500 chip Mahogany Poker chip case Review

[Cin0s3]

Manufacturer: Unknown
Retailer(s): htt://www.5stardeal.com
Average Price: $59.99
Material: MDF
Member Review by: Cin0s3

This is the 500 chip Mahogany Poker chip case. It is available from many retailers, I purchased mine from www.5stardeal.com. This case is a great upgrade from the typical aluminum case that is supplied with most poker chip sets. It is a great display item and can be kept anywhere in your home and look great.

Price

This case is available from:
5stardeal - http://www.5stardeal.com/deals/10Exp...tCode=10-PC500 for $59.99.
HoldemPokerchips - http://www.holdempokerchips.com/products.asp?cat=13 for $79.99
Pachi Paradice - http://pachiparadice.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=114 for $59.99

Looks

The case has a dark mahogany finish and is very shiny. Although no wood grain is visible, the finish is extremely deep dark brown. All the hardware has a high polished brass finish. The handles on the side have little pads attached to the sides to keep the handles from marking up the sides. The case comes with a key with a burgundy tassel attached to it (not pictured) it adds a really classy look to the case when sitting on a table, shelf or cabinet. The bottom of the case is lined with felt to prevent it from scratching any surfaces. Opening the case reveals the top rack which has 6 chip slots that hold 55 chips each for a total of 330 (only tested with paulsons pictured). The tray has 2 handles cut into the sides which should be easy for any hand to grab and lift it out. Removing the tray reveals four more chip rows in the bottom which hold 60 chips each for a total of 240 bringing the total case capacity to 570. On the right side of the case is a felt lined pocket for storing cards, dealer buttons and other assorted gear.

Security/Originality

This case is secured with a key lock in the front. The key is a normal skeleton key so security can be a concern if you are storing money in there during tournament or cash games. The lock is a little cheesy but should suffice. The screws holding the lock on my case were stripped which would make the case easily pried open so you may consider getting longer screws if you are concerned about security.

Durability

The case is very durable and made of 1/2inch thick wood. I've stood on the case and didn't break it so it can hold 200+lbs without a problem.

Reviewers Comments

I was very anxious to get this case and put off purchasing it for quite a while. When I took it out of the box i was very impressed at how it looked and how my chips looked in it. But then I got curious because I didn't see any wood grain in it no matter how much light I looked at it in. This lead me to start asking questions about it at various forums but nobody could confirm what it is was made of. So I took out the random orbiter sander and started on the top. It took quite a while to get thru all the paint on the top but after doing so it quickly revealed the MDF (pictured below). Needless to say I am a little disappointed in the end result. But for the price I kind of expected it. Sort of like "Clay composite chips". I will probably end up painting it and contacting my vinyl sticker guy and have him make me up some nice Casino De Isthmus graphics for the top and some 007 graphics for the side. Although I have heard from other people who have this case that the wood grain can be seen. So I guess the best thing to do is contact the retailer and find out exactly what you are getting.

Case Pictures

[BigKyle]

500 Chip Mahogany Case
Purchased from: http://www.spinettis.com
Price Paid: $29.99 (optional $50 engraving charge)

This is a very nice case for only $30. It is much better functionally than the cheap aluminum and leather cases, as it still holds around 550 chips. When comparing the looks of it to the briefcase-style carrying cases, there is no contest.

Pros:

• Looks: it has a nice dark finish and attractive brass (hardware) accents that compliment the finish very nicely
• The case holds about 550 chips, but is easy enough to carry around
• The removable chip tray: there is a top rack with room for about 330 chips that comes out, while the bottom holds the other 220
• Extra space allows for storage of cards, buttons, and extra chips
• The price is great if you get it at $30, as most sites still are selling them for $50 and up
• It looks really good with the key sticking in the lock in the front and it comes with a small nameplate so you can get it engraved
• The case doubles as an attractive display/furniture piece, and would look good in basically any living room, den, or poker room

Cons:

• The velveteen material only lines the top of the case and the bottom area where cards are stored, and is not of very high quality
• There is not a very classic wooden feel to it, you can sort of tell it is a mass-produced case
• The lock and key are not secure enough to convince me to leave money in there or leave the case out during a game
• The velveteen material on the bottom underside of the case makes it hard to push or slide around on some table playing surfaces

[links_slayer]

500 Chip Mahogany Case
Purchased from: Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more
Price Paid: $13.60 plus shipping costs

This case was hard to beat for around $25 shipped. It not only holds over 500 chips, but also looks great too! I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this case to anyone that's looking for a great way to store their chips.

Pros:

• Capacity: This case claims to be a 500 chip case, but I could fit 550 ASMs in it. Each row can easily hold 55 chips.
  
• Portability: This case is small enough that it can be easily transported from game to game. I would, however, NOT recommend carrying it by its handles. I would carry it with two hands underneath the case.
  
• Durability: This case appears to be very well made. The hinges are not cheap and are secured to the case with 4 screws.
  
• Security: This case comes with a lock, however I never intend on locking my case. I am not sure if this lock could easily be picked, but when locked it is definitely not going to open without any elbow grease!
• Removable Tray: This case comes with a removable tray that holds 330 chips (6 rows of 55 chips). This is a very nice feature. Below this tray are 4 more rows for chips and a space for some decks of cards, dealer buttons, timers, etc.
  

Cons:

• There are no felt pads on the bottom of this case which could pose a problem if you intend to store it on a delicate surface.
• While this case is advertised as "mahogany" it is clear that this is made of a more cheaply and readily available wood.
• Size: this case is a tad bulky and is not as slim or streamlined as some of the other cases I own.