China Clays (2 Viewers)

[PokerGuy23]

How do you guys feel about CC Chips? Looking into to buying some for my first set

 

[Wils]

They're fine.

What you're doing right now is going onto an automobile forum and saying, "Are Fords any good? Looking to buy one for my first car."

You will get deluged with people telling you you need to buy a Lamborghini at an absolute minimum.

 

[Coyote]

Get samples of everything that's in your price range and judge (handle and smell) for yourself (some CCs tend to stink).
If you' re not sure about your price range, get samples of everything.
If a Lambo (see post above by @Wils) is within your reach, and you decide you WANT one (nobody NEEDS one, for sure), don't spend money on Fords.

 

[PokerGuy23]

Thanks for the advice @Coyote and @Wils

 

[detroitdad]

Samples are very important. CC's all feel and handle differently. Also their lifespan is shorter. It is possible that with routine use you will get flaking out of your chips after a few years (my experience anyways).

 

[Pokerdweebz]

I own Lambos and don't mind taking my Fords out for a spin (I take them to both the poker leagues I'm in). Of the 3 brands of CC I've owned, the new Dunes from Apache are far and away my favorite. Get samples for yourself though.

 

[PokerGuy23]

Just ordered me samples of CC Dunes and Horseshoe Clevelands from Apache thanks for the info

 

[Lemonzest]

Don't buy CC chips. I would buy casino chipcos or ceramic chips instead. Best option is save some money and buy paulsons. Just my 2c.

If you buy Paulsons it is basically renting. You can resell them later and get your money back more or less.

I really liked my Dunes CCs for about 1 or 2 months. Then I handled mint Paulsons and knew there was only 1 option. All the CC chips had to go. Maybe that's just me but I don't think it is.

 

[PokerGuy23]

@Lemonzest that's the plan...my problem is I like the Paulsons that are very rare

 

[allforcharity]

Don't buy CC chips. I would buy casino chipcos or ceramic chips instead. Best option is save some money and buy paulsons. Just my 2c.

If you buy Paulsons it is basically renting. You can resell them later and get your money back more or less.

I really liked my Dunes CCs for about 1 or 2 months. Then I handled mint Paulsons and knew there was only 1 option. All the CC chips had to go. Maybe that's just me but I don't think it is.

I must confess, I did the same thing. But I do also like good custom ceramics, and I have a good-size set of those.

 

[allforcharity]

P.S. Ain't nothing wrong with Fords. I have a Ford (ELECTRIC). It's fantastic!

 

[Lemonzest]

I must confess, I did the same thing. But I do also like good custom ceramics, and I have a good-size set of those.

I would still be interested in Hybrid ceramic chips and may partake in a group buy sometime in the future. However, I am confident I will never own another set of CC chips.

 

[Lemonzest]

@Lemonzest that's the plan...my problem is I like the Paulsons that are very rare

If you already have that inkling then do it right the first time around. Save some money and buy the chips you want (or something close). If you buy CC chips you will end up wasting money because you will never resell them for close to their brand new cost.

I suggest starting with a mixed set. This way you can buy and sell racks that tickle your fancy and your set can evolve over time. Maybe after 2-3 years you have a Paulson set that you love. Deals do come up from time to time you just have to be patient.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

If you buy Paulsons it is basically renting. You can resell them later and get your money back more or less.

True if you are buying/selling within the same country, and is especially true in the US due to market share. If you are not in the US, exchange rates, currency conversion fees, shipping, duties, sales taxes, and other fees significantly change that equation.

 

[PokerGuy23]

Patients.....UGH..!

 

[PlaidDragon]

How do you guys feel about CC Chips? Looking into to buying some for my first set

For their price range, 30¢ to 45¢, they're a good option. They take oil, unlike cheaper plastic or more expensive ceramic, which can give them a nice appearance.

The primary issue that many have is lack of consistency in color between production runs as well as thickness issues. For example, when I had Milanos as my primary set, a barrel of $100s would be very slightly taller than any of my other denoms.... maybe as much as a millimeter.

Still, CC's are very affordable and will serve you well.

 

[MrCatPants]

Make sure you smell them. The samples I've had for almost a year STILL smell awful.

 

[Coyote]

What @CdnBeerLover said.
On top of that, if you suffer from OCD and attempt to build a set little by little, at the whims of luck, you 're gonna have mental health issues.
Other than Paulson, real clay can be obtained off-the-shelf by CPC. They offer some standard sets in addition to custom ones.

 

[Beakertwang]

I just bought some spirit mold CC's cheap (just over 10¢/chip on average) from chipsandgames.com. I'm going to get some custom micro-stakes labels done for them.

Right off the bat, they're so much nicer in feel and sound than my Showdowns. The gray solids are much easier to snap than I'd like, but other than that, they feel great, and overall they're nice. I've never driven a Lamborghini, so for now a Ford is fine.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

For their price range, 30¢ to 45¢, they're a good option. They take oil, unlike cheaper plastic or more expensive ceramic, which can give them a nice appearance.

