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

[Whisper]

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...?

 

No worries. I'm going to see how I get along with this one. :D

[Page of Ghosts]

I've trimmed quite a few decks in the past and luckily they're all still in print.. except for one  :-[ It looks pretty good still, even if it was one of the first decks I trimmed! But in the last year I haven't really been in the mood for trimming and now I'm kind of indifferent to decks with borders, unless they are terribly in the way.

 

I have pair of Fiskars orange paper scissors and even if they are a little short I've still been able to cut the sides pretty well. Some are a bit uneven yes, but I consider it part of the charm of trimming. You can get corner rounders faily cheap online and I usually stick to the smaller sizes to preserve as much as possible of the image. There's this really nice one with several sizes I was eyeing, but since my deck trimming subsided I didn't ever get to it. Here is a link:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sunstar-Kadomaru-Corner-Cutter-S4765036/dp/B0076FJ7SS/ref=pd_sbs_201_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0076FJ7SS&pd_rd_r=1E9RXBXBG49MYHAVQFJC&pd_rd_w=shVqy&pd_rd_wg=uzjRG&psc=1&refRID=1E9RXBXBG49MYHAVQFJC

[Whisper]

There's this really nice one with several sizes I was eyeing, but since my deck trimming subsided I didn't ever get to it. Here is a link:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Sunstar-Kadomaru-Corner-Cutter-S4765036/dp/B0076FJ7SS/ref=pd_sbs_201_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0076FJ7SS&pd_rd_r=1E9RXBXBG49MYHAVQFJC&pd_rd_w=shVqy&pd_rd_wg=uzjRG&psc=1&refRID=1E9RXBXBG49MYHAVQFJC

 

Now, that's really funny! That's the one I ordered, yesterday, from Amazon just in case I ever get up the courage to alter any one of my decks.  ;D

[Canid]

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.

No! No guillotine! You have much less control. AJish is right, practice on a playing card deck. Use long sharp scissors. Cut the tops & bottoms first, that lessens the length. Cause your goal is to do long snips, not snipsnips. And make sure the corners fit snug in that little corner rounding device.

[Canid]

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

I love my trimmed Druidcraft! I couldn’t painlessly handle it & I really don’t like jumbling up the cards on a table. It was even to big for me to shuffle top to bottom, instead of sideways.

[Canid]

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 was just going to suggest that! I know printers too & those machines can cut thru a 12” stack like it’s butter. Just make sure to tell them to put a piece of cardstock on the top & bottom of the deck or that hydraulic squeezer thing will dent your cards. Been there. I didn’t have to pay but it shouldn’t be more than $5. I kinda like trimming myself though, it’s a bonding thing.

[Canid]

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

You’re right, those hydraulic cutters can easily slice thru a 12” stack of paper. Plus they can round the corners in 4 blinks.

[Whisper]

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 was just going to suggest that! I know printers too & those machines can cut thru a 12” stack like it’s butter. Just make sure to tell them to put a piece of cardstock on the top & bottom of the deck or that hydraulic squeezer thing will dent your cards. Been there. I didn’t have to pay but it shouldn’t be more than $5. I kinda like trimming myself though, it’s a bonding thing.

 

I understand about bonding with the cards which I welcome heartily, but I'm just scared to mess the whole thing up. I have a guy who can do it, but the problem is that in the Schiffer edition with the black borders, the cards don't all have the same border width...

[Canid]

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 was just going to suggest that! I know printers too & those machines can cut thru a 12” stack like it’s butter. Just make sure to tell them to put a piece of cardstock on the top & bottom of the deck or that hydraulic squeezer thing will dent your cards. Been there. I didn’t have to pay but it shouldn’t be more than $5. I kinda like trimming myself though, it’s a bonding thing.

 

I understand about bonding with the cards which I welcome heartily, but I'm just scared to mess the whole thing up. I have a guy who can do it, but the problem is that in the Schiffer edition with the black borders, the cards don't all have the same border width...

Oh. That would be a problem. The hydraulic cutters do the whole deck at once. Dunno.

[FLizarraga]

I have several copies of this deck that I have trimmed and edged in different ways, and it is not that hard. The large size actually makes things easier for you.

 

 

The borders may look irregular but are actually pretty even, unless you got a defective deck. And I seem to remember that the artist trimmed her deck but did not round the corners, which made it look sort of great. For not rounding corners, blunting the sharp edges with some fine grit sandpaper (or even an emery board) is a good idea. I have done it to a couple of my Thoths. The corners will stay visually square, and your fingers will than you.

[Whisper]

For not rounding corners, blunting the sharp edges with some fine grit sandpaper (or even an emery board) is a good idea. I have done it to a couple of my Thoths. The corners will stay visually square, and your fingers will than you.

