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To trim or not to trim, that is the question...


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Posted

So, I finally got my Mary-El and something has happened with this Tarot that has never happened with any of my others.

 

I feel like trimming the edges. Of course, I've never done this before, so any deck modification scares the bejesus out of me.

 

Should I? Should I not? Do I then edge the cards? Round the corners? Would like to write with gold pen on the cards, but which type of gold marker? ??????

 

I desperately need your help with this. Thank you, kindly!  <3

AJ-ish/Sharyn
Posted

get a cheap pack of playing cards and practice your cuts

long scissors make smoother cuts

Then practice with the corner rounder

Then practice writing on the cards.

This is the pen I used on my and Gregory's decks

 

pilot_pentel_pen.jpg.bb11fdb5ecda1500d65f4231d35b7e9c.jpg

Posted

get a cheap pack of playing cards and practice your cuts

long scissors make smoother cuts

Then practice with the corner rounder

Then practice writing on the cards.

This is the pen I used on my and Gregory's decks

 

Thank you  so much.  <3

 

I have a good board cutter. Would that be better than scissors?

 

Link to the pen, please? The image and link just came up. :) I think I actually have that pen somewhere.

Posted

I have a small guillotine (with a blade that slides up and down a rail) and some long tailoring / dressmaking scissors and the scissors are far neater. Here are my tools c5fe348084ba425e3fe3cf04191e771c.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

 

Posted

I have a small guillotine (with a blade that slides up and down a rail) and some long tailoring / dressmaking scissors and the scissors are far neater. Here are my tools c5fe348084ba425e3fe3cf04191e771c.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Thank you so much, CharlotteK. Do you have tips to add to AJ-ish's?

Posted

I have a small guillotine (with a blade that slides up and down a rail) and some long tailoring / dressmaking scissors and the scissors are far neater. Here are my tools c5fe348084ba425e3fe3cf04191e771c.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Thank you so much, CharlotteK. Do you have tips to add to AJ-ish's?

I have found the one it's time to make the last two cuts the ones that actually Define the dimensions it is best if I use some double-sided tape and tape a piece of mat board down to The Cutting Board so that I have created a jig and every piece is cut at the same length

 

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

 

Posted

Personally I am terrified of ruining my decks.  A friend of mine trimmed a couple of my decks and I love them trimmed (Druid Craft & Druid Animal Oracle).  But I do not have the bravery to do it myself LOL.  If I did I would be trimming my Tarot of the Sidhe post haste.

Posted

I wouldn't trim an expensive OOP deck personally.

 

I like the decks I've trimmed but they are all fairly easily replaceable MM decks apart from the vintage Thoth but I had two of those.

 

Some are more even than others. Crystal Visions is a little bit rustic but I edged it pink and it's just a bit quirky now [emoji23]

 

I only do decks that have clear border lines I can follow.

 

The toughest one was Druidcraft. Thick cardstock and a sort of 3D shadow effect on the border. Nearly sent me blind that one and part of my right index finger was numb for several days.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

Posted

get a cheap pack of playing cards and practice your cuts

long scissors make smoother cuts

Then practice with the corner rounder

Then practice writing on the cards.

This is the pen I used on my and Gregory's decks

 

 

And it's gorgeous.

 

The Mary-El isn't OOP as far as I know. And it begs to be trimmed. I use scissors, myself, and a Fiskars corner rounder. In my experience the potential for total disaster is much higher with a board cutter - I do have one but - no. (I have tried it on a home printed deck; miss once and you are screwed. Miss with scissors and you get a small nick.)

Posted

Thank you, everyone, for your help.  <3

 

I actually know a printer who would be willing to cut the cards for me (batch with some kind of a machine).

 

What do you think about having him do it? Would that be safer for an absolute newbie like me?

 

I would be attacking my Mary-El.

Posted

If you trust him - sure. Though the edges might be a bit rough - the cards are so thick... And the deck is still in print so if he messes it up you can get another....

Posted

Thank you, everyone, for your help.  <3

 

I actually know a printer who would be willing to cut the cards for me (batch with some kind of a machine).

 

What do you think about having him do it? Would that be safer for an absolute newbie like me?

 

I would be attacking my Mary-El.

