theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
Black Tiger Decks
- Thread starter MagicIsDead
- Start date
Basically the Black Tiger deck is a high quality deck of cards. Regular Bicycle cards use Air Flow Finish, whereas the Black Tiger Deck uses UV500 Air Flow Finish. This allows for the cards to glow under UV Light. Not only does the Black Tiger Deck use a different finish but they are also MUCH thicker and allow for better handling.
I hope I cleared it up for you!
Mitchell
Actually your not exactly right
Regular Bikes have a "Air Cushion" finish. The Black Tigers, and I believe all of the E decks have, the "UV 500 Air Flo" Finish. I don't think that the "UV 500" means that they glow under black lights because the Masters have the same finish and I don't think that those glow. Also the Black Tigers are not thicker. they are the same size as regular Bikes. The masters are the ones that are thicker. This is just to make them stiffer and more durable, and contrary to what E would like you to believe, thicker is not better. In fact the thinner and stiffer the better. Thats one of the reasons people like "Jerrys" so much. Hope that helps.
Regular Bikes have a "Air Cushion" finish. The Black Tigers, and I believe all of the E decks have, the "UV 500 Air Flo" Finish. I don't think that the "UV 500" means that they glow under black lights because the Masters have the same finish and I don't think that those glow. Also the Black Tigers are not thicker. they are the same size as regular Bikes. The masters are the ones that are thicker. This is just to make them stiffer and more durable, and contrary to what E would like you to believe, thicker is not better. In fact the thinner and stiffer the better. Thats one of the reasons people like "Jerrys" so much. Hope that helps.
Its BS mumbo jumbo.
bikes have the same quality if not more than any other E deck.
E decks are just thicker which is bad if you have small hands.
bikes have the same quality if not more than any other E deck.
E decks are just thicker which is bad if you have small hands.
No, it is not "BS." E decks are of a premium quality than most decks for reasons that have just been explained.
..:Z:..
There's a lot of misinformation going on in this thread...
Pretty much ALL current E decks use the thicker stock and the UV500 Air Flow Finish, with the exception of the Red and Blue Gaff decks.
Black Tigers, in their 1st edition, had normal stock and normal Air Cushion Finish. This edition sold out in only 4 days, so the likelihood is that if you're holding some Tigers, especially if you purchased them after 2004, they're 2nd edition. The 2nd edition have always had the thicker stock and UV500 finish. Early 2nd edition Tigers say Air Cushion on the box, but in actuality, they have the UV500.
Any E deck with the UV500 finish DOES glow under blacklight. Some just glow better than others due to the color of inks used. The Masters decks do glow under blacklight, without a doubt.
The only deck I'm not 100% sure on is the 1800 deck. The first editions were on a normal stock, and I believe the 2nd editions switched to the thicker E stock. I am not sure about the finish. I do not have a black light handy to test the 1st or 2nd edition. The boxes say Air Cushion though, so they may not be using the UV500.
For the original question of Tigers though - If you were to order a deck of Tigers right now, you would receive a deck with stock that is thicker than normal Bikes, with the UV500 finish, which is a bit smoother than the standard Air Cushion, and does glow under black light.
Pretty much ALL current E decks use the thicker stock and the UV500 Air Flow Finish, with the exception of the Red and Blue Gaff decks.
Black Tigers, in their 1st edition, had normal stock and normal Air Cushion Finish. This edition sold out in only 4 days, so the likelihood is that if you're holding some Tigers, especially if you purchased them after 2004, they're 2nd edition. The 2nd edition have always had the thicker stock and UV500 finish. Early 2nd edition Tigers say Air Cushion on the box, but in actuality, they have the UV500.
Any E deck with the UV500 finish DOES glow under blacklight. Some just glow better than others due to the color of inks used. The Masters decks do glow under blacklight, without a doubt.
The only deck I'm not 100% sure on is the 1800 deck. The first editions were on a normal stock, and I believe the 2nd editions switched to the thicker E stock. I am not sure about the finish. I do not have a black light handy to test the 1st or 2nd edition. The boxes say Air Cushion though, so they may not be using the UV500.
For the original question of Tigers though - If you were to order a deck of Tigers right now, you would receive a deck with stock that is thicker than normal Bikes, with the UV500 finish, which is a bit smoother than the standard Air Cushion, and does glow under black light.
jeebus but there's some serious n00b-ness and total misinformation going on in here. black tiger decks, or any of the UV500 finish, are AWESOME. I own over 550 decks right now and am totally obsessed with studying and comparing finish, cut, stock, etc.
it is random to say "i had some black tigers and they got bad after a day" because honstly that could happen with any deck if you treat them bad.
none of the people talking smack about black tigers are actually skilled so why believe their BS?, look at people like webghost that throws down PERFECT fans , he says and I quote, that the UV500 finish is so good it almost feels like cheating.
it is random to say "i had some black tigers and they got bad after a day" because honstly that could happen with any deck if you treat them bad.
none of the people talking smack about black tigers are actually skilled so why believe their BS?, look at people like webghost that throws down PERFECT fans , he says and I quote, that the UV500 finish is so good it almost feels like cheating.
lolz, 550 decks? Please. I don't treat my decks badly. In fact, I've been told that I "pamper" my decks, because I want them to last as long as possible. Simply put, they start to clump up after a day of just playing around with them. Who cares what webghost says? If he's so confident in his opinion, why doesn't he show us his resume' of all the gigs he's done. Whether or not a deck can "throw down perfect fans" has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the deck. Any deck can do perfect fans... well, any that's not plastic or anything. No to sound repetitive, but fanning has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the deck! Nor do perfect fans mean a person's opinion is Gospel!
