Maybe smear it a little. And burning the edges of the cards against a hot iron will darken up those areas.

All of the above sound right. I used to do a lot of propping on shows so I'll throw out a few ideas.

First off, I'd suggest buying a deck which you intend to wreck and if you only need a few cards for setups, identify them and make your job smaller.

Tea and smoke will age anything, although you have to be very careful and not get the deck too wet, unless you're willing to iron them... Actually that's not a bad idea, although some scorching will likely ensue.

I aged a deck for a play once and used fine sandpaper on edges to soften, then after spreading them out in several mail racks (those wire divider things used in large offices with little metal walls so the cards can be stood separated) spritzed with tea and smoked them dry (cedar chip embers in a metal dish). Smoke is great but SLOW and very space intensive.

That said, when aging thick paper, oil can work well very quickly. The trouble is, the protective lamination on most cards blocks absorption, but if you sand the cards very lightly, they will absorb easily. To stain, try mixing fine ash or soot and a fat dollop of brown/yellow watercolor into any dark cheap oil, and then smooth a thin layer over your hands... then start shuffling shuffling shuffling, breaking and riffling the cards like a poker dealer. In this way it's easy to gauge the color and to control the results. Be sure to wipe off excess oil before the shoot to prevent hotspots when lighting. And because your actors will get even more slippery than they are naturally. Umbrae's coffee idea is also excellent (the older and more overcooked the coffee the better), just spread them out on sheet and spritz on, let them dry, flip and repeat.

If you're in a mad rush and need results in an afternoon that might smear a bit if scraped, spray on a layer of yellowish varnish/sealant/glue, allow it to dry, then apply a very thin stipple of dull beige acrylic with a coarser sponge to diffuse the color, then break the cards.which will move some of the pigment around. That said, this rush technique will give them a shitty impermanent texture.

Also, I know that for film cards do get broken over table, which is especially good if they're going to be handled a lot on camera by actors.

Good luck! Can't wait to hear how it goes..

Scion