What is the best handling deck that has come out of Kentucky?

[Gunshy1]

Even though most of the decks that are coming out anymore all feel the same, more or less, what is everyone's opinion on the best handling deck to come out of Kentucky?

Imho i would say either the style deck, while lions series A, or tendril. These are really the only decks that i've noticed feeling differently then all the other custom decks. The white lions series A take the cake though; they handle great and last forever.

[sr15]

Depends on what you're doing. I happen to think that Wynns are the best handling deck I've used for cardistry, but they suck for a lot of things.

[Gunshy1]

Isn't fanning part of cardistry? cause wynns suuuuuuck at fanning.

[PlayingKards]

Isn't fanning part of cardistry? cause wynns suuuuuuck at fanning.

Yes fanning can be part of cardistry. Wynns are great for cuts and flourishes that require cards to stick/clump together. Jerry's Nuggets also are bad at fanning but are recognized as one of the best if not the best flourishing deck out there. It matters what you are into. Dan and Dave love Nuggets and Wynns because there flourishing consists of cuts and stuff that requires ''clumpy'' cards. When I do fans I usaully use ellusionist cards or bikes. They are great for fans as they are slippery.

[sr15]

it's one part of it, sure. I was mainly talking about multi-packet cuts, and I haven't found a deck as good as Wynns for that.

[Joshua Robinson]

I would have to say either Aurum and/or Actuators

[DelMagic]

I was under the impression that the Wynn decks came from Ohio? If so, they can't be the best handling decks from Kentucky which was the question under discussion.

I don't have enough experience with a wide variety of custom decks to answer the question with any authority. I buy many of the decks as a collector, but since I don't ruin them quickly as I use them for magic, I haven't even used that many. However, I do like the CARC Bee Erdnase decks. My focus is magic, not cardistry.

[sr15]

I was under the impression that the Wynn decks came from Ohio? If so, they can't be the best handling decks from Kentucky which was the question under discussion.

duh. my mistake, I got the two mixed up for whatever reason. I guess ignore my posts earlier in this thread

[Don Boyer]

I was under the impression that the Wynn decks came from Ohio? If so, they can't be the best handling decks from Kentucky which was the question under discussion.

duh. my mistake, I got the two mixed up for whatever reason. I guess ignore my posts earlier in this thread

If you're talking a modern deck, not necessarily a USPC deck, the Legends, once they're broken in a bit, are pretty good in that department.  I don't do much cardistry but I know a few very simple fans.  It has a textured stock for that dimple-effect cushioning, but the dimples are very shallow so the slip between cards isn't as dramatic as a textured Magic Finish deck, which some people don't like for cuts due to it being too slick and harder to control in packets.

A good overall USPC deck would actually be a CARC Bee Erdnase black/silver Acorn back with Ivory finish.  They're made with a heavy, durable stock, coated with Magic Finish, but the smooth texture helps make them work better in cuts by dint of having no air pockets between the cards.  If you wanted a stock that's not quite so thick ('cause riffling an Ivory finish Bee Casino stock takes strong tendons due to being a lot like bending a stack of planks), the new Steamboats by D&D would be good - another smooth deck with Magic Finish, but the stock's notably lighter.

Good, basic overall decks would be Aladdin or Tally Ho.  New Tally decks should be from 2011 or later for the best quality and performance.

[Benjam]

Now I don't have every deck that's come out of Kentucky, and in fact I really dislike a lot of the custom decks coming out these days so that kinda narrows it down for me... But I do have to say that the handling on decks like the Monarchs and Rebels are amazing, in my view at least. But I would have to say my favourite handling deck right now from Kentucky are the Arrco Tahoe reprints (the ones done by dealing deuces).
I just think they're great haha and the design is a plus!

Actually now that I think of it, I feel this is a suitable place to ask this question...
Is it true that the handling of USPC's standard decks is getting better and better in the new Kentucky factory? Because the standard bicycles that I've been using are all from 2009 (I bought them in Costco), and they are all absolutely shit! That's the only way to describe them... they clump up super fast, and the stock just feels awful and un-springy after a short usage time (nothing like the old Ohio bikes!).
The tally hos are no different... I've never actually handled an old ohio deck of tally hos but I hear they're fantastic. Yet, I just can't bring myself to like the tally deck that I have from kentucky. And lots of people agree with me.
SO long question short, is the USPCC improving on their quality in the new factory? I would have thought that they'd be making better cards than the old Ohio decks, rather than cards that are infinitely worse!

