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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lines Along the Top and Sides of Deck
« on: June 09, 2016, 02:10:48 AM »
Thanks for the clarification, Don!
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lines Along the Top and Sides of Deck
« on: June 08, 2016, 11:32:50 AM »
Ok! Thanks for that.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lines Along the Top and Sides of Deck
« on: June 08, 2016, 10:05:32 AM »
Hey Cardfool
Thanks for the speedy reply.
That's a very strong possibility, to be honest with you. I'll have to keep my water bottles away from them, as they're ice cold and water droplets spill now and then.
Thank you!
On a side note, what's the actual purpose of 'Reputation Points'.
Thanks for the speedy reply.
That's a very strong possibility, to be honest with you. I'll have to keep my water bottles away from them, as they're ice cold and water droplets spill now and then.
Thank you!
On a side note, what's the actual purpose of 'Reputation Points'.
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Playing Card Plethora / Black Lines Along the Top and Sides of Deck
« on: June 08, 2016, 08:30:38 AM »
Good afternoon from Blighty!
This is a query, more than anything and, to be perfectly honest, I didn't know where else to post a general card related enquiry on the forum. A search using the subject matter returned 3 results, that didn't pertain to my concern.
The attached pictures describe exactly what I'm experiencing. What on earth are the black lines on this particular Madison PR deck? I also have a couple of other decks that display this anomaly, non-Madison.
I haven't used Sharpies on any of the cards and actually thought it was the'black core' starting to show. They're 'usually' protected by JP clips, however, I can't really see that being the problem.
Suffice to say, does any kind soul know what it is, or even hazard a guess as to what may be causing it?
Thank you
Raymond.
NB As stated in my initial paragraph, I was unsure where to post this, therefore, if it was meant to be placed in another category, please move it :-) Also, apologies for the clarity of the pictures.
This is a query, more than anything and, to be perfectly honest, I didn't know where else to post a general card related enquiry on the forum. A search using the subject matter returned 3 results, that didn't pertain to my concern.
The attached pictures describe exactly what I'm experiencing. What on earth are the black lines on this particular Madison PR deck? I also have a couple of other decks that display this anomaly, non-Madison.
I haven't used Sharpies on any of the cards and actually thought it was the'black core' starting to show. They're 'usually' protected by JP clips, however, I can't really see that being the problem.
Suffice to say, does any kind soul know what it is, or even hazard a guess as to what may be causing it?
Thank you
Raymond.
NB As stated in my initial paragraph, I was unsure where to post this, therefore, if it was meant to be placed in another category, please move it :-) Also, apologies for the clarity of the pictures.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: February 21, 2016, 07:08:35 AM »Whilst I'm definitely not the world's biggest USPCC fan, I did like the White Lions decks very much -- the cards where thicker, and definitely a lot more durable than present day USPCC output.
I used quite a lot of White Lions decks back in the day, and all of them were traditionally cut, and that was another reason why I liked them so much.
The Black Lions cards were probably amongst the worst I've ever handled... but the White Lions were definitely amongst the best USPCC decks I've ever handled, along with the Richard Turner gold seal Bee decks
I couldn't agree more, Holy. The stock the White Lions Series Series A (Blue) offered and Series B offer, is exceptionally good. I'm sure the Series A Red is just as good, however, I don't see the point of opening one of mine.
When David was selling the Series B Collectors Boxes, (12 decks in each box) I managed to snag 8 of them for $99.99 each. That equates to $8.33 or £5.78 at today's conversion rate. An absolute steal, IMHO.
In fact, I'd go as far as saying, that they're one of the best decks I've ever handled and they last ages, to boot.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: January 20, 2016, 08:34:13 AM »"Would some kind soul tell me who the J♦️, Q♣️ and the K♣️ are based on, please."
Looks like
JD is Doug McKenzie
KC is Dan White
QC is Alizee Guinochet
those are my guesses......
Hey
Thanks for the reply, however, they are most definitely not your guesses, I'm afraid, with the possible exception of Dan White being K♣️.
Doug McKenzie is usually the K♣️ (but doesn't seem to appear in the Black Lions) and Alizee is always the Q♠️. The J ♦️ is still an enigma...
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: January 08, 2016, 11:10:10 AM »And how did they get those?
Mine was part of a care package from David, personally. I had to promise not to post it until they are released, so the day they are released, I'll post mine.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: January 06, 2016, 09:29:26 PM »
The Red Black Lions deck in the carat case, looks genuine to me. I have the same deck, in the same case, with the exact same wording.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: January 06, 2016, 09:19:45 PM ».Would some kind soul tell me who the J♦️, Q♣️ and the K♣️ are based on, please.
On a side note, I love the deeper red hue on the pips and court cards. Possibly Madison's input, there.
