Avoid Corner Dings When Sleeving Cards
Rainbow_Rim
Posts: 19 ✭✭✭
I have always found sleeving cards to be a stressful experience and I am sure many collectors feel the same. No matter how careful I am, I will occasionally catch a corner. Even if there is no visible damage, the very idea that a corner met resistance from the sleeve concerns me. Clipping the edge of the sleeve by hand is not a good solution – even if it is barely visible, my OCD knows that it is not uniform.
Lately, I have been using this jig made from an index card. Open the flaps, lay the card inside, and fold the flaps down (making sure that the bottom corners of the card are not exposed). Insert the bottom of the jig fully into the sleeve and gently push the card down. It is an added step, but it has absolutely been worth the extra time and effort to me – no more dinged corners and no more stress!
Use heavy paper or a thin index card (not heavy cardstock) to allow adequate room in the sleeve for both the card and jig. I have used this successfully with standard Ultra Pro sleeves and regular Topps cards. I have not tried it with different brands of sleeves (which may be narrower) or different card types (which may have delicate surfaces), so be sure to test it on a common first. I don’t collect relic cards, but I am sure this could be adapted to thick items by adding a second fold on each side.
Comments
I never use penny sleeves for this reason, I always just use card saver ones.
I like the creativity…
I really like CS1 and have used them in the past, but so many of them are warped (wavy or with the tab bent forward). So now I use top loaders.
Shellz penny sleeves have a clipped corner.
I slice the top edge of a side using a box cutter and unfold the flap to insert the card that way
He doesn't like the clipped corner because the lack of uniformity tweaks his OCD .
Edited to add: I like the idea the OP has posted.
OCD...if channeled correctly, it can be thought of as a perfectionist quality. Sure people may call you anal retentive but you still have the nicest Big Bird lunch box NIB that makes them all jealous.
Good tips that I will try on cards without foil. I've come across some old cards in penny sleeves that almost appear vacuum sealed to the card. They was a pain to remove cards from but they sure preserved the cards well (aside from UV or bends).
Biggest issue I had was how to hold the card when inserting into a penny sleeve. Trying not to leave a fingerprint (foil/holo cards) if pinching the card between fingers or applying to much pressure on edges if holding it another way. I now use a glove on one hand for sleeving the foils.
I use the quick finger flick method to split the sleeve opening a tiny bit on one side. It’s quick and works well. I tried cutting each corner but that took a lot longer for each one. I read about the flick method from some older post on here and I believe they mentioned they learned it from someone at Beckett.
I will have to try this flick method, but I can cut the corner on about 10 sleeves at a time and can mow through a 100 cnt pack in about 30 seconds. I stupidly bought 2 cases of penny sleeves without the factory cut corners, live and learn.....I'm not even done the first case heavy sigh
An un-curved nail clipper works perfectly.
I blame OCD for not simply clipping or slitting the corner, but it is also a protection issue. If the cards are kept in sleeves only (and not top loaded), one corner can be exposed. I keep vintage commons this way, in 300 count boxes. I do look at them and sometimes they move up in the sleeve a little while being handled. And, yes, I have dropped a few and been glad that the sleeve had all 4 corners!
I purchased some slightly wider sleeves and they don't snag anymore.