How do you open a deck of cards?

[chess]

I'm asking specifically about breaking the seal. Do you peel it off completely or tear it? I use a razor blade and cut along the half-circle cutout on the tuck case like so:

[MagikFingerz]

I cut the esal with a knife close to the flap in a straight line, then I bend the part that's left on the box (lower half) over itself to cover the sticky part. If this is creased properly, it makes it concave outwards. I'll take a picture when I get home later today.

[Frequenter]

I hate seals.

There, I said it.

To open a deck, I peel from the bottom (so as not to rip the corners of the semicircle cutout) all the way off. Then I use the seal to get rid of any residue, by gently tapping the sticky part of the seal onto the residue. This usually gets rid of it all! I have only ever had ONE issue, and that was the bicycle Eco deck, as the box is sort of fluffy. All three of those ripped just from trying to take the seals off at all.

Once the residue is gone, I rip the seal into a bunch of tiny pieces, and throw that shit in the bin.

[montecarlojoe]

So nobody else uses a hammer?

I've been using a craft blade - slide it into box between flap and box the straight through the seal.
I do like the cutting around the semicircle though - much neater.

[Firthetic]

Some of the seals are really gosh-durn purdy. I can't bear to tear them off, so I peel the bottom half of the seal off the box and stick it back on the flap. The UC Deck seal was easy to peel off neatly, if I remember correctly.

[chach]

I use a scalpel or x-acto w/ no 11 blades and also cut in a semi-circle. What I'll do first though is use a fingernail to crease the seal around the circle to make it more visible, then slice from one end and carefully follow the outline. I'll then fold over any remnants back in on itself. I find it looks the cleanest this way after opening, I'm kinda OCD like that.

On some decks I'll try and peel the seal away gently and then just push it back down on the flap. Only problem with that method is the remaining glue, but a q-tip w/ some alcohol cleans it right up. I'll only do this on nicer decks or ones w/ a custom seal.

[badpete69]

Open? Who opens decks hehehehehe

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

I cut the esal with a knife close to the flap in a straight line, then I bend the part that's left on the box (lower half) over itself to cover the sticky part. If this is creased properly, it makes it concave outwards. I'll take a picture when I get home later today.

I do exactly the same - I use a serrated kitchen knife from my wife's cutlery and she HATES it every time

[MagikFingerz]

Open? Who opens decks hehehehehe

Move along, nothing to see here for you heretics

[MagikFingerz]

Here's some pictures, hopefully you'll see what I mean.

Cutting straight

DSCN2925.JPG (59.13 KiB) Viewed 1720 times

Front view

DSCN2928.JPG (76.7 KiB) Viewed 1720 times

Seal is bent over itself into the cutout

DSCN2929.JPG (42.49 KiB) Viewed 1720 times

[BMPokerworld]

I usually just use an ax. It's quicker and you end up with 2 decks instead of one.

Thanks!

[MagikFingerz]

I usually just use an ax. It's quicker and you end up with 2 decks instead of one.

Thanks!

Mini decks, no less!

[UtterFool]

I usually just use an ax. It's quicker and you end up with 2 decks instead of one.

Thanks!

Horizontal or Vertical, you have to make sure you hit it parallel to the sides
A deck chopped on the diagonal is impossible to shuffle.

[BMPokerworld]

Always horizontal.

Thanks!

[Mirror]

I do it like this.

[MagikFingerz]

I really don't like the seal covering the front of the flap. That half circle just looks bad to me, and often there's something printed there.

[DukeBoy]

To open a deck, I peel from the bottom (so as not to rip the corners of the semicircle cutout) all the way off. Then I use the seal to get rid of any residue, by gently tapping the sticky part of the seal onto the residue. This usually gets rid of it all!

If it is a custom seal then I place it in the lower right corner of the back. When I open the cello I leave the bottom of it around the deck so
I slide that down and to place the seal and then I slide it back up.

[dazzleguts]

I used to cut the seal along the semicircle like others have shown here, but I really like the box without the seal and some of the seals are very attractive so...

I peel the seal off as carefully as possible, stick it on a piece of the cello that came off the box, cut the cello down, leaving a margin around the seal and slip the cello-backed seal into the box with the deck. This way I have the seal design and a clean box design.

[Sharpie]

I used to cut the seal along the semicircle like others have shown here, but I really like the box without the seal and some of the seals are very attractive so...

That's why I buy an extra deck

[dazzleguts]

I have extra decks, but I may decide to sell them, and keep only the opened one I look at. Nice to have the seal then.