All of my Ellusionist cards INCLUDING the Black Tiger Deck are still top quality after 2 years.
Something to think about.
Mitchell
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I agree, the finish on E's decks can be great and sometimes the thicker cards can also be better, but it really depends on what you are going to be using them for.
Ever since I have become more fancy and started to get into the cardistry side of things, I have realized that E's decks are not what you should be getting if you are doing flourishes BUT they are great for magic when it comes to looks, I love my Ghost and Shadow Masters decks.
There is always a possibility of me being wrong, but these are the facts that I've seen:
The thickness of the cards makes things more difficult because your fingers have to hold more, the ease at which the cards slide also make certain flourishes much much harder. On the other hand, non-E cards don't slide as much and are much thinner, hence things are easier. Don't believe me? Take a regular deck of cards and do a difficult flourish with it, now remove maybe 10 cards, then attempt the same flourish. Its a little easier with less cards isn't it?
Now, to experiment on whether for flourishing you want more or less sliding, take a regular deck and a deck with fanning powder on it (which will slide less). Try the same flourish with both and I think you'll find that the fanning powdered deck is easier, meaning you don't want more sliding.
Now before some of you start throwing out random attacks about "not being skilled" or being a "n00b," please think of a valid, sound argument. Calling somebody random and then attacking them like that just doesn't make you look very smart, just very hypocritical. Something you shouldn't be doing to a fellow magician, I think you need to review the objectives of theory11 again. I don't believe "Become elite and laugh at all the n00bs and unskilled people below you while calling them random," was anywhere in there.
And if you were being completely serious about the 550 decks of cards, that doesn't make you sound smart, I'm not calling you dumb, just saying it makes you not sound smart. Sorry, you asked for it. If those are all E decks, thats at least $2940.
-Cyrus
Ever since I have become more fancy and started to get into the cardistry side of things, I have realized that E's decks are not what you should be getting if you are doing flourishes BUT they are great for magic when it comes to looks, I love my Ghost and Shadow Masters decks.
There is always a possibility of me being wrong, but these are the facts that I've seen:
The thickness of the cards makes things more difficult because your fingers have to hold more, the ease at which the cards slide also make certain flourishes much much harder. On the other hand, non-E cards don't slide as much and are much thinner, hence things are easier. Don't believe me? Take a regular deck of cards and do a difficult flourish with it, now remove maybe 10 cards, then attempt the same flourish. Its a little easier with less cards isn't it?
Now, to experiment on whether for flourishing you want more or less sliding, take a regular deck and a deck with fanning powder on it (which will slide less). Try the same flourish with both and I think you'll find that the fanning powdered deck is easier, meaning you don't want more sliding.
Now before some of you start throwing out random attacks about "not being skilled" or being a "n00b," please think of a valid, sound argument. Calling somebody random and then attacking them like that just doesn't make you look very smart, just very hypocritical. Something you shouldn't be doing to a fellow magician, I think you need to review the objectives of theory11 again. I don't believe "Become elite and laugh at all the n00bs and unskilled people below you while calling them random," was anywhere in there.
And if you were being completely serious about the 550 decks of cards, that doesn't make you sound smart, I'm not calling you dumb, just saying it makes you not sound smart. Sorry, you asked for it. If those are all E decks, thats at least $2940.
-Cyrus
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Woah there..
E decks do have a better finish. I can wear a normal bike down in about an hour.. With e decks it takes at least 2 weeks till they are dead.
And speaking of black tigers.. You know the tiger on the front of the box? i'm getting that as a tatoo, It'll be hanging off my shoulders.
E decks do have a better finish. I can wear a normal bike down in about an hour.. With e decks it takes at least 2 weeks till they are dead.
And speaking of black tigers.. You know the tiger on the front of the box? i'm getting that as a tatoo, It'll be hanging off my shoulders.
uhm... yeah.. thats the problem... i got the air cushion tigers.. that kinda made me thinkin' whoah tigers are air cushion?!! thanks for the reply. so i just got an old deck.. ill save this and order another one with airflow.
lolz copperfield 14, Cyrus has a point I should be respectful, but ^ this quote is very wrong. It sounds like MagicIsDead got his question answered though so anything else would be off topic.
and no all of them aren't E decks, that really would be crazy
I voraciously collect all different types from all over the world trying to find the perfect composition of decks, usually there are trade-offs, like maybe one will fan really good, but not spring so good, or like Wynns for example are great for cuts and springs, but suck for spreads or fans, etc. The only decks I've found better than UV500 are Texan Palmettos and Bulldog Squeezers, YMMV.I believe most people that talk smack about E decks have a problem with Ellusionist/Brad Christensen for various reasons, so they decide to hate on EVERY Ellusionist product, which is just ignorant.
and no all of them aren't E decks, that really would be crazy
Thats pretty cool, now that you've explained how and why you have that many decks.
I enjoy using Red Masters, Shadow Masters and Ghosts (my favorite deck) for magic, but I don't use them for flourishing unless they are fairly broken in so that the sliding is less.
I've ordered some Wynns because I keep hearing they are so good, so we'll see if I like them or not.
-Cyrus