(Tina) Cards Mold Durability Question(s) For Those Who Use Yours a Lot (1 Viewer)

[Moxie Mike]

I have a friend opening a new card room and they're considering custom chips from Tina. I'm hoping for some feedback from those who not only own some of Tina's chips, but also use them a lot.

Of note, they will run tournaments and cash games and these chips will see a LOT of use 4-5 nights per week at least.

Question 1: Overall durability - has anyone had experience with a lot of these chips breaking or chipping easily? Or have they held up pretty well?

Question 2: How has the printing held up over a period of usage?

Question 3: Can they be cleaned in a ultrasonic? If so, what does that do to the finish?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JMC9389]

@Ben8257

 

[mattross1313]

Can't comment on durability as mine have only hit the felt a few times (and I realise this is your question).

My main concern with your friends business using Tina chips is they don't care about your artwork. However unlikely it might be, someone attending this room could realise where the chips come from, go order their own, then cash them in / sneak them onto the table. I'd want my business as secure as I can get it.

 

[LeLe]

Question 1: Overall durability - has anyone had experience with a lot of these chips breaking or chipping easily? Or have they held up pretty well?

Question 2: How has the printing held up over a period of usage?

Question 3: Can they be cleaned in a ultrasonic? If so, what does that do to the finish?

Q1 - They will have chips sometime if you drop them on hard surface from above waist height

Q2 - The Printing do held up at the moment and we got about 30 sessions out of it

Q3 - I never tried them in U/S, but washing them in a bucket of soap water and wiping them after are sufficient to clean them up

One time to note is they get slippery over time after some usage, our theory is the nature oil from our hand cause some of the slipperiness, washing them with soap and cleaning them does help to reduce some of the slipperiness but do not remove them all

 

[Colquhoun]

One time to note is they get slippery over time after some usage, our theory is the nature oil from our hand cause some of the slipperiness, washing them with soap and cleaning them does help to reduce some of the slipperiness but do not remove them all

The texture on cards molds (and any other smooth ceramic chip) is made from tons of tiny little bumps on the surface. I've noticed that the cards mold under a microscope shows the bumps aren't quite as pronounced as other ceramics like those from BRProPoker or Chipco. It could also be that over time, that texture can wear down a bit and make them slipperier.

While the price of Tina's chips are what make them so attractive, as @mattross1313 mentions, security issues remain. You would be guaranteed to not have the same issue with BRProPoker chips, but they would be more expensive. I'd say its worth the upgrade, when you also consider that the BRPro chips are likely to last longer as well.

 

[Darson]

A card room will see an exponentially higher usage of chips than any home game. As ceramics typically wear from the faces rubbing you want your ceramics to be slightly concave - this eliminates spinners and helps them stack well but also will mean they wear at the edges of the chip which is desirable as name/value are in the middle. Have a look here for an example of typical ceramic wear: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...disson-chips-end-of-the-decade-special.30043/

I have heard anecdotally that the propensity for creating spinners is a function of the printing process. If the printer is not competent they can create spinners, perhaps by the amount of time the chip is subject to heat during the die sublimation process. For this reason you want to go with a manufacturer that can guarantee quality.

Every single BRPro ceramic I've bought have a very measurable concavity - quite a large difference; 3.036mm at the edge and 3.005mm in the middle. Stack like bricks and never a spinner. There is a reason why these guys are the preferred ceramic vendor.

The first 39mm (actually ~39.33mm) Tina cards mold chips that came out were definitely good enough quality; for example 3.028 and 3.010. However my most recent 39mm cards mold chips are not reliably so; 3.029 and 3.0295 - these are very close to being spinners. At the moment, it looks like the most recent Tina 43mm cards mold are OK (3.024 & 3.015).

I have bought chips in 5 cards mold group buys (4x 39mm and 1x 43mm) and only the most recent 39mm is sub par. Interestingly the most recent 39mm are actually 39.00mm

Edit: And if you want a stonking deal on a Mitutoyo metric micrometer: 0-25mm currently $40.49 on Amazon

 

[Moxie Mike]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Durability is the primary concern. I've been playing in this cardroom for years - the patrons aren't really the type to go to the trouble to have duplicates manufactured. Plus, the entire inventory is accounted for every single night (this is a charity room in the State of Michigan... they're very tight on regulations. So if extra inventory showed up, they'd know right away.

 

[Colquhoun]

If extra chips show up at the end of the night, its too late...someone cashed out a duplicate.
And if that happens, all the chips are now compromised. Buying another set.
The real reason for customs is security. I that's not an issue ( I would argue it could always be an issue where cash money is involved), then generic chips would be less expensive.

 

[krafticus]

@Ben8257

 

[allforcharity]

If they are going to get that much use, I'd spring for the hybrid ceramic option.

They should clean up fine in the ultrasonic. I've had no problems with the (admittedly few) ceramics I've done.

 

[Moxie Mike]

If extra chips show up at the end of the night, its too late...someone cashed out a duplicate.
And if that happens, all the chips are now compromised. Buying another set.
The real reason for customs is security. I that's not an issue ( I would argue it could always be an issue where cash money is involved), then generic chips would be less expensive.