[DragonSoul]

New card collector here...so, how much does an intact seal affect the collectibility of a deck? A little? A lot? Thanks for any info!

[Widdee]

New card collector here...so, how much does an intact seal affect the collectibility of a deck? A little? A lot? Thanks for any info!

A lot. I picked up some cancelled Golden Nuggets for 6-7 bucks recently just to see what all the brouhaha was about but if they were sealed they'd go in the hundreds. Saw a White Centurion opened go recently for around 50 bucks, sealed typically sells for 200. Worth will vary but sealed decks are gold to collectors. Sealed trumps unsealed trumps cancelled.

[Preformer19]

Never knew there was a science to opening a deck of cards.

[dazzleguts]

New card collector here...so, how much does an intact seal affect the collectibility of a deck? A little? A lot? Thanks for any info!

A lot. I picked up some cancelled Golden Nuggets for 6-7 bucks recently just to see what all the brouhaha was about but if they were sealed they'd go in the hundreds. Saw a White Centurion opened go recently for around 50 bucks, typically sells for 200. Worth will vary but sealed decks are gold to collectors. Sealed trumps unsealed trumps cancelled.

To understand professional grading listen to this.


Personally I like to buy decks that have been opened since I will open them anyways and they often cost less than sealed ones. But, when they are canceled, like Widdee's Golden Nuggets, the cards are altered in some way to make them unusable for cheating in casinos, so that takes a lot of the value away too. If a deck is very rare and not likely to be found sealed, as with many vintage and older decks, the value will depend largely on the condition of the cards, and box or paper wrapper (before boxes were used).

[Bikefanatic]

I peel the bottom half of the seal off the box and stick it back on the flap.

[MagikFingerz]

[quote="dazzlegutsPersonally I like to buy decks that have been opened since I will open them anyways and they often cost less than sealed ones. [/quote]
I agree, but it's hard to find opened decks in mint condition. And a deck doesn't take much "regular" use before it's ruined for my taste.

[Widdee]

Personally I like to buy decks that have been opened since I will open them anyways and they often cost less than sealed ones. But, when they are canceled, like Widdee's Golden Nuggets, the cards are altered in some way to make them unusable for cheating in casinos, so that takes a lot of the value away too. If a deck is very rare and not likely to be found sealed, as with many vintage and older decks, the value will depend largely on the condition of the cards, and box or paper wrapper (before boxes were used).

That's an excellent video, dazzle guts, thanks for posting it. On some decks, like the Nuggets, that I really don't want to buy sealed an open or cancelled deck works for me because I'm just satisfying a curiosity. It's also a good way to see if you're interested in buying a sealed, collectible one. Another good reason to buy an opened deck is to have one to play with so you don't have to open the more expensive sealed ones. These are just observations from a collector's standpoint. If I were a cardist neither love nor money would keep me from opening a deck!

[dazzleguts]

Thank you. The video was posted to utube by Lee Asher, and made by the Dawsons, so I was only the delivery person. I only know how to do the Charlier cut, and a half decent fan, so I'm no cardist either. I am an artist though, and collect cards for the visuals, though I often buy duplicates if I think they will become more valuable later. My curiosity drives me to see every deck I collect. Having a pile of unopened decks would drive me crazy and I have enough trouble hanging onto sanity as it is.

When people state that they never open their decks I wonder if they are only into it as an investment.

I agree, but it's hard to find opened decks in mint condition. And a deck doesn't take much "regular" use before it's ruined for my taste.

[/quote]

I find many decks that are opened and un-played, but you and I are probably collecting along diff lines (with some cross over) and so are finding decks through diff means. I am also willing and able (I know you are a student) to spend time looking for deals - otherwise I couldn't afford this hobby at all. Here's hoping some of what we have will become valuable enough to eventually make the hobby self supporting.

[badpete69]

Dazzle

Collecting decks of cards (for me anyway) when you don't open your packs is indeed part investment but it is also a fun hobby. I am not a magician so I do not feel the need to handle them but if I see a deck that is very customized and that I like art wise I usually buy more than one and put it in 9 pocket sleeve so that I can look at them. Also I do play lots of poker tournaments so if I see a deck that would look good for poker I also buy extras...In the end it is just a cool hobby regardless if most of my decks remain sealed and unopened

[dazzleguts]

No criticism intended badpete. It can be a good investment and may be smarter than just acquiring things because you like them. It often feels like a somewhat mad activity.

I have a small joker collection, purely as a byproduct of the deck collection, and I keep them in 9 pocket pages like that. I've been tempted to do the same with decks but would have a hard time choosing and could not possibly do them all. You must have a decent amount of storage space.