Also, has anyone noticed what appears to be a very feint 1 2 3 on the Lion's overcoat, as well as a 4♦️ (I can't confirm the suit, as my magnifying glass isn't strong enough and I've misplaced my loupe) and a bordered back design on the two Jokers, respectively.
Overall, I really like these cards. I think they handle extremely well.
The one gripe I have, is that I wish they were of the same stock as the WL'S, although they are still of a very high quality stock. David's cards are always special when it comes to stock, finish, et cetera, IMHO.
I don't know what changes if any he's made for this series, but you can compare it to decks from earlier series at the Playing Card Wiki (Google for it, you'll find it, no problem). The info there is dated, but of excellent quality, including a breakdown of who appears on what cards in many of Blaine's earlier decks.
Stock quality is always an issue with USPC - it has a lot to do with recycling regulations requiring a certain amount of the paper be made of post-consumer recycled content. Recycled paper has shorter fibers and is of a lower quality. Ellusionist was lamenting about this in their blog a few years ago. Factor in that they don't make the paper, they buy it on the open market, and there's less ability to insure a consistent high grade of paper print run after print run. (They do their own gluing, laminating and embossing to make paperboard stock, but the paper they use comes from someone else.)
That site was the first thing I checked, Don. The cards I mentioned, are indeed, new people, or should I say, based on new people, therfore, it still remains a mystery.
I'm familiar with the stock issues at USPC. One run can be very good, the next, atrocious. Shame there is no consistency.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: January 01, 2016, 04:26:57 PM »
Would some kind soul tell me who the J♦️, Q♣️ and the K♣️ are based on, please.
On a side note, I love the deeper red hue on the pips and court cards. Possibly Madison's input, there.
Also, has anyone noticed what appears to be a very feint 1 2 3 on the Lion's overcoat, as well as a 4♦️ (I can't confirm the suit, as my magnifying glass isn't strong enough and I've misplaced my loupe) and a bordered back design on the two Jokers, respectively.
Overall, I really like these cards. I think they handle extremely well.
The one gripe I have, is that I wish they were of the same stock as the WL'S, although they are still of a very high quality stock. David's cards are always special when it comes to stock, finish, et cetera, IMHO.
On a side note, I love the deeper red hue on the pips and court cards. Possibly Madison's input, there.
Also, has anyone noticed what appears to be a very feint 1 2 3 on the Lion's overcoat, as well as a 4♦️ (I can't confirm the suit, as my magnifying glass isn't strong enough and I've misplaced my loupe) and a bordered back design on the two Jokers, respectively.
Overall, I really like these cards. I think they handle extremely well.
The one gripe I have, is that I wish they were of the same stock as the WL'S, although they are still of a very high quality stock. David's cards are always special when it comes to stock, finish, et cetera, IMHO.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 31, 2015, 01:53:34 PM »
Anyone else found the 5H reveal on the tuck back?
Under the lion's whiskers... 😉
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 30, 2015, 02:46:49 PM »
Just received my bricks, along with lots of other goodies, in the post, today, and the first deck I opened, was.................. traditionally cut! 😏
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 20, 2015, 05:58:16 PM »
My perspective of people, is, but not limited to, people; posters; narrators, commentators, et, cetera. The list is endless, but you get the general meaning. I wasn't being rude. Just damn tired, all the damn time, with all my damn prescription medications.
USPC can't guarantee anything, nowadays. +/- 10% of 'delivered decks', What the hell does that even mean? I order 1000, I want 1000. If you order, say, 1000 company cars, I'm sure as hell not going to accept +/-10%. That's a huge ratio and just plain ridiculous.
If traditionally cut can't be guaranteed, then it should state, +/-10%, or thereabouts 😜
(USPC speaking here) Were not too sure on the exact amount, here, chaps, however, if you don't get a traditionally cut deck, tough shit!!! Sorry and all that! Arf, Arf...
All hail our new Masters: EPCC and LPCC!
Oh, man...
I'm going back to bed 😉
USPC can't guarantee anything, nowadays. +/- 10% of 'delivered decks', What the hell does that even mean? I order 1000, I want 1000. If you order, say, 1000 company cars, I'm sure as hell not going to accept +/-10%. That's a huge ratio and just plain ridiculous.
If traditionally cut can't be guaranteed, then it should state, +/-10%, or thereabouts 😜
(USPC speaking here) Were not too sure on the exact amount, here, chaps, however, if you don't get a traditionally cut deck, tough shit!!! Sorry and all that! Arf, Arf...
All hail our new Masters: EPCC and LPCC!
Oh, man...
I'm going back to bed 😉
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 20, 2015, 05:30:00 PM »
I don't under why people think the BL's are not traditionally cut. DB'S BL's are traditionally cut. It states so in the snippet in the first paragraph of the description, verbatim...
