? about bond chips

[jdiesel]

I just purchased a set of 500 chips using the 25% off coupon form 5 star. What a deal. I figure they chip price came out to be about 70 cents a piece. I would have bought more but most of the chips were back ordered. Anyway, on to my question. I remember reading on one of the boards i occassionally check, while i am supposed to be working, that someone mentioned a way to bring the color out using some type of oil. I was wondering how that was done since i can't find the thread anymore. I also remember someone "breaking" his chips in by putting them in a pillow and shaking them. Any thoughts on this.
Thanks in advance.

[Slow Play Ray]

3-in-1 oil. I don't know if that was recommended to "break chips in" though...it was originally recommended to clean up chips with cast marks on them.

[TabascoJRC]

I aked the guys at pokerchips.com because they used to preoil the chips when they sent them out. She said baby oil.
wipe them down with a rag that has some on it. I would double check on that though.

[Johnny5]

A while back, some guy mentioned something about putting his clay chips in a pillowcase, and running them through the clothes dryer. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Not sure I would do this personally, but hey...

J5

[smoore]

I broke my chips in with two 5-gallon buckets and a miniature skateboard. I put one bucket inside the other with about 200 chips trapped between them and spun it on the overturned skateboard with my foot while I watched TV. Sure was loud but it was nice and gentle.

[trevor]

Are these Paulson's? I've seen so many of these on Ebay but am skeptical of the quality. How are they?

[Kellon]

This will probably identify me as a real neophyte, but I've never heard of "breaking in" new chips. Can someone explain the concept/rationale to me? I just bought 300 new chips for what I hope will be the start of a neighborhood game. They seem OK "as is" but you've got me wondering if I'm supposed to break them in for some real or esoteric reason.

Thanks.

Kellon

[Johnny5]

New CLAY chips have 'sharp' edges on them, and don't feel quite right. Breaking them in just softens the edges & makes them feel more 'casino' like.

J5

[Kellon]

Thanks. I haven't played in a casino yet, so it wouldn't have occurred to me. I guess I'll have to dump them in a pillow case or something and throw them in the dryer. I think I'll wait until my wife is around -- it'll freak her out for sure!

[smoore]

I don't think I'd use the dryer, it may be too violent. I'd just sit in front of the TV or whatever and drop the whole pillowcase about a foot to the floor over and over and over.

[TenPercenter]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think I'd use the dryer, it may be too violent. I'd just sit in front of the TV or whatever and drop the whole pillowcase about a foot to the floor over and over and over.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. That'll be much less annoying to the wife. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ten

[Kellon]

Yeah, but such an opportunity comes along only so often! /images/graemlins/smirk.gif But smoore is undoubtedly right--too violent for the chips.

[tomb1]

I wouldn't use 3 in 1 oil, mostly because of the odor (it smells for a long time). Or any other petroleum-based oil, which might break down the "clay."

What I use is mineral oil, which is odorless and works great. You can get a big bottle if you look for cutting board oil (to protect your wooden cutting boards in the kitchen) from a place like Bed Bath & Beyond. Most honing oil (for knives and a sharpening stone) is also mineral oil, and this you can get at Home Depot/Lowes/etc.

I also have heard that Johnson's Baby Oil works well, thought I haven't tried that myself.

It takes a while to oil all your chips and let it soak in, but seems to get them closer to "table played" feel. It won't help to soften the edges, but the pillow case trick might work for that.

Tom

[tomb1]

P.S. All of this only applies to "clay" chips that are porous -- Paulson, Blue Chip, ASM, TRKing, Modern Clay, Nevada Jacks clay, etc. The composite chips, Chipco chips, ceramic chips, plastic chips, dice chips, Bud Jones chips, etc. don't want any oiling. We don't want them any slicker than they already are!

Tom

[Mojo Tooth]

I got the 13g "Casino" mold chips this summer and they've always had kind of a chalky feel to me. In fact when I got them there was a discernible white powder residue on the chips. Makes it difficult to riffle the chips because there's some chalky friction there.

Since then I've been thinking about oiling them but wondered if that would help or make it worse. Suggestions?

[tomb1]

I've seen pictures but never handled any of these chips (which look pretty cool for a great price, BTW), so I have no suggestion. Except to try one and see if it's better or worse.

I think the plastic resin surface would not absorb oil, so it wouldn't be good to oil them, but I certainly could be wrong (I often am wrong... just ask my wife!).

- tomb

[obeythekitten]

[ QUOTE ]
This will probably identify me as a real neophyte, but I've never heard of "breaking in" new chips. Can someone explain the concept/rationale to me? I just bought 300 new chips for what I hope will be the start of a neighborhood game.

[/ QUOTE ]

if you have "clay composite" chips off ebay (read: 11.5 gram chips) then this is not needed because your chips are plastic

[duma]

the Blue Chip Bonds are on super discount right now at 5star. i guess they are making way for the Paulsons to come in. Price is .67 after the discount. and the fan of cards are going for .53

[theredwave]

FYI: I just bought about 600 Bond chips off of 5star and they are very nice compared to all the other non-clay chips I have. However, 5star is usually out of most of the denominations and it took awhile to get most of my set ordered and right now I have 100 missing chips that I ordered about 3 weeks ago that haven't been delivered. I have sent about 5 emails to support and the last 3 have all been ignored. They replied to the first one about two weeks ago and said they would ship the missing chips as soon as possible but that hasn't happened. I have also asked them to drop the charges to my credit card because I was going to order the chips from another site that had them in stock but they never replied or dropped the charges. 5star's lack of customer support has been a pain in the ass and I doubt I'll ever go back to their site unless they pull through for me soon.

[TabascoJRC]

Lady at Pokerchips.com said they used to pre oil there chips before they sent them out. but now they just tell people to use baby oil. This is directly from pokerchips.com so I trust them. But I wouldn't trust me so ask for yourself.