Merry Meet all,
A quick question. How long will a tarot deck last. My first one, lasted a little over a year, when the card stock started coming apart. I bought a plastic deck this time. However, I am interested in other decks and am curious, do I keep them for the differences as a work of art, or how long will I be able to use them before they start to come apart also. Does anyone have an answer for me please? Thank-you forum participants.
Merry Part, Lady Gene
I think it depends on how you shuffle them. If you do a bridge every time you shuffle, they wonât last as long, just like regular playing cards. Iâm assuming you use the same deck every day: having multiple decks and switching out regularly may help each deck last longer. But, yeah, favorite decks tend to take a beating.
As for different types of decks, we have quite a few collectors in the forum. If you like the artwork and can afford the price and storage space, have fun!
I have 7 decks right now. I use each deck for different things. When I get a new deck I always do an introduction and interview the deck to see what kind of readings it prefers to work with me on. I have one deck that is only used for doing readings for other people, one I only use for spell casting , one thatâs used for love readings and the rest I switch out monthly for doing my daily readings. I also have a deck that has been handed down through the generations that I am the third generation to use.
Like @georgia said, it depends on how you shuffle them really. I never shuffle them like normal playing cards. I put them on the table face down and shuffle them around and then just hold them in one hand and use the other handle to shuffle from back of deck to middle and front. That is how the witches in my line have always done it.
Thatâs a good question! Iâm echoing what Georgia and Mystique said about shuffling - thatâs a big factor in how long the cards last. Another big factor is the deck itself, both the quality and its other features.
Putting them together, Iâve found that the size of the deck affects how I shuffle it. I have a few decks where the cards are almost too big for my hands, so I tend to shuffle them loosely or lay them down to sort them around. Meanwhile, the smaller playing-card size decks that are easy to handle get shuffled a bit more roughly and are more easily bent.
I imagine your new plastic deck will be nice and sturdy - it should last you a while! Enjoy your cards, Lady Gene, and happy readings 
Merry Meet Ladies,
Thank-you for your insights. I am a 3rd generation dealer from here in Vegas, so I am not hard on the cards, I do not bridge them âcause I know that wears them down sooner. The cards are too large, so maybe that is why they are starting to fray. I think Mystique mentioned is what we refer to here in the casino industry as âwashingâ the deck. Face down and swirling shuffle. I have done that sometimes, but I guess that should be standard, and the card hand passing to shuffle. Thank-you ladies for the tips. I like the idea of different decks for different reasons. I do have a mini deck that I carry in my purse, love it. But, gotta be careful with them, because they are paperboard, not plastic.
Have a great week ladies!!!
Merry Part, Lady Gene
A post was merged into an existing topic: Fatigue & spells
(Catching up with previous replies. Iâll keep what I have in but itâs clear you know your shuffling 
)
I have a deck that I bought in 1993 that Iâve used quite a bit and is still in great shape.
I think that the quality of the cardstock has the most to do with the longevity. Cheaper decks often use thinner and less resilient cardstock to keep prices down. Lesser cardstock is much more prone to damage from shuffling. Quality cardstock does drive up the cost of the deck.
As to how you shuffle, there are many options. Riffle, especially with a bridge finish, bends the cards quite a bit. Overhand shuffle is less stressful on the overall card but can damage the edges (color or metallic gilting can chip off). Pile shuffling and scatter shuffle are probably the most kind to cards, but are more labor and time-intensive on the reader.
I riffle shuffle most of my decks being a bit gentler with more delicate decks. I also overhand shuffle between riffles.
All that being said, of the 30-odd decks (tarot, oracle, lenormand, kipper, hanafuda) that I have, none are falling apart. It sounds like perhaps there was a manufacturerâs issue with the deck you had. It really shouldnât have fallen apart in a year.
Merry Meet Artemisia,
Thank-you for letting me know, and I am so surprised because it is my âregularâ Rider-Waite deck. I figured the stock would be better. Well maybe I am better with NOT shuffling (I tend to have a âheavy-handâ). Maybe just the table âwashingâ and the overhand shuffle will be my âbest betsââŚ
ha, ha, had to throw the funny in, since Iâm from Vegas.
Merry WeekâŚ..Lady Gene
I think itâs going to depend on the cards themselves and how you shuffle. I still have the first deck I ever received about 15 years ago and itâs holding up fairly well. The cardstock isnât fraying and the only noticeable issue (if you can even call it that lol) is that the edges of the cards are getting a bit dirty. However, I donât have the original box or a pouch to put it in. It just hangs out on my desk.
Then I have other decks, such as the Traditional Manga Tarot and the Shadowscapes Tarot, that I have had for less time than the Hanson-Roberts and the cardstock is starting to fray at the edges. These decks are still about 8-10 years old, so the wear on them isnât too bad. The cardstock for these decks is much thinner than the Hanson-Roberts, so Iâm not surprised that the cards are wearing down differently.
Merry Meet Megan,
Some nice cards and almost no wear and tear, Iâm impressed. I think I will use different decks as Mystic does and follow the overhand and âwashâ shuffles.
Merry Part, and wonderful cardsâ-Lady Gene 
I use this method with my cards but I didnât know the official term - Iâve learned something new today! Thank you, Lady Gene 
Thank you and same to you - have a blessed week! 
This post has a big caveat - I quit using decks of cards and digitized the ones I like. Not for everyone. Meanwhile:
I have big hands so shuffling the sometimes larger Tarot decks is easy enough. I do riffle shuffles at times but prefer the overhand. None of the decks I have are wearing (especially not now) but I try to be nice and only lay them on soft surfaces.
In another life we destroyed decks regularly playing poker or bridge because we were playing on terrible surfaces (concrete, grass, rough metal, etc) - a deck would only last a couple of sessions⌠including the more expensive plastic ones.
Having said that, using plastic or high quality card stock should make the deck last a long time. However, If I used the same deck each day, I would expect to see wear after a year⌠probably less. Also, and unfortunately, the higher quality papers are not always available for the decks I like. Probably, the only solution for that is to by extra decks in my favorite style.
Having said that (wait⌠I already said that), Megan and Artemisia would be my guides. Meganâs 15 yr old deck is something my fat hands could never achieve.