"... After a year of detailed development with the United States Playing Card Company, we are proud to introduce The Black Lions, printed on custom casino-quality card stock and traditionally cut with new blades to create our best feeling deck yet... "
Surely, making traditionally cut cards isn't a difficult process. After all, they managed to do so all those years ago, the majority of casino decks are, and Turner's Gold Seal decks are traditionally cut. I honestly can't see USPC 's problem with it, unless they like to play the 'superior' card, pardon the pun, and 'we want you you have non-traditionally cut cards', so there.
Then again, I've only just woken up and am drinking my first cup of delicious, fresh coffee 😜
"... After a year of detailed development with the United States Playing Card Company, we are proud to introduce The Black Lions, printed on custom casino-quality card stock and traditionally cut with new blades to create our best feeling deck yet... "
Surely, making traditionally cut cards isn't a difficult process. After all, they managed to do so all those years ago, the majority of casino decks are, and Turner's Gold Seal decks are traditionally cut. I honestly can't see USPC 's problem with it, unless they like to play the 'superior' card, pardon the pun, and 'we want you you have non-traditionally cut cards', so there.
Then again, I've only just woken up and am drinking my first cup of delicious, fresh coffee 😜
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 18, 2015, 12:27:45 PM »
Hey Don
I've attached a picture of the back of the 7♦️ (WL SB B). Would you mind using your marker (or MS Paint) to show where the value would be, please, because I can't see for looking 😉
Thank you :-)
If you search for the old topic on the White Lions, I'm sure someone's detailed the entire marking system for that deck. I'm going with the assumption that you've presented a Seven of Diamonds and what I remember of the marking system.
Notice I made two marks on your card image. The top mark points to a full split spade - picture a diamond made of four split spades and that's the leftmost spade in the diamond. Notice it's DARKER along the center line than the other three. That's your suit indicator.
Now look at the second mark, pointing to a half split spade along the card's edge. Notice how the long vertical line at the edge of that half-spade is THINNER than the same line on the spades above and below it. Now notice the gap line that the half-spade is pointing to and follow it diagonally going up, seeing that it's WIDER than the gap of neighboring gap lines.
This is very similar to the Seven of Diamonds in the Black Lions, except that I can't tell any difference between the half-spades on the card edge for the Black Lions. While its not immediately apparent, the gap positioning looks to be the same if you mirror the image of the Black Lion card, flipping it along the vertical axis - when you do that, the gaps in both decks are located in the same place. The suit marker, however, is now using what appears to be different positioning, unless the White Lions Series B card presented isn't a diamond and is some other suit.
Need more info? Go to the homepage and search "white lions marking system" and you'll find the older posts covering the marking systems used on the Series A and Series B decks. I don't know if the markings were carried over into the Black Label - can't honestly say if I've looked or not - but I'd wager they're probably the same as Series B, considering the timing of the release.
Thanks for the detailed explanation, Don! I understand completely, now.
I'll also do the search you recommend.
Cheers!
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 16, 2015, 08:44:47 PM »Now, on to the values...
Before, you had to look for the linework in the center of each split spade in a diagonal line in order to determine value. Now, you're looking instead at the GAP BETWEEN the diagonal lines of the split spades. Two gaps (or in the case of the aces, one line) will be wider than the others. It's hard to spot with the eye but you can train yourself to see it and it's especially obvious if you sort the cards by value, then perform a riffle test on the entire deck in that sorted state. I've drawn a black line at the start of each wider gap and angled it in the direction of the gap that indicates the card's value. This will take three posts in total to show you all the values - the examples given are all diamonds...
Hey Don
I've attached a picture of the back of the 7♦️ (WL SB B). Would you mind using your marker (or MS Paint) to show where the value would be, please, because I can't see for looking 😉
Thank you :-)
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 16, 2015, 09:11:34 AM »
Good posts, Don! Thank you :-)
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 15, 2015, 11:48:35 PM »Here's a bit of irony for you... I complain about the cards not being here, I check my mail after work before the PO opens (they have 24-hour lobby access for box holders and use of the automated kiosk), they're sitting in my PO Box... They were there while I was typing my complaint!
Bizarre that the tracking numbers don't seem to be really tracking anything in a useful manner.
Oh, that's priceless!!! Hahaha 😂 😂 😂
So, what do you think of them, Don? Some nice pictures, perchance??
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 15, 2015, 05:10:40 PM »
Received this earlier today: -
"...Hello Raymond,
Your order without Black Lions has been shipped. Sorry about the confusion regarding the Black Lions delay. Your tracking number for order #***** has already been shipped and should be there any day.
Your Black Lions order is shipping this week.
