theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards
Which handles better?
- Thread starter ZZZ
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Both decks are made from the same company using the same paper - the only difference is the design and color.
So side by side - they will feel and perform the same.
MOST People have their own preferences for paper thickness - some like thick cards for durability, others like thin cards for pliability. But that is a "personal choice" so there is nobody can answer the question: which cards are better.
Always buy the cards YOU like
90% of cards out there are made by Bicycle - and the subtle nuances between print runs are so small, most people can't tell the difference.
Decks last as "long" as you take care of them - clean your hands with soap and water before every use, don't drop your cards on the floor or street - microscopic fibers attach to the surface and begin to clump the paper.
Always store the cards back in the tuck case and store the tuck case in a cool, dry place.
Avoid humidity.
Rotate between decks to allow your cards to relax and retain their shape between uses.
Again, everyone uses and abuses their cards at different rates. So a deck in my hands, or your hands or someone esles hands will "last" differently.
So side by side - they will feel and perform the same.
MOST People have their own preferences for paper thickness - some like thick cards for durability, others like thin cards for pliability. But that is a "personal choice" so there is nobody can answer the question: which cards are better.
Always buy the cards YOU like
90% of cards out there are made by Bicycle - and the subtle nuances between print runs are so small, most people can't tell the difference.
Decks last as "long" as you take care of them - clean your hands with soap and water before every use, don't drop your cards on the floor or street - microscopic fibers attach to the surface and begin to clump the paper.
Always store the cards back in the tuck case and store the tuck case in a cool, dry place.
Avoid humidity.
Rotate between decks to allow your cards to relax and retain their shape between uses.
Again, everyone uses and abuses their cards at different rates. So a deck in my hands, or your hands or someone esles hands will "last" differently.
Most of what Magic Orthodoxy wrote is correct and helpful, but the above sentence is factually inaccurate and need correcting.
● DKNG Red Wheels - these are printed on USPCC's "crushed" stock. This means the paper goes through an extra process before printing, in which the stock is "crushed". It makes it softer and handle very smoothly out of the box (which is why cardists love it), but as a result it is not as durable.
● Red Monarchs - these are printed on USPCC's regular stock. Because the paper haven't gone through the crushing process, the deck will feel slightly stiffer than the Red Wheels deck, and not as soft initially. But it will be more durable and last longer.
Both handle well and are excellent quality, but if you want a "softer" feeling deck, that's what you'll get with the Red Wheel deck; if you want something slightly more durable, that's what you'll get with the Red Monarchs.
Personally I wouldn't attach too much important to this, however, and would make your decision more on the visual look of these two decks. The Monarchs have a more standard look, whereas the Red Wheel deck has stunning gold metallic ink and a very different style. I'd suggest you pick whichever deck's looks you prefer, since that is something you'll be seeing all the time when using it, and should be a bigger factor than the handling. Your intended usage of the deck also should play a role, because a deck used primarily for card magic should be more standard, in which case I wouldn't recommend the Red Wheel deck.
From Will Roya who has decks printed from USPCC all of the time
"In addition, more recently USPCC has added a Thin-Crush stock to their quiver of options, and many newer cardistry decks are opting for this stock. Strictly speaking this isn't a different type of stock, but is rather is an optional process in which the Bicycle or Bee stock is crushed to make it even thinner."
Lyle Borders who is the VP of Operations for USPCC's largest custom print customer Theory 11, said, "Generally, USPC only offers two stocks (Classic / Bicycle stock, and the thicker Premium / Bee stock). There is no such stock as "crushed stock". Once you choose your stock from above, you have the option to have that stock "crushed". It is not a separate stock, it is an optional process."
"In addition, more recently USPCC has added a Thin-Crush stock to their quiver of options, and many newer cardistry decks are opting for this stock. Strictly speaking this isn't a different type of stock, but is rather is an optional process in which the Bicycle or Bee stock is crushed to make it even thinner."
Lyle Borders who is the VP of Operations for USPCC's largest custom print customer Theory 11, said, "Generally, USPC only offers two stocks (Classic / Bicycle stock, and the thicker Premium / Bee stock). There is no such stock as "crushed stock". Once you choose your stock from above, you have the option to have that stock "crushed". It is not a separate stock, it is an optional process."
This is all true, of course. And it's actually not Will Roya you are quoting, but me - that's a direct quote from one of my articles on his site
Link: Factors That Affect the Handling of a Deck
My point was that the two decks are different because:
- the stock from the Red Wheels deck has gone through the extra process and has been crushed
- the stock used for the Monarchs has not been crushed.
As a result, they do handle very differently, and the Red Wheels deck is much softer than the Monarchs deck. So the following statements in your first post are inaccurate: "The only difference is the design and color. So side by side - they will feel and perform the same."
These two decks most definitely do not handle the same, because a deck with stock that has been crushed (e.g. Red Wheel) will feel and perform quite differently from a deck with stock that has not been crushed (e.g. Monarchs). The Red Wheels deck is one of my personal favourite decks, and I have one on my desk at all times, so it's one I'm very familiar with. And of all the Theory11 decks, the Monarchs decks is my favourite along with the Citizens.
So I'm very familiar with both of these decks, and it is factually incorrect to suggest that they feel and handle the same. This is a case where the difference between them will be immediately obvious.