Mixing leaded and unleaded TRKs (1 Viewer)

[Benjaminotaur]

Hey all!

At the risk of flushing any goodwill I’ve earned, what are peoples thoughts on mixing leaded and unleaded TRKs in the same set? Specifically with solids. There are a ton of monograms out there, and getting a lineup of the right denoms in the right quantities without doubling up colors seems like less fun than removing paper labels with only your tongue.

How noticeable is it for those that have had both on the table at once? Did you try to fix it over time? Did it tilt you badly enough to abandon the set/project? Am I walking into a trap right now?? Has someone already reported me for abusive language???

Secondary question: Do you feel differently about it if each denom is either leaded or unleaded?

(Please don’t report me. I like it here)

 

[AlbinoDragon]

While I have not compared leaded vs. unleaded TRK's, my guess is the argument is similar to that of weighted vs. unweighted CPCs. Some people don't want to mix the two while others (myself included) freely mix and match to make a set "work".

For CPCs, I've never noticed the difference between the feel of the two.

My guess is you players won't know the difference and probably won't care. You might notice because you are tuned into the difference, but blindfolded you might not know the difference yourself.

Personally, I say mix and match to get the set that makes you happy.

 

[calfdemon]

I have a couple mixed TRK sets that have both leaded and unleaded chips in them. My $1 chips (Kings Castle) in one of the sets is significantly heavier than the fracs and fives and my players notice. But the set looks nice and it plays fine, so I don't worry about it.

 

[btbmason]

I was going through a similar internal struggle with a Pauslon set that I’m working on expanding.

I settled on the fact that it’s my set, and if that’s what makes it work for me then that’s what is most important. I have a pretty small budget compared to a lot of the sets that are built around here, everyone has to make different decisions tailored to their individual situations.

Even if the same chips are all leaded or all unleaded, you’ll still experience some variance in weight. Just make whatever set makes you the most happy.

Plus you can always change it up later on if it ends up bothering you and/or your players that much. Most non-chippers won’t notice or care.

 

[Benjaminotaur]

My guess is you players won't know the difference and probably won't care. You might notice because you are tuned into the difference, but blindfolded you might not know the difference yourself.

Personally, I say mix and match to get the set that makes you happy.

To be honest, I’m not even sure some of them notice when I change chip sets from game to game

But the set looks nice and it plays fine, so I don't worry about it.

The aesthetics of it are what I’m most focused on, at least for now. I’ve never handled leaked TRKs, so I’m half waiting to change my mind once I get some in my hands

I settled on the fact that it’s my set, and if that’s what makes it work for me then that’s what is most important.

Even if the same chips are all leaded or all unleaded, you’ll still experience some variance in weight. Just make whatever set makes you the most happy.

Plus you can always change it up later on if it ends up bothering you and/or your players that much. Most non-chippers won’t notice or care.

You make some good points. Even from denom to denom in my currently all unleaded set, there’s a lot of variability between colors.

Part of my concern is if/when I decide to move on, am I going to wind up holding the bag because other people are hesitant to mix the two variants?

 

[DirtyTIVA]

Leaded TRK are great. Unleaded TRK can be so light they feel like plastic. I think if the weight difference isn’t that noticeable you should be able to mix them. It would take a major snob to notice. If there’s a huge difference in weight (12g one denom vs 8g another) it would be at minimum noticeable and likely off putting to even non chippers.

 

[MatB]

I had a TRK set that I liked a lot. Even spent some time tracking down a decent rack of chips to make my frac

I liked the set a lot but didn’t love the height difference across the chips. It tilted me
I think the weight difference was noticeable but not a deal breaker. The height difference was the deal breaker

 

[Darson]

There’s a big weight difference between TRKs, leaded or not.

 

[upNdown]

Very little TRK experience, but lots of experience with Paulson, leaded and unleaded. I remember playing a limit game where we each started with our own rack of $1s, and each rack was different. Even though I’m kind of a lead snob, 30 seconds into the game I couldnt care less that we’re playing with unleaded chips - once the game is on, chips are chips. Then I raked a pot that had some leaded chips in it. I wasn’t aware of it and I didn’t notice they were leaded when I was stacking them or when I was cutting them out, but I did notice when I bet them and heard their glorious leaded sound.

So I guess what I’m saying is that if somebody who’s low-key obsessed with lead barely notices,
1) very few people will notice, and
2) you shouldn’t care, if it doesn’t bother you.

