Breaking cards out of slabs?

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Snowman

Well, I didn't jab a screwdriver and fumble it all the way up and down each edge, millimeter by millimeter for one lol. That's a sure way to wreck a card at some point. Also, you guys were wrestling with separating the top from the bottom. I'm watching it going up and down, up and down, about to pull my hair out. You're going to get shards of broken plastic wedged under the top of the slab and it's going to indent the surface. But damage issues aside, it's also just much faster.

Nope, never happened. Hundreds cracked out with no issues whatsoever.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Nope, never happened. Hundreds cracked out with no issues whatsoever.

You must be cracking a lot of T206s then. Because if you try this same approach with cards that have less space inside the slab like a 1952 Topps, you'll eventually damage one. That screwdriver will slip as you try to navigate its way around the edges of the slab. Once you free open the top, you should be able to just pry the entire slab apart with your hands without needing to run the screwdriver all the way around the perimeter. Also, clipping off both of the top corners, as opposed to just the one, will greatly reduce the likelihood of the slab splitting as you pull it apart.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Snowman

You must be cracking a lot of T206s then. Because if you try this same approach with cards that have less space inside the slab like a 1952 Topps, you'll eventually damage one. That screwdriver will slip as you try to navigate its way around the edges of the slab. Once you free open the top, you should be able to just pry the entire slab apart with your hands without needing to run the screwdriver all the way around the perimeter. Also, clipping off both of the top corners, as opposed to just the one, will greatly reduce the likelihood of the slab splitting as you pull it apart.

Yes, a lot of Tobacco cards, but plenty of larger cards too ('53 Bowman/'52 Topps, etc.) Never had an issue either way. I try to limit the corner clipping to just one cut, as I can easily envision the crack going awry.

But will try it your way for sure... the less finagling around the perimeter, the better. Thanks for the input.

[ALR-bishop]

With the bolt cutter and irrigation screw driver mentioned above it takes me 10 seconds start to finish. Have done a bunch and not lost one yet, including a lot of 52s ( but not the 52 Mantles )

[MorrellMan]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

With the bolt cutter and irrigation screw driver mentioned above it takes me 10 seconds start to finish. Have done a bunch and not lost one yet, including a lot of 52s ( but not the 52 Mantles )

Al - I was setting up at a show a few years back; I don't remember which one. I was there, Marty was there, Anthony was there - before the show started Marty was walking toward my table fidgeting something in his hands - turns out he was hand-cracking a '52 Mantle.

I was flabbergasted, he was nonplussed.

That's when I learned the meaning of the word nonplussed.