[Don Boyer]

Now I don't have every deck that's come out of Kentucky, and in fact I really dislike a lot of the custom decks coming out these days so that kinda narrows it down for me... But I do have to say that the handling on decks like the Monarchs and Rebels are amazing, in my view at least. But I would have to say my favourite handling deck right now from Kentucky are the Arrco Tahoe reprints (the ones done by dealing deuces).
I just think they're great haha and the design is a plus!

Actually now that I think of it, I feel this is a suitable place to ask this question...
Is it true that the handling of USPC's standard decks is getting better and better in the new Kentucky factory? Because the standard bicycles that I've been using are all from 2009 (I bought them in Costco), and they are all absolutely shit! That's the only way to describe them... they clump up super fast, and the stock just feels awful and un-springy after a short usage time (nothing like the old Ohio bikes!).
The tally hos are no different... I've never actually handled an old ohio deck of tally hos but I hear they're fantastic. Yet, I just can't bring myself to like the tally deck that I have from kentucky. And lots of people agree with me.
SO long question short, is the USPCC improving on their quality in the new factory? I would have thought that they'd be making better cards than the old Ohio decks, rather than cards that are infinitely worse!

First of all, don't double-post.  Instead of making two consecutive posts in a brief period of time, edit the first post and add the additional information there.

Second, I don't know how new you are to collecting and the card forums, but this is a topic that's been discussed and hashed out over and over before.

The short version: when USPC moved to Erlanger from Norwood in August, 2009, there was a shakedown period at the new plant where they were still learning the ropes with the new equipment and working out the kinks.  Many decks from 2009 and 2010 suffered in quality as a result, both the USPC staple brands as well as the custom decks of that period.  By late 2010/early 2011, those kinks had been worked out and the output from Erlanger went significantly higher than what the Norwood plant was producing - the major exception being Bicycle Standards because it appears they dropped the quality control to a lower "Q" level to save money.

You can probably find out more about this (and lots of other things you might not have known about cards) in the "Fact or Fiction" topic at the top of the Playing Card Plethora.

[Benjam]

Firstly, yeah sorry, I wasn't aware of the "edit post" button... my bad.

And although I'm not new to cards, I AM fairly new to these forums, so I'll be sure to check out some of the past discussions on that topic... thanks for the brief summary though.

Now I don't have every deck that's come out of Kentucky, and in fact I really dislike a lot of the custom decks coming out these days so that kinda narrows it down for me... But I do have to say that the handling on decks like the Monarchs and Rebels are amazing, in my view at least. But I would have to say my favourite handling deck right now from Kentucky are the Arrco Tahoe reprints (the ones done by dealing deuces).
I just think they're great haha and the design is a plus!

Actually now that I think of it, I feel this is a suitable place to ask this question...
Is it true that the handling of USPC's standard decks is getting better and better in the new Kentucky factory? Because the standard bicycles that I've been using are all from 2009 (I bought them in Costco), and they are all absolutely shit! That's the only way to describe them... they clump up super fast, and the stock just feels awful and un-springy after a short usage time (nothing like the old Ohio bikes!).
The tally hos are no different... I've never actually handled an old ohio deck of tally hos but I hear they're fantastic. Yet, I just can't bring myself to like the tally deck that I have from kentucky. And lots of people agree with me.
SO long question short, is the USPCC improving on their quality in the new factory? I would have thought that they'd be making better cards than the old Ohio decks, rather than cards that are infinitely worse!

First of all, don't double-post.  Instead of making two consecutive posts in a brief period of time, edit the first post and add the additional information there.

Second, I don't know how new you are to collecting and the card forums, but this is a topic that's been discussed and hashed out over and over before.

The short version: when USPC moved to Erlanger from Norwood in August, 2009, there was a shakedown period at the new plant where they were still learning the ropes with the new equipment and working out the kinks.  Many decks from 2009 and 2010 suffered in quality as a result, both the USPC staple brands as well as the custom decks of that period.  By late 2010/early 2011, those kinks had been worked out and the output from Erlanger went significantly higher than what the Norwood plant was producing - the major exception being Bicycle Standards because it appears they dropped the quality control to a lower "Q" level to save money.

You can probably find out more about this (and lots of other things you might not have known about cards) in the "Fact or Fiction" topic at the top of the Playing Card Plethora.

[Don Boyer]

Firstly, yeah sorry, I wasn't aware of the "edit post" button... my bad.

