How long to break in clay chips?

[Nanook]

Hello Everyone,

I'm just curious, how long will it take to break in clay chips? I realize that this will be dependent on how often you play and how many of the chips get used, but say I play for 5 hours a time 2X a month what would be a good estimate of how long it will take to soften the edges and deepen the colors?

I have read in several places that you can speed up the process with the use mineral oil to bring out the color. I have slso read something about a trick with putting a bunch of chips in a pillowcase and shaking. I'm guessing this is to try and soften the edges. Does this work? Has anyone tried lightly scraping the edges to knock off the sharpness?

I have samples from ASM, Blue Chip, Paulson and TR King. I have been playing mostly with the Kings for the past month or so. They are SO much nicer after being broken in a bit. It seems like it might take quite some time for this to occur naturally.

[deadmoney28]

not sure how long ittl take.. the ones me and my freinds use are bad.. they crack like hell

[yaw]

I've had my Crystal Park's for 4 years and they still have pretty sharp edges. I would say, on average, I use them about 10 hours a month. Harrahs in CB Iowa got some new $1 chips a couple months ago and the card room is now open 24/7, and as of last week the chips still have pretty sharp edges. To get that smooth rounded edge, I believe it would take 6-12 months of casino play(24/7). I would NEVER put a clay chip in a pillow case and shake it. NexGens however, are cheap and anything you do to them(besides puttting them in an oven) can only improve the feel.

[Nanook]

I have chips from all the manufacturers except Matsui. I have oiled some of them as has been suggested and it worked wonders for the colors.

The edges are still very sharp! I am not looking for rounded edges like you might see in a casino. I think that this might take several lifetimes of home play. However I would like to get rid of that real sharp edge. What I am referring to can be smoothed by scraping around the edge with your fingernail.

After 4 years of 10 hours a month do the chips still have obnoxiously sharp edges or have they mellowed? This is only about 3 weeks of table play at a casino. I would expect that they still look almost brand new.

[Always_Bored]

my local casino got new 1's and 5's about 6 months ago and the edges are just starting to round but barely. The casino is open 24 hours. Pillow case might be your only shot unless you want to wait 72 years for them to round, based on the following calculation.

casino is open 24 7

24 X 7 X 52 = 8736 hours in a year

using them 10 hours a month

8736 / 10 = 873.6 months

12 months in a year that equals

873.6 / 12 = 72.8 years before your chips see the equivelent of 1 year in a casino.

[Nanook]

using them 10 hours a month

8736 / 10 = 873.6 months

12 months in a year that equals

873.6 / 12 = 72.8 years before your chips see the equivelent of 1 year in a casino.

My point exactly.

I was trying to get an idea of how long it might take to take off that "New Clay" sharp edge, not how long to get them rounded. I guess you might say how long to break in nicely?

I made a rough estimate like you did above and estimated that it might take a LOOOOOOOOONG time to nicely break in clays with typical home play. I decided that I would experiment a little, with samples of course. I took a regular kitchen spoon to the edge of some of my samples and lightly scraped them. I think the results were fantastic! I was NOT trying to round the edges but just take off that sharp edge. I would suggest trying it on samples first to see what you think, but I think when I get my set of clays I will do this. They are now so much nicer to play with/ shuffle etc.

Has anyone else tried this or anything else that they thought worked well?