Sincerely,
Customer Service
dborders@davidblaine.com ..."
Tracking numbers ALL show as 'Not Found' on USPS's website, as of typing this post.
I also know Madison is the KOD, yet again along with a couple of other court changes.
"...Hello Raymond,
Your order without Black Lions has been shipped. Sorry about the confusion regarding the Black Lions delay. Your tracking number for order #***** has already been shipped and should be there any day.
Your Black Lions order is shipping this week.
Sincerely,
Customer Service
dborders@davidblaine.com ..."
Tracking numbers ALL show as 'Not Found' on USPS's website, as of typing this post.
I also know Madison is the KOD, yet again along with a couple of other court changes.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: December 08, 2015, 11:58:20 AM »Has anybody seen any of the BL playing cards, complete, with the exception of one Joker? Seems like standard faces. What do the AOS and courts look like?
Most of Blaine's decks have the same courts - his faces are mostly standard, but he replaced the faces of the court cards with people he knows. He's on the King of Spades, his girlfriend is on the Queen of Spades, Bill Kalush is on the King of Hearts, etc. Most decks designed for magicians and used by magicians will have faces that are standard or close to it - it's the familiarity factor for their spectators. Most T11 decks are standard faces, not counting the commissioned work that they do for other companies (NoMad, Rarebit, JAQK Wineries, etc.).
HI Don. I think you're used to my 'late' replies, by now! 😉
I knew that. Don't forget, I had a gross oF the MGGs. I posted a picture of them on another thread. Down to my last 10 bricks 😏 Tons of other DB decks, Variety Boxes, as well. I was one of the lucky 16. Can't wait to receive the Create Magic deck! Yeah, baby!
I was wondering whether he'd done anything different to the courts this time. Will they be 'normal' or metallic, as in the MGGs and the MRGs. The AOS will most probably be different, et cetera. Naturally, lots of new secrets were mentioned on his BL page.
Has anybody received theirs, yet? Any pictures??
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Gold Monarchs
« on: December 08, 2015, 11:42:38 AM »I received my Gold Monarch deck a few days ago. The gold MetalLuxe treatment on the Monarch back looks FABULOUS. It's super shiny and reflective. However the registration on the backs and faces leaves a lot to be desired.
HI PT
That looks beautiful! Are they similar to the Bicycle Luxe decks? If so, I hope they improved the T11 GM. I really don't like the Bicycle Luxe 'gimmick', personally.
T11 did a beautiful 'gold' Monarch deck that Geraint Clarke was lucky to receive. It's plain or metallic gold, instead of the Luxe. I believe that version was never released, for some obscure reason. They would have made a killing, if they sold that version..
Would you mind posting another picture showing the gold 'reflecting', please. Similar to my picture of the aforementioned Bicycle Luxe. It would 'showcase' it a bit better 😉
Thank you!
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: November 27, 2015, 11:23:12 AM »
Has anybody seen any of the BL playing cards, complete, with the exception of one Joker? Seems like standard faces. What do the AOS and courts look like?
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions - David Blaine
« on: November 26, 2015, 08:56:18 PM »30% off all* the items in the store...
Still nothing about the Black Lions price...
The * stands for itesm that are not already on sale.
IRO the 30% OFF ENTIRE STORE* DB 'probably' won't include the SS and WL autographed uncut sheets. He only put those on the site, when it was resurrected, so I can't really see him reducing those bad boys.
However, if has has, I'll be furious, as I've just taken delivery of all 3 SS uncut sheets
Then again, who knows what goes through/on in that mind of his 
I say, the BL's will be by the brick for a bare minimum of $60, as he's done before.
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions
« on: November 25, 2015, 08:35:32 AM »
Cool. But does that mean reasonable international shipping costs? I live in the UK and have, unfortunately, spent a small fortune of inflated costs over the last few years.
Check into using a consolidation/forwarding service like Shipito. You send them your packages to a US address, they consolidate them into a single package sent to you - only one international shipping charge instead of several. Also look into partnering with fellow Brits from your area or this forum and creating a buyers' club for cost-per-item and cost-by-weight savings by buying in larger quantities.
That's a good idea about Shipito.. I'll look into that. Thank you.
I'm actually a misanthrope and, as such, don't have very many friends at all, so that rules the second option out 😂😂😂 Thanks anyway. 😉
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Playing Card Plethora / Re: Black Lions
« on: November 24, 2015, 11:19:24 AM »Good news! Gambler's Warehouse is taking over ALL shipping/fullfillment for the David Blaine website/store.Cool. But does that mean reasonable international shipping costs? I live in the UK and have, unfortunately, spent a small fortune of inflated costs over the last few years.
So your Black Friday orders will be packed safe and securely!
..
Jay
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