Bonefire Tarot

[Trogon]

So, I got my new Bonefire Tarot on Friday. I have some kind of mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it is a beautiful deck, the colors are amazing and the artwork is beautiful and has some amazing imagery. I think it stirs the emotions and fires the intuition wonderfully and will be an excellent deck for readings.

 

But then there is the card stock. It is quite thick and it makes for a very stiff deck. When I lay the Bonefire Tarot next to my Albano-Waite, the Bonfire is about 1/4 of an inch taller. It's even 1/8 of an inch taller than the Touchstone Tarot (one of the thickest card stock decks I have). Now, one might think that this would make the cards more durable, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. The first shuffle I tried would have been my normal faro-style, but the ends of the cards would not slip past each other. So, I went to a riffle-shuffle. Unfortunately, the cards are so stiff that it is very difficult to get a good shuffle as they fall in clumps. I also had the problem that it was difficult to get them to interlace very well causing corners to come together which caused one card to start to separate at the corner. Other cards are showing little spots where the front or back is peeling a tiny bit at the edge. I did go to the publisher's web site and used their contact form to see if I could get a replacement card for the one with the split corner.

 

Overall, I love the artwork, colors, imagery and symbolism in the deck. The cards are beautiful and seem as though they'll give very good, intuitive readings. But the extreme stiffness of the deck seems to make it very difficult to work with.

 

[ETA:] Oh, I did a new deck reading, it can be found here; https://www.thetarotforum.com/tarot-readings/new-deck-reading-bonefire-tarot/ ... interestingly, the "relationship" card is the 5 of Wands ... it may be a struggle to use.

[DownUnderNZer]

 

 

The THIRD EDITION is what you must be writing about I think.

 

Just had a quick look at mine which was gifted to me and packed away only - so maybe 6 or so months old in my home. (Give or take). Primo condition and no corners coming off anywhere. In fact, it still seems brand new and untouched.

 

What is good is that nothing is peeling off anywhere, no spots, or anything looking less than what it should be.

 

Am glad I read this though as I know sometimes decks do come with issues.

 

Shuffled them as well just to see what happens. Bit bulky and not easy to handle like some Tarot decks, but at least nothing coming apart or splitting anywhere.

 

I also have the 1st edition that I bought when it was first published, but will not be checking that as the cards are smaller and a different printer I believe. I may take a look at another time as I do with all my decks from time to time.

 

Thanks for this as now I know my deck is absolutely fine.

 

 

 

So, I got my new Bonefire Tarot on Friday. I have some kind of mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it is a beautiful deck, the colors are amazing and the artwork is beautiful and has some amazing imagery. I think it stirs the emotions and fires the intuition wonderfully and will be an excellent deck for readings.

 

But then there is the card stock. It is quite thick and it makes for a very stiff deck. When I lay the Bonefire Tarot next to my Albano-Waite, the Bonfire is about 1/4 of an inch taller. It's even 1/8 of an inch taller than the Touchstone Tarot (one of the thickest card stock decks I have). Now, one might think that this would make the cards more durable, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. The first shuffle I tried would have been my normal faro-style, but the ends of the cards would not slip past each other. So, I went to a riffle-shuffle. Unfortunately, the cards are so stiff that it is very difficult to get a good shuffle as they fall in clumps. I also had the problem that it was difficult to get them to interlace very well causing corners to come together which caused one card to start to separate at the corner. Other cards are showing little spots where the front or back is peeling a tiny bit at the edge. I did go to the publisher's web site and used their contact form to see if I could get a replacement card for the one with the split corner.

 

Overall, I love the artwork, colors, imagery and symbolism in the deck. The cards are beautiful and seem as though they'll give very good, intuitive readings. But the extreme stiffness of the deck seems to make it very difficult to work with.

 

[ETA:] Oh, I did a new deck reading, it can be found here; https://www.thetarotforum.com/tarot-readings/new-deck-reading-bonefire-tarot/ ... interestingly, the "relationship" card is the 5 of Wands ... it may be a struggle to use.

