Ok, I decided to check my PGI Yaks (non-custom and custom), GOCC Aviator Club, Casino Aztar (Chipco), and Seaside and Card Wars chips (Sunfly). I'll check the ABC chips I have later and append to the post.
My thoughts
- The GOCC have the least texture. However, they feel more substantial than the Sunfly's, and I think the overall feel is excellent.
- ABCGiftsAndAwards have slightly more texture than GOCC. They feel more substantial than the Sunfly's, which I think is due to the squareness of the edge. Other chips have a slightly rounded edge, and and easier to shuffle than these. Art is excellent.
- The Sunfly's have more texture than the GOCC chips. However, they also feel slightly thinner, lighter, or both. I don't have an accurate scale, but I do have a micrometer, so I'll do some measurements.
- The PGI / Chipco Yak non-customs have more texture than the Sunfly chips, but otherwise feel like the GOCC's.
- The Chipco chips and the custom Yaks feel identical, have more texture than the non-custom Yaks, and are a bit thicker in 20-chip stacks.
One additional note: I have a small stack of custom Yaks (5x25c and 5x$1) that I shuffle almost daily in my home office. They feel slightly smoother than the GOCC's, which are not shuffled as much (I do shuffle them quite a bit, though...). So the texture on the PGI custom Yaks does become smoother over time.
Overall: the PGI/Chipco / GOCC chips are my preferred ceramic chips, just because I prefer the feel (size/weight). While the difference between those chips with respect to texture is noticable at first, I think they approach each other over time. I also think the printing looks better on those chips than on the Sunfly's I have.
Note that none of the above is meant to reflect badly on any of the vendors involved. All of my transactions have been top notch, and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a set from any of them.
- - - - - - - - - Updated - - - - - - - - -
i also got samples from CPC of their 39mm and 43mm ceramics as well as their 39mm hybrid chip. all very good quality imo.
i have a long-planned ceramic project to get off my ass and make some decisions on. once i have a final design, i'll be sending off to all the aforementioned (CPC, PGI, ABC, old west, GOCC) for printed samples and i'll start a new thread for the comparison when i get them all back.
the thing that turns me off from non-chipco-style blanks is the glossy rolling edge. it just looks wrong to me to have a matte finish chip face and a glossy edge.
Looking forward to this.