The primary issue that many have is lack of consistency in color between production runs as well as thickness issues. For example, when I had Milanos as my primary set, a barrel of $100s would be very slightly taller than any of my other denoms.... maybe as much as a millimeter.

Still, CC's are very affordable and will serve you well.

Yeah, thickness issues are a problem. Here are my PGI great walls in stacks of 20. I have no idea when the blacks were purchased compared to the greens (bought them used), but the greys were a relatively recent add-on.

Edit: Another pic of 20-chip stacks of some other chips in the set...green, grey, black, purple. Red is missing, but they are the same as the green.

 

[Beakertwang]

Also, I should comment about quality control on my spirit molds. I bought some labeled, some blanks. The labeled chips were slightly taller, but only due to off-center labels. Once I removed the labels, they were pretty consistent in height.

I had 3 different colors of blue chips. 1 chip is completely off. The rest are split between two slightly different variations.

There are stray flecks of color on some of the chips.

And as I mentioned before, the gray solids are brittle, easily snapped in my fingers. I may use my whites for nickels instead. Not sure about that yet.

Spirit Mold CC micro-stakes set

• Beakertwang
• Jun 21, 2018
• 6

 

[BGinGA]

Lambo vs Ford. Both will get you to work. The Lambo feels nicer and will turn heads, but at a cost.

Macallan vs Clan MacGregor. Both will get you drunk. The Macallan tastes better and won't make you gag, but at a cost.

Paulson vs China Clays. Both will work fine in your poker game. The Paulsons play better, look better, sound better, and hold their value better, but at a cost.

Get samples.

 

[Japanese lily]

CC chips have smaller clay area, larger sealed(I don't know what to say in English) area than other chips.

 

[trigs]

Here's a good youtube channel by Hobbyphilic - he reviews all different kinds of chips to give you an idea of what they are like:

https://www.youtube.com/user/Hobbyphilic

It's a good introduction for those new to chip buying.

 

[upNdown]

My thoughts are that China Clays are a compromise, but one that I’m not sure I’d make. If I wanted quality, I’d spring for Paulsons. If I wanted inexpensive chips, I’d look to cheaper plastic solutions. And if I really wanted something in the middle, I’d probably look to used ceramics, which would probably still be cheaper than new china clays.
But like everybody else says, get samples, and play around with them for a while, to get a good feel for what you like and what you don’t. Springing for a variety of samples is a tough pill to swallow if you’re looking to save money. But it’s crucial if you want to be happy with your purchase.

 

[Lemonzest]

I still like dice chips for what they are. I would sooner pay 40.00 at Walmart and get a 500 pc cash set. Use that set for however long it takes you to save up for Paulsons or Ceramic Hybrids. IMO CC chips are not a good buy strictly in terms of value. I think they are kind of a waste of money. If you are going to spend 200-300 then just save for a while and spend 800-900.

Dice chips are still a good buy in terms of value. You can get a poker game started for next to nothing. It is not a bad idea to start with cheap equipment and see if you can actually sustain a regular game. Many times the idea of hosting a game is exciting but for one reason or another it doesn't pan out. You don't want to get stuck with 1-2k in gear and no players.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Whatever you buy, there is a good chance you will buy more. At least the CCs cost less.

I have semi-custom CPS China clays. I also have minty Paulsons. I also have full custom CPC. I also have Custom ceramics.

This weekend, I'm putting the CCs into play. They are still nice chips, and unlike the Lambo/Ford discussion, many players will not notice the difference between CC chips and Paulsons.

 

[Jonesey07]

Whatever you buy, there is a good chance you will buy more. At least the CCs cost less.

I have semi-custom CPS China clays. I also have minty Paulsons. I also have full custom CPC. I also have Custom ceramics.

This weekend, I'm putting the CCs into play. They are still nice chips, and unlike the Lambo/Ford discussion, many players will not notice the difference between CC chips and Paulsons.

Sucks I'll be missing out!

 

[chipjoker]

Look, almost 90% of the stories around here are this:

I started with Dice chips, I bought CC, then I bought enough roulettes to have a game with, then I got a great deal on Paulson used casino chips, then I started getting MINT paulson cosino chips I have always wanted, then for some of us (like Me) I bout customs, Oh BTW I then bought two more sets of paulson minty chips, then a group buy happend and I got a tournament set....


Soooooo, no matter what you do right now, there will be MORE. Thats our story and we are sticking to it..

May your wallet be empty and your CHIP racks be full...

 

[upNdown]

many players will not notice the difference between CC chips and Paulsons.

So true. I remember when I got my first samples, and showed some mint Paulsons, Milano CC's, and a couple different sets of ceramics to my poker buddy. He liked the Milanos best. I'm not sure if I was more frustrated that he'd chosen the "wrong" chips, or that I didn't honestly have a preference between the Milanos and the Paulsons myself.
Now I can tell the differences with my eyes closed and I've come to prefer the Paulsons significantly. But it's almost like an acquired taste that most people don't have and don't care about.