Kems Out of Stock (2 Viewers)

[Chippy18]

Careful about Copags.

A significant majority of the Copag cards available commercially are manufactured in Brazil and not in Belgium. There are certain Copags made in Belgium but they're only available on eBay or European poker supply shops that'll ship to the US but not cheaply.

The Belgian Copag PVC stock is much nicer feeling than the smelly Brazilian stock.

That is exactly why I've included the link to a Dutch store where I bought them.

The package states clearly "made in europe" (Belgium that is by further search)

 

[Chippy18]

Let me add to that Im Dutch myself, hence the easy access to the options and info.

 

[edwardstarcraft]

To my knowledge there are only two current sources for cellulose acetate cards. Kem and Angel. Guild claims they are acetate but they don't say "Cellulose" acetate and guys claim they handle and smell more like PVC then cellulose acetate.

Here's where you can get Angel cards. The cards are cheap but shipping is expensive so buy in bulk. Angel's are about the best playing card made but they don't distribute outside of Japan. However it's easy to buy from Amazon Japan.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/SPNN633P-Plastic-Playing-Pattern-Millionaire/dp/B07G7QTDFR/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3AXRVQTBVBIW1&keywords=plastic+playing+cards&qid=1692726849&sprefix=plastic+playing+cards,aps,63&sr=8-9

I tried ordering these Angel cards and got them today (shipping was super fast from Japan!)

They're nice cards and I like the clarity of the print & font but I'm sad to report that they're definitely PVC, not cellulose acetate. You can tell because the PVC stretches & deforms instead of tearing. It's also very springy and sharp which feels like a Copag and not a Kem.

 

[BGinGA]

I tried ordering these Angel cards and got them today (shipping was super fast from Japan!)

They're nice cards and I like the clarity of the print & font but I'm sad to report that they're definitely PVC, not cellulose acetate. You can tell because the PVC stretches & deforms instead of tearing. It's also very springy and sharp which feels like a Copag and not a Kem.

View attachment 1187332

Please provide video references of a PVC card "stretching" and an acetate card "tearing".

I've never seen either.

 

[edwardstarcraft]

Please provide video references of a PVC card "stretching" and an acetate card "tearing".

I've never seen either.

Whenever I retire a bad Kem card I tear it in half to make sure it can't be put into play again. I have never been able to do this with a Copag or other PVC card.

I tried to tear the Angel marketing card and instead it stretched along where I was trying to tear it. Here's a sideways profile.



I don't have an extra Kem or Copag marketing card to tear otherwise I'd demonstrate for you. Otherwise I'll just google it for you:

 

[Azanulbizar]

Does anyone know if there are Belgium manufactured bridge size Copags available? I've only ever seen poker size on the different sites/eBay? Jumbo index would be ideal, but standard would work as well.

 

[davefr]

Whenever I retire a bad Kem card I tear it in half to make sure it can't be put into play again. I have never been able to do this with a Copag or other PVC card.

I tried to tear the Angel marketing card and instead it stretched along where I was trying to tear it. Here's a sideways profile.

View attachment 1187364

I don't have an extra Kem or Copag marketing card to tear otherwise I'd demonstrate for you. Otherwise I'll just google it for you:

View attachment 1187365

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That's interesting. If Angels are PVC, they smell and handle more like KEM than any other card I've played with and very unique from my other PVC cards. I could not find any mention on Angel's website other than they use the same card stock for their casino and consumer plastic cards. That would leave KEM and Modiano/Guild as the only acetate cards left. Modiano Platinums handle more like PVC than acetate IMHO.

 

[edwardstarcraft]

That's interesting. If Angels are PVC, they smell and handle more like KEM than any other card I've played with and very unique from my other PVC cards. I could not find any mention on Angel's website other than they use the same card stock for their casino and consumer plastic cards. That would leave KEM and Modiano/Guild as the only acetate cards left. Modiano Platinums handle more like PVC than acetate IMHO.

They definitely don’t feel or smell like Kems for me. Perhaps they changed their cardstock at some point of time?

 

[davefr]

They definitely don’t feel or smell like Kems for me. Perhaps they changed their cardstock at some point of time?

That's possible. Of all my plastic cards, the Angels are the closest to KEMs in feel, handling, smell, etc. Did Angel ever produce acetate cards or have they always been PVC? I wonder if their PVC card stock was meant to mimic Kem's acetate. I know card manufacturers change card stock thru the years.

 

[Machine]

That's possible. Of all my plastic cards, the Angels are the closest to KEMs in feel, handling, smell, etc. Did Angel ever produce acetate cards or have they always been PVC? I wonder if their PVC card stock was meant to mimic Kem's acetate. I know card manufacturers change card stock thru the years.

Angel has both acetate and PVC cards. The Club cards are acetate and the Aristos are PVC. I’m not sure they make a poker size acetate card