How do you crack a card out of a PSA slab?

[Archive]

Posted By: George Leidemer

Never have tried it, but it's something I hear on a weekly basis. "I cracked it out...resubmitted..etc", but it seems much more difficult than it sounds. I would like to practice on a few of my lower value cards. Any tips. Just wondering. George

[Archive]

Posted By: Rob D.

Somewhere in Kentucky, the Frank Signal just lit up the sky.

[Archive]

Posted By: dennis

psa & sgc are easy. take a butter/dull knife and wedge it in the top rt. corner and they usually split real fast,kind of like opening a shelled nut....so easy a caveman can do it.

[Archive]

Posted By: Steve F

[Archive]

Posted By: George

For the advice Dennis. I'm not sure what the other responses mean.

[Archive]

Posted By: Rob D.

George,

That was just me being a smart***. Pay it no mind.

Dennis gave you good advice. I've also had good luck cracking PSA slabs by using bolt cutters and snipping off a corner, then using a flat-blade screwdriver to slowly pry open the slab. I always wear goggles, which not only provide good protection but also add a nice level of geekiness to the whole thing.

Good luck,

Rob

[Archive]

Posted By: George

No problem

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Seriously, I'm not a proponent of wedging a knife or screwdriver in there... only bad things can happen to your card on the way out if the wedging slips!!!


Hammer + flatblade screwdriver. Lay the slab down, and tap just inside of the edge until the plastic breaks a bit. You don't have to go all the way through at that point. Tap your way around a bit. Eventually the slab will come apart. The last dozen or so I've done outside, that way if I miss a sliver of plastic it isn't a disaster.

For some odd reason I've saved the slips the last few years. Not sure yet what I'll do with 'em. Maybe I could use them one day to start a "Freedom Registry", a registry for cards that have been busted out. We'd have HOF busters, and then recognition for the best liberated set... and stuff just like the slabbers!


Peace.

FW

[Archive]

Posted By: George Leidemer

Would GAI be any different. I recently sold a Cy Young 1st graded GAI 6.5 that I desparately wanted to pop out. It didn't cross to a 6 when I sent it in and felt it was the holder it was in rather than the condition of the card. Usually my SGC's cross with PSA with no issue, but rarely, if ever do they cross GAI's for me. Most of my T206 set is PSA graded and would like the set graded by one company only.

[Archive]

Posted By: Al

Not for the faint of heart, BUT, works perfectly for me...

I use a vice on my workbench and place the lower 1/3 of the card in the vice with two scrap pieces of wood on both sides of the card. The scrap pieces of wood are about shim size, maybe an inch or so wide, just enough to hold the card in place. Snug the card to the point it doesn't move, over-tightening is counterproductive at this point!

Using a sharp chisel and hammer...I place the chisel in the tiny groove with half the blade exposed to the outside edge of the card. Begin to tap gently with a hammer until you hear or feel the slab crack. Continue to tap, the bevel of the chisel will allow for the slab to open nicely. Sometimes I go from side to side to relieve the pressure equally.

I can crack a slab in less than 30 seconds and have never come close to touching the card until it is safely freed from the slab. Don't get too agreesive and keep the chisel vertical at all times.

I think with knives and screwdrivers a slight goof and you've toasted the card, but this method appears to work for some.

[Archive]

Posted By: Rob D.

nm, my bad.