The Buyer's Guide to Playing Cards
The Buyer’s Guide to Playing Cards
By: Steven the Wizard
Introduction When it comes to playing cards, and choosing the right deck for each scenario, the most common question asked is, “What deck of cards should I buy?” The answer to this question is not as simple as you might like, and varies from person to person. In addition, the answers also vary from situation to situation as the deck of choice for magic is often different from cardistry. Beyond the obvious considerations of personal preference, and what best fits the scenario, there are also other details to consider. These details include the stock, the finish, and the cut. For you the reader, interpreting each aspect of a deck and its ideal use can be a challenge to navigate. That being said, these questions are what this eBook plans to thoroughly answer so that you’ll be able to buy a deck that truly fits your needs and preferences.
Table of Contents 1.0 - The Basics of the Deck’s Printing Process 1.1 - The Basics of Deck Stock 1.2 - Traditional Cut vs. Modern Cut 1.3 - The Basics of Deck Finish 1.4 - Practice Decks 1.5 - Performance Decks 1.6 - Decks for Card Magic 1.7 - Decks for Cardistry 1.8 - Personal Preferences 1.9 - Closing, Acknowledgements, and Additional Resources
1.0 - The Basics of the Printing Process The process of creating a deck of playing cards is by no means a simple one, and there are various factors that play into the reason why a deck becomes what you know it as. This segment of the eBook serves the sole purpose of providing a quick overview of how a deck of cards is printed, and hopefully will explain how a deck gets the attributes (flexibility, finish, cut, etc.) that are explained later in this eBook, so without further ado…. As you know, playing cards are made out of layers of paper that have been glued together. That being said, a deck of cards begins its journey as multiple rolls of paper. These rolls of paper are delivered to the factory, and sometimes can be fresh paper from trees, or recycled. Once here, the rolls are unrolled, and each sheet is adhered to another with a layer of glue. It is also during this time that the stock’s thickness is determined by the pressure applied. At this point, the stock has been formed, and the rolls of cardstock are now ready to transition to the printing stage. For the cheaper decks, the cardstock is cut into sheets that later enter the sheet press to be printed. However, in the case of the more expensive decks of cards, the cardstock is retained in the rolls, and travels to the web press. (*Note: Both presses can carry out the task of printing decks, but in regards to which press is thought to put out higher quality playing cards, the common viewpoint is that the web press does the best job. If this is held to be true, decks going through the sheet press may not handle quite as well.) Now, the decks go through the printing press, the deck’s backs and faces are printed, and the finish is applied (more details on the types of finishes in 1.3). From here, the roll of printed paper is cut into sheets (in the case of decks processed through the web press). After each sheet is cut to form what you know as an uncut sheet, it could be inspected for quality before moving on to be cut again into strips. These strips will then transfer to a machine that will punch the cards out individually. Once punched out, the deck is assembled, packaged, and shipped out. This finished product is what you know a deck of cards as, but let’s break down each important element so that you can make an informed purchase.
By: Steven the Wizard
Introduction When it comes to playing cards, and choosing the right deck for each scenario, the most common question asked is, “What deck of cards should I buy?” The answer to this question is not as simple as you might like, and varies from person to person. In addition, the answers also vary from situation to situation as the deck of choice for magic is often different from cardistry. Beyond the obvious considerations of personal preference, and what best fits the scenario, there are also other details to consider. These details include the stock, the finish, and the cut. For you the reader, interpreting each aspect of a deck and its ideal use can be a challenge to navigate. That being said, these questions are what this eBook plans to thoroughly answer so that you’ll be able to buy a deck that truly fits your needs and preferences.
Table of Contents 1.0 - The Basics of the Deck’s Printing Process 1.1 - The Basics of Deck Stock 1.2 - Traditional Cut vs. Modern Cut 1.3 - The Basics of Deck Finish 1.4 - Practice Decks 1.5 - Performance Decks 1.6 - Decks for Card Magic 1.7 - Decks for Cardistry 1.8 - Personal Preferences 1.9 - Closing, Acknowledgements, and Additional Resources
1.0 - The Basics of the Printing Process The process of creating a deck of playing cards is by no means a simple one, and there are various factors that play into the reason why a deck becomes what you know it as. This segment of the eBook serves the sole purpose of providing a quick overview of how a deck of cards is printed, and hopefully will explain how a deck gets the attributes (flexibility, finish, cut, etc.) that are explained later in this eBook, so without further ado…. As you know, playing cards are made out of layers of paper that have been glued together. That being said, a deck of cards begins its journey as multiple rolls of paper. These rolls of paper are delivered to the factory, and sometimes can be fresh paper from trees, or recycled. Once here, the rolls are unrolled, and each sheet is adhered to another with a layer of glue. It is also during this time that the stock’s thickness is determined by the pressure applied. At this point, the stock has been formed, and the rolls of cardstock are now ready to transition to the printing stage. For the cheaper decks, the cardstock is cut into sheets that later enter the sheet press to be printed. However, in the case of the more expensive decks of cards, the cardstock is retained in the rolls, and travels to the web press. (*Note: Both presses can carry out the task of printing decks, but in regards to which press is thought to put out higher quality playing cards, the common viewpoint is that the web press does the best job. If this is held to be true, decks going through the sheet press may not handle quite as well.) Now, the decks go through the printing press, the deck’s backs and faces are printed, and the finish is applied (more details on the types of finishes in 1.3). From here, the roll of printed paper is cut into sheets (in the case of decks processed through the web press). After each sheet is cut to form what you know as an uncut sheet, it could be inspected for quality before moving on to be cut again into strips. These strips will then transfer to a machine that will punch the cards out individually. Once punched out, the deck is assembled, packaged, and shipped out. This finished product is what you know a deck of cards as, but let’s break down each important element so that you can make an informed purchase.
