Cracking PGS cases

[robsbessette]

Does anyone have a good method for doing so?

I've cracked tons of cases - PSA, SGC, BGC, you name it.

I just got a lot of some cards that I want to crack out and these suckers are sealed shut! I think the grading company is meant for coins and tries to make them air tight.

using the traditional tools isn't cutting it for me.

UPDATE....

Added some pics.

The first pic is the normal way I would approach it. Clip into it and then pry with a flathead screwdriver. You can see under the barcode where I tried to pry it open, but it was sealed tight. I could only pry the section that I had clipped. Not like other cases where you pry it open and the whole thing pops or at least some breaks so you can grab the card.

So I had to saw very carefully along the edge that isn't sealed on TWO sides. Then I had to pry it open and get the card out. Even then it barely was enough to get the card out. These cases are tough!!!

[tiger8mush]

can you use a set of pliers to break off a corner, then stick a flathead screw driver in there and pry the two pieces of plastic apart?

[robsbessette]

Nope. That's what I normally do. It's as if the two slabs are stuck together. Really hard to describe. The plastic is almost "sealed" everywhere if that makes sense. It's also incredibly hard to cut through.

[robw1959]

There is always a way. I would try some oversized garden shears, or as a pair of bolt cutters. As a last resort, use a zigsaw, but be careful!

[robsbessette]

These are unlike anything I've seen. I'll try to get a pic up. Even when cut into (which takes a ton of effort to get through) it's only that specific area that's loosened. It's as if it has no effect on the rest of the case.

[garymc]

I am also not a fan of third party grading and putting my cards in plastic. I have the advantage of having a woodshop so I put the slab in my wood vise on my bench and take a cheap chisel and carefully put the chisel into the seams on the corner the slab. A small tap on both corners cracks it open.....

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[frankbmd]

That's why PGS is the industry leader.

[toledo_mudhen]

I've always found that a 50 lb sledge works really well

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

That's why PGS is the industry leader.

...Many of us use them for their expertise at grading the subtle nuances of the qualities of a baseball card.....

..

[robsbessette]

I'm having to put the cards in a vice and saw off on two sides in order to get the card out. I have an engineer at my work and he said these things won't crack at all and they're sealed tight. He thought it might even be the plastic that's used in airplane construction!

[Mdmtx]

Sounds like they should be in the slab design/licensing business. The others graded slabs should take note.

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by Mdmtx

Sounds like they should be in the slab design/licensing business. The others graded slabs should take note.

That's not a very good business model. How are customers supposed to crack & resubmit 30 times before getting the grade they want, if they can't even crack the holder???

[robsbessette]

added some pics of my extraction method in the original post. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done.