[Trogon]

This one is the boxed edition from Shiffer publishing that comes with the full-sized book. The box is printed with a home-spun cloth-like print. The title page of the book gives 2016 as the copyright year.

 

Fortunately, I had an old method of shuffling pop into my head this morning. I remember my Dad doing this when he was teaching me to play poker; Hold the deck length-wise between the thumb and first two fingers - then you simultaneously pull a card from the top and bottom of the deck and lay them on the table. You can work through the deck pretty quickly and no damage is done to the cards. (Thanks Dad!) When I add in my usual habit of pulling out a small cluster of cards, rotating them (to add reversals) and placing them on the top (sometimes the bottom), I seem to be getting a pretty good shuffle.

[Rose Lalonde]

I don't have it, but I do have Schiffer's Mary-el that sounds like similar cardstock. Even though I always use a separate shuffle deck, I didn't like how the cards felt 'sticky' against one another, so I used a tiny bit of Murphy's Fanning Powder, and they were fine. I've never had a problem deck a little fanning powder didn't help. Cards are still thick, of course, but no more falling in clumps.

[Trogon]

I just posted some instructions with photos for the method of shuffling I had remembered for this deck. You can see them here;

 

https://www.thetarotforum.com/talking-tarot/a-method-for-shuffling-large-decks/

[DownUnderNZer]

 

Thitd edition is Schiffer.

 

May try that shuffling technique out as long as no damage.

 

Casino style shuffling is one of the best when I think about it as those decks still look brand new even when tossed out. That is one shuffle one of my sister's is great at doing.too.

[Trogon]

 

Thitd edition is Schiffer.

 

May try that shuffling technique out as long as no damage.

 

Casino style shuffling is one of the best when I think about it as those decks still look brand new even when tossed out. That is one shuffle one of my sister's is great at doing.too.

 

This being the 3rd edition would make sense from what I'd seen about the deck.

 

And I've now used that shuffle several times with the Bonefire Tarot with no further damage. In fact, even the cards that had gotten a little (or more) damage did not get any further edge damage. It's getting a bit easier now and doesn't take too much longer than my other methods ... well, it does take longer, but I'm getting quicker at it.

 

One of the things about the casino decks, they look new because they still are - casinos don't use a deck very long before replacing it. And, if I remember correctly, a player can ask for a new deck at just about any time. But to be honest, I haven't been in a casino since the 70's ... and that was in Spain.

[Trogon]

Last Saturday I had sent a message to Shiffer Publishing regarding the damaged card in my Bonefire Tarot. I just received the replacement card today! It was mailed in a padded envelope, sandwiched between two pieces of corrugated cardboard, so it arrived in perfect condition. One week turn around, starting on a weekend and including the Thanksgiving holiday here? That is very good customer service! Even excellent, I'd say.

[katrinka]

I have that one. It's the only Schiffer deck I ever liked enough to purchase.

I don't use it a lot, but I've had it a good while and it softens up a bit with repeated careful riffling.

It still reminds me of drink coasters, though.  ;D

[EmpyreanKnight]

I'm glad to know that you got your damaged card replaced, Trogon. It's not so nice having a marked card floating around your deck.

[Trogon]

I have that one. It's the only Schiffer deck I ever liked enough to purchase.

I don't use it a lot, but I've had it a good while and it softens up a bit with repeated careful riffling.

It still reminds me of drink coasters, though.  ;D

 

LOL! Drink coasters is about right! As I had mentioned it is notably thicker (the whole deck) than the one with the next thickest card stock. And it just does not want to flex for me.

 

I'm glad to know that you got your damaged card replaced, Trogon. It's not so nice having a marked card floating around your deck.

 

I know, right? I have a few others that have some very slight wear on the edges from my early attempts at normal shuffling, but I can work with those.

 

I have used the Bonefire for a number of readings now and really like it. The colors really make the images come alive in a kind of THC-induced way. ;D But it's really easy to read with and many of the images lead my mind in new directions.

[Alta]

I only have the original edition however it was also printed on fairly stiff card stock I actually use the app for this deck. I have quite a few decks in that form but this is the only one I use regularly.