 

[btbmason]

Part of my concern is if/when I decide to move on, am I going to wind up holding the bag because other people are hesitant to mix the two variants?

That’s a good point. I would say you can always try to sell the chips the same way you pieced the set together, seeing as it didn’t all come from the same place. A lot of people buy racks, or barrels, or may only want leaded, or only want unleaded, or certain colors, etc.

Or just list the full set if you’re done with it and be transparent about the mixture of weights, and be open to splitting it if you’re struggling to find a buyer for the full thing.

Or maybe you’ll just love it and keep it forever and won’t have to worry about ever selling it.

I’d say to follow the same advice most people give, buy samples. Pick up a barrel of leaded and a barrel of unleaded, get a good feel for the chips in play with each other, and see how you feel about it. Introduce the sample to your players and see if they notice or care about the difference.

 

[upNdown]

Part of my concern is if/when I decide to move on, am I going to wind up holding the bag because other people are hesitant to mix the two variants?

When’s the last time you saw a mixed set sell as a mixed set? It almost never happens. They get listed as a set, and then they’re split up and scattered like the winged monkeys tore apart the Scarecrow.
Not sure if that’s good news or bad news.

 

[allforcharity]

When’s the last time you saw a mixed set sell as a mixed set? It almost never happens. They get listed as a set, and then they’re split up and scattered like the winged monkeys tore apart the Scarecrow.
Not sure if that’s good news or bad news.

I had a mixed set that sold as a mixed set. Now that I think of it, it was a few years ago....

 

[UniLover]

I tried it once hosting.

The difference in weight and sound irritated me.

I don’t think anyone else cared.

 

[Benjaminotaur]

There’s a big weight difference between TRKs, leaded or not.

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Oh yeah? I can pr0n too!!

Well, I tried. It’s tough to match a nearly casino weight Money Tree $25. You’ve got some real purdy chips there! I can definitely see how you’d be able to feel the difference on a lot of those!

 

[Benjaminotaur]

Leaded TRK are great. Unleaded TRK can be so light they feel like plastic. I think if the weight difference isn’t that noticeable you should be able to mix them.

The ones I have don’t feel super light, so I’m hopeful the difference is minimal enough to blend in

I liked the set a lot but didn’t love the height difference across the chips. It tilted me
I think the weight difference was noticeable but not a deal breaker. The height difference was the deal breaker

I forgot about that possible difference….. hopefully it won’t be too bad if the different chips are segregated within a single denom

I tried it once hosting.

The difference in weight and sound irritated me.

I don’t think anyone else cared.

Yeah, by all accounts, I’m the only one who will notice at my game, or at least no one else cares enough to be vocal about it

 

[Benjaminotaur]

So I guess what I’m saying is that if somebody who’s low-key obsessed with lead barely notices,
1) very few people will notice, and
2) you shouldn’t care, if it doesn’t bother you.

Thanks for the real world example! While I’m pretty sure the visual aspect will be most important to me, I’m very interested to see how the sound difference affects my opinion. I’ve got some leaded Paulsons, which are great, but it seems like the flatness of TRKs could really amplify the difference in sound

That’s a good point. I would say you can always try to sell the chips the same way you pieced the set together, seeing as it didn’t all come from the same place. A lot of people buy racks, or barrels, or may only want leaded, or only want unleaded, or certain colors, etc.

Or just list the full set if you’re done with it and be transparent about the mixture of weights, and be open to splitting it if you’re struggling to find a buyer for the full thing.

That’s all true. I’ll probably throw these into play for our next game and see how they play. Get some feedback and then decide where to go from there. The perk of having a bunch of sets is the flexibility to jump ship the moment something isn’t working

When’s the last time you saw a mixed set sell as a mixed set? It almost never happens. They get listed as a set, and then they’re split up and scattered like the winged monkeys tore apart the Scarecrow.
Not sure if that’s good news or bad news.

Dibs rack XYZ if split DOP. Let me know ASAP

I had a mixed set that sold as a mixed set. Now that I think of it, it was a few years ago....

Well, I’m pretty sure I’m going to move forward with my plans, so I might be trying to run back some of your good luck in the next couple months here!

 

[Eriks]

I’ve had a set with heavy 1/5/25s and then unleaded 100s. Not a complete deal breaker but I wasn’t a fan. The difference is bigger than CPC weighted vs unweighted.