 

That's a great idea for the corners! Thank you.  <3

[FLizarraga]

As for the cutting process itself, I am firmly on the scissors camp --long scissors particularly, like AJ-ish and others have suggested; the longer (and sharper) the better. There is something very intimate about trimming your cards one by one; it is sort of a bonding experience. Once Debra from AT went as far as equating with to making love to your deck, and I agree with her.  ;)

[Whisper]

As for the cutting process itself, I am firmly on the scissors camp --long scissors particularly, like AJ-ish and others have suggested; the longer (and sharper) the better. There is something very intimate about trimming your cards one by one; it is sort of a bonding experience. Once Debra from AT went as far as equating with to making love to your deck, and I agree with her.  ;)

 

Like I said, the whole thing scares me, but I'v never been one to back down from a challenge, so I might arm myself with such scissors and jut go for it. I'm waiting for the triple corner cutter (Japanese) from Amazon. Have you, then, edged your trimmed decks?

[FLizarraga]

As for the cutting process itself, I am firmly on the scissors camp --long scissors particularly, like AJ-ish and others have suggested; the longer (and sharper) the better. There is something very intimate about trimming your cards one by one; it is sort of a bonding experience. Once Debra from AT went as far as equating with to making love to your deck, and I agree with her.  ;)

 

Like I said, the whole thing scares me, but I'v never been one to back down from a challenge, so I might arm myself with such scissors and jut go for it. I'm waiting for the triple corner cutter (Japanese) from Amazon. Have you, then, edged your trimmed decks?

 

 

ALL of them!  ;D

 

 

Here you can see a gazillion trimmed and edged decks, some of them trimmed and edged in a gazillion different ways: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=165283

 

 

Here is another AT thread about trimming tools: http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=234568, and another one about edging and gilding: https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=234582.

[Whisper]

As for the cutting process itself, I am firmly on the scissors camp --long scissors particularly, like AJ-ish and others have suggested; the longer (and sharper) the better. There is something very intimate about trimming your cards one by one; it is sort of a bonding experience. Once Debra from AT went as far as equating with to making love to your deck, and I agree with her.  ;)

 

Like I said, the whole thing scares me, but I'v never been one to back down from a challenge, so I might arm myself with such scissors and jut go for it. I'm waiting for the triple corner cutter (Japanese) from Amazon. Have you, then, edged your trimmed decks?

 

Wow!! You are officially a Master Trimmer.  ;D Thanks for the links. Will read through them.  <3

 

 

ALL of them!  ;D

 

 

Here you can see a gazillion trimmed and edged decks, some of them trimmed and edged in a gazillion different ways: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=165283

 

 

Here is another AT thread about trimming tools: http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=234568, and another one about edging and gilding: https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=234582.

[Flaxen]

You've had some great tips here. I trimmed my Fey tarot some years ago - no borders or titles left. It was quite easy with scissors.

 

 

I now want to trim a large Thoth but will wait until I have spare cash for an extra copy.

[Whisper]

As for the cutting process itself, I am firmly on the scissors camp --long scissors particularly, like AJ-ish and others have suggested; the longer (and sharper) the better. There is something very intimate about trimming your cards one by one; it is sort of a bonding experience. Once Debra from AT went as far as equating with to making love to your deck, and I agree with her.  ;)

 

Like I said, the whole thing scares me, but I'v never been one to back down from a challenge, so I might arm myself with such scissors and jut go for it. I'm waiting for the triple corner cutter (Japanese) from Amazon. Have you, then, edged your trimmed decks?

 

OMG. The trimmed Mary-El is lovely!

 

 

ALL of them!  ;D

 

 

Here you can see a gazillion trimmed and edged decks, some of them trimmed and edged in a gazillion different ways: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=165283

 

 

Here is another AT thread about trimming tools: http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=234568, and another one about edging and gilding: https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=234582.

[gregory]

 

I now want to trim a large Thoth but will wait until I have spare cash for an extra copy.

Do NOT do an old one - the ones with borderless backs. The images aren't all the same size....

[Flaxen]

Do NOT do an old one - the ones with borderless backs. The images aren't all the same size....

 

I don't think I have one of those - I don't have any of the older Thoth decks unfortunately. By Thothie standards my collection is minuscule - 1 AGM Pocket, 1 AGM standard and 1 green box USG. [emoji3]

[gregory]

Just a heads up for anyone thinking of it. One ATer did it and was horrified to realise the ghastly truth !

[Canid]

Just a heads up for anyone thinking of it. One ATer did it and was horrified to realise the ghastly truth !

What happened?

[gregory]

She ended up with a deck with cards of varying sizes. It was a mess.

[CharlotteK]

Yikes. That's my worst fear trimming! I did a Swiss Blue Box Thoth, just left the keywords on, and it came out very well. The cards are more like poker size and I use it a lot.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

 

[Whisper]

You've had some great tips here. I trimmed my Fey tarot some years ago - no borders or titles left. It was quite easy with scissors.

 

 

I now want to trim a large Thoth but will wait until I have spare cash for an extra copy.

 

Looks so pretty, your Fey.

 

Well, that's it. Better to have a back up deck, before tampering with it. I'll have to wait a little, then.

[Canid]

She ended up with a deck with cards of varying sizes. It was a mess.

That sucks. I wouldn’t attempt it without clear border lines.