I used to work for a printer years ago so I would guess that they would be using a large guillotene (is that how you spell it??) The one the we had at my old job clamped the whole bundle down then had a big blade that came down to cut the whole lot at once. There was also a light line/guide that showed exactly where the cut was going to go. This was how we would cut everything from business cards to posters :) you would just need to do the corner rounding yourself. If I was to trim a deck and knew this was how they would be trimming it this would be the way I would go. You would just need to make sure you gave them clear instructions. Hope that helps!

Posted

If you trust him - sure. Though the edges might be a bit rough - the cards are so thick... And the deck is still in print so if he messes it up you can get another....

If the blade is sharp there shouldn’t be any rough edges :) and even if it’s on the blunt side it would likely only be the bottom card. They could always put a sheet of card underneath them to prevent that though.

 

If you’re worried though Shivani, ask questions? See what kind of finish you would get. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind showing you :)

Posted

gregory[/member]

TheFeeLion[/member]

 

Really appreciate your help.  <3 I'm going to call my guy and see how he would do this.

 

I've noticed something about the Mary-El. The black edges are not the same width on all the cards. I think this might make a deal breaker, though, don't you agree?

Posted

gregory[/member]

TheFeeLion[/member]

 

Really appreciate your help.  <3 I'm going to call my guy and see how he would do this.

 

I've noticed something about the Mary-El. The black edges are not the same width on all the cards. I think this might make a deal breaker, though, don't you agree?

That would definitely be a problem if you want to get the printer to trim it! You would probably want to look at how much detail you would loose if you used the biggest border size as a guide...

Posted

If you trust him - sure. Though the edges might be a bit rough - the cards are so thick... And the deck is still in print so if he messes it up you can get another....

If the blade is sharp there shouldn’t be any rough edges :) and even if it’s on the blunt side it would likely only be the bottom card. They could always put a sheet of card underneath them to prevent that though.

 

If you’re worried though Shivani, ask questions? See what kind of finish you would get. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind showing you :)

It's the thickness of this particular deck that would worry me (I used to have a mate who had one of those machines too; I had him trim a deck I had printed with it. But the Mary El cards are so THICK...

 

Really appreciate your help.  <3 I'm going to call my guy and see how he would do this.

 

I've noticed something about the Mary-El. The black edges are not the same width on all the cards. I think this might make a deal breaker, though, don't you agree?

I think that is one reason AJ trimmed as she did. But yes, that will be a bitch.

Posted

 

I think that is one reason AJ trimmed as she did. But yes, that will be a bitch.

 

You are a person after my own heart, gregory! They are thick and it would be a bitch. I just tried the Schiffer advertising card that came with the deck and a pair of scissors, and just wasn't happy with the result. Besides, I'm a bit of a perfectionist...

 

And, to be quite honest, I think I'm just too much of a chicken. LOLOL

Posted

I've never done that thick a deck. The only ones  I did were a Thoth and the Pink - which HAD to be done. But both were nice and skinny.

 

I rejoice in the day AJ did my Mary-El for me (as I recall it was some kind of a trade. It was worth it, whatever it was !)

Posted

I've never done that thick a deck. The only ones  I did were a Thoth and the Pink - which HAD to be done. But both were nice and skinny.

 

I rejoice in the day AJ did my Mary-El for me (as I recall it was some kind of a trade. It was worth it, whatever it was !)

 

Wish I had a kind soul like that in my neck of the woods! Would definitely offer a good trade. :)

 

Maybe, one day, I'll be a little tired of it and won't mind cannibalising it as much. I still have to bond with my Mary-El.

Posted

The thickness of the cards shouldn’t matter if the printer has a good guillotine. I would definitely check with them first if you’re worried though

Posted

If you do decide you want to go borderless I’m pretty sure there is a borderless version coming out this year...

Posted

If you do decide you want to go borderless I’m pretty sure there is a borderless version coming out this year...

 

Really????? Ohhh, if I'd known, I would have waited for it. I'll see how we do with each other, now, and, then if a borderless version appears, I might be tempted to invest.

 

Thank you, Fee.  <3

Posted

Thank EmpyreanKnight :D they posted the Lo Scarabeo catalogue that I still haven’t finished trawling through!

Posted

Thank EmpyreanKnight :D they posted the Lo Scarabeo catalogue that I still haven’t finished trawling through!

 

LS is publishing the borderless Mary-El?

Posted

Thank EmpyreanKnight :D they posted the Lo Scarabeo catalogue that I still haven’t finished trawling through!

 

LS is publishing the borderless Mary-El?

Umm I could be wrong...?

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