Cracking a PSA Slab (57T Whitey Ford) made easy (Tim the Toolman Taylor grunts)

Bishtw

I have a few slabs I was going to crack open. I decided to try something a little different from the methods I read else where. This is also the first video I've ever uploaded to YouTube.

https://youtu.be/f010NtYicS4

Disclaimer: For entertainment purposes only! I, in no shape nor form recommend this method as the way you should crack your slabs if you also have a Model 20 vertical band saw. Do not try this at home😉.

doubledragon

Sir, thank you for the entertainment. Next time, do a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, and broadcast it live on pay per view.

Bishtw

@doubledragon said:
Sir, thank you for the entertainment. Next time, do a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, and broadcast it live on pay per view.

Lol, my hands would probably shake so much out fear I'd be liable to pull back a nub. In either case itd make for great tv.🤣🤣

doubledragon

Well, it was one heck of a show!

ArtVandelay

That card looks much better than a PSA 1

Bishtw

@ArtVandelay said:
That card looks much better than a PSA 1

At first glance you're right.
Last year I bought a lot that had about 200 57T's in it. Most of them came back as 7's and 8's. Being extremely green, I thumped through the SMR and picked out the most value cards to sub without paying much attention to condition issues. This was in that very first submission.
Afterwards I noticed that there was about 18 or so cards that had the exact same 2 small tears on the right side going through the boarder. The real shame is that it happened to a few pretty big cards like Clemente, Billy Martin, Whitey and a few others.
Here is a better pic and a picture next to the Billy Martin with the same tears. I keep wondering what caused them in the first place.

krisd3279

@Bishtw Awesome way to crack out a card. No cracking involved at all! I'm much more interested though in that shop in the photo and video! If that is your shop way to go!

grote15

I remember otwcards (Scott) used to crack open the older style slabs with his bare hands, lol.

Piggs

"had the exact same 2 small tears on the right side going through the boarder."
Sounds like your classic rubber band marks.

Stone193

Hiya Troy

Entertaining - tho looked dangerous.

Next time?

How about a blow torch?

Bishtw

@krisd3279 said:
@Bishtw Awesome way to crack out a card. No cracking involved at all! I'm much more interested though in that shop in the photo and video! If that is your shop way to go!

Yup, no cracking as long as you take your time, let the blade do the cutting and not force the case through the saw faster than the band saw is actually cutting it.

The shop isn't mine. Its actually where I work. It's nice to have access to some of the speciality tools I dont have room for in my little shop behind my house.

@grote15 said:
I remember otwcards (Scott) used to crack open the older style slabs with his bare hands, lol.

Either the older slabs weren't nearly constructed as well or Dude has gorilla mits for hands.💪👐

@Piggs said:

"had the exact same 2 small tears on the right side going through the boarder."
Sounds like your classic rubber band marks.

Its possible, I've considered it but I have my doubts. There's no indentations at all on any of them, on either side from pressure of the rubber band.
To me it looks like someone tore them while ripping the packs or they were pinched in some keeper that was strong enough to tear them but that's pure speculation.

@Stone193 said:
Hiya Troy

Entertaining - tho looked dangerous.

Next time?

How about a blow torch?

It's not dangerous if your familiar with using the tools.

Blow torch huh? Lol I'd definitely be willing to give it a try if I thought for a second it had a chance of working.
If you have any slabbed dallass cowboy cards you want to send me I'll gladly take a blow torch to them on video 😁

rmh111985

I had a '57 Ted Williams with the exact same tears. Being #1 in the set, I always figured it was the rubber band tear.