And although I'm not new to cards, I AM fairly new to these forums, so I'll be sure to check out some of the past discussions on that topic... thanks for the brief summary though.

You mentioned liking the Dealing Deuces Arrco Tahoes - if I'm not mistaken, they're the same ones that Dan and Dave sold as well as a few others.  I got mine for significantly less than DD was charging and without the numbered foil wrapper.

He was starting to become a more active member here, until a mini-scandal developed.  We all knew his prices were a bit on the high side, but with all these foil-wrapped versions of these decks, we figured he was a good source for rarities.  That myth was blown apart when he started releasing Ace Fulton's Casino decks with not just a foil wrapping but also the Ace Fulton's logo on the foil.

D&D came forward and posted (I think on Twitter) that they never created a foil-wrapped version of their deck, least of all with the logo on the wrapper.  Put two and two together and people realized that those "premium" foil-wrapped decks were simply the standard goods with his additional wrapping to make an excuse for jacking up the price.  He left here so fast, he practically evaporated; haven't heard from him in months.

I just checked his site for the first time in months.  The Ace Fulton's decks are no longer listed and his forum link only produces an error message.  Perhaps he was hearing too many outraged customers?  Who knows.  It also looks like he hasn't posted any new merchandise for sale in some time.  He is still asking $2,000 for a pack of blue Golden Nuggets, though...  He states they're circa 1950s with a "blue tax stamp", which makes them so rare and valuable.  The one photo he shows of the deck doesn't even provide a view of the full tax stamp, making judging the legitimacy of his claim of value unconfirmable.

[Siegismyname]

For me it would be the White lions series "A" and the Smoke and Mirrors V7. Everyone of them. I have the black/silver acorn with ivory but havent played with them. so I cannot comment. I played with the cambric though. They were alright for a while but started to clump a little. They still feel very nice but dont fan well. They are awesome for aeriel packet moves though.

[Benjam]

Yes, this is a very, very late reply to your post... I'll answer it anyway though!
Yeah I was talking about the Dealing Deuces Arrco Tahoes. I've bought the cellophane wrapped ones (like you mentioned) fairly cheaply on ebay, and I've also bought some foil ones from D&D. Like yourself, I didn't exactly know they were the same deck, and the reason I bought both was just out of curiosity and a chance to compare the decks. I haven't opened any of the foil ones YET, but like you said, I realise now that they're the same cards. I do really like the foil idea, but it is definitely a bit of a rip off haha
And yes I've been on Dealing Deuces a few times recently (although I'd never ever ever buy anything from there because the shipping costs are far too high, especially for an international customer like myself... I tested going to the checkout to see how much it was, and it was about $30 for a single deck to Australia, if I remember correctly)... anyway, I DID see that $2000 Golden Nugget deck. I frankly think it's disgraceful that he would think someone would buy that, when there's only one photo actually showing the deck! You'd have to be an idiot to buy into that kind of uncertainty....

Firstly, yeah sorry, I wasn't aware of the "edit post" button... my bad.

And although I'm not new to cards, I AM fairly new to these forums, so I'll be sure to check out some of the past discussions on that topic... thanks for the brief summary though.

You mentioned liking the Dealing Deuces Arrco Tahoes - if I'm not mistaken, they're the same ones that Dan and Dave sold as well as a few others.  I got mine for significantly less than DD was charging and without the numbered foil wrapper.

He was starting to become a more active member here, until a mini-scandal developed.  We all knew his prices were a bit on the high side, but with all these foil-wrapped versions of these decks, we figured he was a good source for rarities.  That myth was blown apart when he started releasing Ace Fulton's Casino decks with not just a foil wrapping but also the Ace Fulton's logo on the foil.

D&D came forward and posted (I think on Twitter) that they never created a foil-wrapped version of their deck, least of all with the logo on the wrapper.  Put two and two together and people realized that those "premium" foil-wrapped decks were simply the standard goods with his additional wrapping to make an excuse for jacking up the price.  He left here so fast, he practically evaporated; haven't heard from him in months.

I just checked his site for the first time in months.  The Ace Fulton's decks are no longer listed and his forum link only produces an error message.  Perhaps he was hearing too many outraged customers?  Who knows.  It also looks like he hasn't posted any new merchandise for sale in some time.  He is still asking $2,000 for a pack of blue Golden Nuggets, though...  He states they're circa 1950s with a "blue tax stamp", which makes them so rare and valuable.  The one photo he shows of the deck doesn't even provide a view of the full tax stamp, making judging the legitimacy of his claim of value unconfirmable.