There are some charity rooms around here who use chips that can be bought on eBay for .10-.20 apiece... they mark them with a UV pen which probably offers a decent level of security but it's not something I'd advocate for.

They also sort of mitigate the issue by not using denoms over $5, even for $2-5 cash games.

They should clean up fine in the ultrasonic. I've had no problems with the (admittedly few) ceramics I've done.

I'm more concerned with the finish dulling in the ultrasonic like clay chips tend to. But if you think it'd be alright I'll probably go with it.

 

[ktran]

Has anyone have experience with Tina no mold textured chips? They seem to be the same as older chips such as SlowPlay and Scroll chips.

I'm trying to figure out if they get more slick over time. Also some possible color wear.

 

[Colquhoun]

Has anyone have experience with Tina no mold textured chips? They seem to be the same as older chips such as SlowPlay and Scroll chips.

I'm trying to figure out if they get more slick over time. Also some possible color wear.

I'm not positive, but I think the Scrub Donkeys were Tina? @BonScot please help clarify.
I have scrub donkey samples, and they are textured, with a nice edge as well. Maybe others can chime in how they wear.

We will have more samples once the next group buy arrives, lots of no-mold textured ones in that bunch.

 

[BonScot]

I'm not positive, but I think the Scrub Donkeys were Tina? @BonScot please help clarify.
I have scrub donkey samples, and they are textured, with a nice edge as well. Maybe others can chime in how they wear.

We will have more samples once the next group buy arrives, lots of no-mold textured ones in that bunch.

I’m sure they were. I didn’t order them. I only drew the pictures. @moechar is the man responsible…

 

[khaltire]

Why not use the official state run card room to order a real set of chips with GPI? A primary set, and a secondary set (and maybe more lol). Controversial statement I know

 

[CdnBeerLover]

Has anyone have experience with Tina no mold textured chips? They seem to be the same as older chips such as SlowPlay and Scroll chips.

I'm trying to figure out if they get more slick over time. Also some possible color wear.

I've only used mine twice so far, but I haven't had issues. In feel, they are pretty close to many of the Chipcos I have. I would expect them to get more slick over time as they get shuffled.

My Scrub Donkey samples did get slick over time, but I also shuffled them daily absent-mindedly at my desk for about a year. Only time will tell, though.

 

[Kid_Eastwood]

@Ben8257 and @SeanGecko are probably best placed to speak about durability.

I've ordered also at Tina and had 2 major issues :
- There were spinners. At least one per barrel.
- My art was made available on their website for other customers.

A minor issue but acceptable giving the price : edge alignment sometimes bad (several chips per barrel).

Another option if you like debossed ceramics are @SUN-FLY Poker Chips . They offer cards, diamonds and pattern molds. They provide casinos in Asia and they even provided tournament chips (hybrids, not debossed ceramics) for the ACF.

@BELGRADE can comment on durability of @SUN-FLY Poker Chips chips. He's using these intensively (again hybrids, not debossed ceramics).

Myself I sold my Tina's chips before putting them in play and got them remade by SF.

Another advantage with SF is that your addons will be exactly like the original order. Even years later.

One of the guys who participated in the Tina's group buy I was in sold his chips too. The person who bought them was unhappy because 2 chips got broken fairly quickly (don't know the circumstances) and because of color transfer that happed very quickly. He also resold them.

I hope this helps you and your friend making an educated decision before getting the input from @SeanGecko , @Ben8257 and @BELGRADE .

 

[ktran]

@Ben8257 and @SeanGecko are probably best placed to speak about durability.

I've ordered also at Tina and had 2 major issues :
- There were spinners. At least one per barrel.
- My art was made available on their website for other customers.

A minor issue but acceptable giving the price : edge alignment sometimes bad (several chips per barrel).

Another option if you like debossed ceramics are @SUN-FLY Poker Chips . They offer cards, diamonds and pattern molds. They provide casinos in Asia and they even provided tournament chips (hybrids, not debossed ceramics) for the ACF.

@BELGRADE can comment on durability of @SUN-FLY Poker Chips chips. He's using these intensively (again hybrids, not debossed ceramics).

Myself I sold my Tina's chips before putting them in play and got them remade by SF.

Another advantage with SF is that your addons will be exactly like the original order. Even years later.

One of the guys who participated in the Tina's group buy I was in sold his chips too. The person who bought them was unhappy because 2 chips got broken fairly quickly (don't know the circumstances) and because of color transfer that happed very quickly. He also resold them.

I hope this helps you and your friend making an educated decision before getting the input from @SeanGecko , @Ben8257 and @BELGRADE .

Yes I'm aware of the qualities you mentioned. I was just referring to textured no-mold friction durability.

I'm sure SF is nice, but for what they are and the price it brings them into another category of chips I rather get. I rather just buy several more Tina chips to make up for the defects.

As for breakage, it would take a lot of force and I have never heard of color transfer.

 

[KingZilla]

Along the lines of the OP, has anyone noticed the image wearing down on the chips? I'm thinking about well used Chipco casino chips I've seen on which the images fade from wearing off due to use. Anyone have experience with image durability on Tinas?