Kem durability (27 Viewers)

Do a search. Tons of threads on this. Kems are hands down the best feeling cards made IMO. I bought dozens of setup from every brand looking for something that feels close and there is nothing in their league.

Here’s the thing….you need to store them upside down with a cut card and …better yet…a cut card and small dealer button on top. Keep them out of humidity. They are acetate cards and ALL acetate cards have this issues. It’s just Kem are the most common by far.

There is a reason nearly every casino in America uses them and has for decades. They feel amazing a resist creasing and marking … but they require some storage techniques. I personally think they are more than worth the effort.

If you don’t want to do all that don’t buy them. I would recommend Cartimundi CCPs which. An be found pretty cheap on Amazon. Best value in cards.
Thanks for the storage tips! Turning mine over now
 
Unsure of why, but their texture has done that for me before. Some design flaw. It feels like cracking, like sea ice pattern. Still usable but I found them unpleasant.
That is caused by high temperature. you left the cards in the car in the summer. That defect can not be fixed
 
A shame to hear about the quality concerns. I have an early USPC era setup that has held up very well - no bending/warping and no deterioration. I don't need a deck to last two decades but having problems fresh out of the packaging would be pretty rough.
 
New York Yankees Thumbs Down GIF by MLB
 
A shame to hear about the quality concerns. I have an early USPC era setup that has held up very well - no bending/warping and no deterioration. I don't need a deck to last two decades but having problems fresh out of the packaging would be pretty rough.
this phenomenon of "cracked ice surface" due to high temperature is known to affect both old and new decks of KEM
 
this phenomenon of "cracked ice surface" due to high temperature is known to affect both old and new decks of KEM
Older guitars also suffer from "cracked ice surface" when they're finished with nitro cellulose. The fact that cellulose acetate cards have similar properties when they age and are exposed to temperature changes is quite interesting.
nitro.jpg
 
Older guitars also suffer from "cracked ice surface" when they're finished with nitro cellulose. The fact that cellulose acetate cards have similar properties when they age and are exposed to temperature changes is quite interesting.
View attachment 1443541
Did not know about guitars.


Thing is people concentrate on the acetate as material that makes KEM great cards but ignore or maybe not familiar about the printing process that makes them so singular.
Ok, they bow but do not lose ink ... In that capacity they are top runner amongs other cards. This is because after card is printed it is coated with microgranules of similiar material.
The closest to replicate KEMs characteristics is Fourniers. Every Fournier (ok, not every but premium plastic ) is in fact 3 layers of material. Middle one is printed with ink that 2 outer layers are being applied to prevent losing ink.

General advice....
Do not bitch about KEMs but jus look for the best deal per dolar spent. "(not talking about @Colquhoun in aby regard)"
 
Did not know about guitars.


Thing is people concentrate on the acetate as material that makes KEM great cards but ignore or maybe not familiar about the printing process that makes them so singular.
Ok, they bow but do not lose ink ... In that capacity they are top runner amongs other cards. This is because after card is printed it is coated with microgranules of similiar material.
The closest to replicate KEMs characteristics is Fourniers. Every Fournier (ok, not every but premium plastic ) is in fact 3 layers of material. Middle one is printed with ink that 2 outer layers are being applied to prevent losing ink.

General advice....
Do not bitch about KEMs but jus look for the best deal per dolar spent. "(not talking about @Colquhoun in aby regard)"
I have a small question about KEM cards. I have read a lot about them, that they hold up well. For example, on all the plastic cards that I have had, white dots appear over time. They do not affect the readability of the cards in any way, and for example, these Modiano cards show more wear on the front side, but this is not observed on the back. (In order to get good photos of what I am talking about, I had to tinker with the camera settings). Perhaps the manufacturer applies some kind of varnish to one side?
IMG_20250107_074151.jpg
IMG_20250107_074210.jpg
IMG_20250107_074224.jpg
IMG_20250107_074253.jpg

For example, Fournier wears out evenly on both sides. But, I have never seen this here on the forum with KEM cards. Am I just not seeing it or do they wear out differently?
Can someone take some good photos?
 
this phenomenon of "cracked ice surface" due to high temperature is known to affect both old and new decks of KEM
Good to know. Not much in the way of high temperature in England so I guess I've avoided it!

I will probably pick up a new KEM setup anyway and see how it goes. Can't beat the arrow design.
 
Good to know. Not much in the way of high temperature in England so I guess I've avoided it!

I will probably pick up a new KEM setup anyway and see how it goes. Can't beat the arrow design.
....started playing after watching Rounders?
 
....started playing after watching Rounders?
Tough to say going back that far but it probably at least influenced the card choice! I seem to remember back then in discussions of Copag vs KEM that the latter was generally thought to be the better product. No idea if that is still the case all these years later.
 
The white dots are where the high points in the surface texture have worn down the ink printed on the card. It's on the backs as well, but it's much harder to see as the backs are usually patterned where the pips on the faces are not.
I understand that. But the question is, do the same white dots appear on KEM cards?
 

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