How to open graded slabs

[scarrman]

Hi everyone. Nothing sinister here, not looking to swap out cards or anything. I have a handful of early 70's graded OPC cards, upgrading some complete sets but I want the cards out of the slabs. I don't care at all about the final condition of the slabs, but I do card about maintaining the condition of the card itself. Pretty much a split between PSA and KSA. I have found the KSA "crack" open much easier, PSA are tough to get in to. End up cutting and breaking them open in pieces. So wondering if anyone has tips on how to get in to these little suckers without screwing up the card, or hurting myself!

Thanks.

[leaflandwest]

There are a ton of tutorials on YouTube. I think the most common method is using snips to cut off a corner and then inserting a flat head screwdriver and twisting as you work your way in.

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[cjb]

garden sheers and goggles

[cjb]

use garden sheers to open the corner , slide the flat head of the screw driver along the edges

[Savard18]

As pointed out there are many ways, but hacksaws work really well too because if you make the wrong move with the screwdriver or apply too much pressure there is potential the card could be damaged.

[cjb]

hacksaw, really?

[Savard18]

hacksaw, really?

Yes, well obviously you have to be careful. I mean there are several ways to get the card out with a hacksaw depending on your skill level with the saw... Drills work too if you drill holes strategically......

Obviously there are plenty of ways to crack a slab so collectors should do it the way they're most comfortable with... I mean sometimes people put too much pressure on the screwdriver and then next thing you know the card is either flying out of the case or being degraded or assaulted by the head of the screw driver.

But yea, if you're good with a hacksaw, you can cut the card right out... Obviously you have to be careful regardless of the method you chose it's important not to be overconfident..

I've also seen collectors break slabs with a hammer as well just by putting the card side up or in a vice and tapping the side of the slab, not only that but using a very small flat head screwdriver - the ones used for fixing watches or glasses - while using that as a chisel..

Look, a slab is nothing more than a piece of plastic at the end of the day so the owner can be creative..... But yea, hacksaws work pretty well - I mean at least that's how I have retrieved cards from slabs in the past, it's not like I'm a master at doing it - I've only cracked a handful of slabs, but I was successful and found the procedure to not be very difficult.

[subban7677]

I once cracked a card out of a GMA slab with my bare hands. That has less to do with my strength, and more to do with the lousy quality of their slabs.

[scarrman]

Thanks for all the tips. I opened some slabs today, used some tin snips. Cut each of the corners, cut quite easily. Then I cut across the top making sure to cut inside the welded top, just above the small placard. Then I was able to insert a small flat head screwdriver, pried it up, holding the bottom of the case down, I was able to pull the of the case up and off. Worked out really well, no damage. Appreciate everyone's help, it made this little task a whole lot easier.