Methods of unwarping cards

Dec 20, 2008
80
0
sugarland, tx
hey guys i was wonder if yall new a special method of unwarping cards, because i flourish whenever i can during the day, and hardly ever restock on cards. thanks.
 
Sep 1, 2007
65
0
Canada
When your cards warp due to excessive use in very humid and high-temperature conditions, I don't think there is a way to "unwarp" them.

However, I generally use card clips on my deck or place them under large textbooks/dictionaries to improve their condition.

-Garry
 
Dec 1, 2008
354
0
Ottawa, Ontario
Hmmmm... I forgot where exactly I read it and I still have yet to try it but... apparently if you grab a whole bunch of those silica gels (the "do not eat" stuff that comes with new clothes and stuff) anyway, grab a few pouches of those and throw them in a ziplock bag with your deck and put it in the freezer for an hour or two...

Again I've only read about this method but it apparently works like magic...
or maybe that was for clumpy cards? I don't know worth shot in any case.
 
Jul 25, 2008
97
0
Upstate New York
Card clip is by far the best bet. I don't know any other ways. But sometimes if my card clip is being used for another deck, I take two squares of plexiglass (CD cases work fine) put the deck in the middle and put a plastic clamp on it (A Clamp like THIS). I just got mine from the dollar store, and it works perfectly fine.
 
Feb 15, 2008
176
0
Sam Rochon is right with the silica packets. Those are helpful when you're not using the cards. My advice is to put the cards in a PORPER clip (fakes won't work) every day when you go out with a deck, and to 'unwarp' them, take one of those metal table clamps you use for sawing stuff (http://www.fine-tools.com/tischklammer.jpg) and clamp down a deck in between two pieces of poker-sized wood XD.

And stay away from the freezer. Your cards will die. Trust me. You take the cards out back into room temp, the cards will immediately warp back, and the condensation on the cards will make them go :p
 
Sep 9, 2007
512
0
I had a really good post on this once.... lemme find it....

I have a couple of card clips that I keep the opened decks that I anticipate using, so they're always flat when I take them out. I basically rotate them and prep cards I know I'm going to bring out.

I'm going to be building a card cellar when I move, and I'll be posting up a longer dissertation on card storage. For the time being though, I'll give a couple of tips based on experience, and stuff I learned in the print industry about paper (simplified of course)

Ideally, cards should be stored in an area with low humidity BUT, since you'll be using them in places that will likely be more humid, you should let the cards balance out in an environment close to usage conditions.

The finish prevents (or severly limits the ability) to absorb moisture, so all moisture enters through the edges. This uneven moisture gain is absorbed by the grains in the paper, causing warping, However, if the paper is given time to settle (and more uniformily absorb the moisture), the cards won't appear warped.

Obviously there's a limit - where cards CAN be oversaturated with moisture in a High Humidity environment. The fibres will push up against eachother and irregularities will become more prevalent.

Keeping them in a Porper clip while letting them adjust to the moisture will give you flat cards that won't be warped. In essence, you're almost "training" them as they absorb moisture and forcing them to distribute the moisture more evenly.

Cards will also warp when you use them, because they absorb moisture from your hands. Make sure your hands are clean and dry when handling them. Things like lotion will mess them up bad, not only because of moisture, but because the cards will become oily.

In my experience, the stock most good cards are printed on (Bikes, Tally's, Customs) have a pretty decent elasticity and memory. Keeping them in a Porper Clip will prevent any long term damage to their form.

I've heard people to say to put them in the fridge/freezer, but that's a terrible idea in the long term because condensation will ruin your cards. The deck will be warm in the middle, cold on the edges and vapor will become liquid at the edges.

Keeping them in an overly dry place WILL straighten your cards, but they're going to warp again if the change is too dramatic in humidity. They need to be conditioned to the environment.

Bottom line: If your cards are warped let them sit in a porper clip in open air (as long as it's not overly humid where you live). With a bit of time they'll fix themselves. It's really convenient if you have 3 or 4 clips and can rotate decks.
 
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