Cracking them out to crossover...

gotti36

I've got a couple BVG cards that I want to crack out of their holders to submit to PSA. I've never done this before, so how do you vets crack these cards out without damaging the card? Thanks for your help!

Brian

anjcollection

Kinda sad that I knew the link to the website from memory:

Article on how to crack by our beloved Bruce Moreland...excellent reading elsewhere on the site as well!

Virtualizard

Corrected Link

JEB.

aro13

Just send them to PSA under the crossover service. Pay $10 and if they grade out at what you want they will crack it and put it in the PSA holder for you, if it will not re-grade you still have the card in the BVG holder.

gotti36

Thanks for all your help!

Brian

Wabittwax

Wow, that guy from the link you had is really doing both PSA and BGS the hard way. Here's how I get them open:

PSA: Instead of using a knife (which seems very dangerous) use a box cutter - like this - you can buy them at Home Depot or even the grocery store. Box cutters are generally sharper than knives and because they are small, you have better control with them. Slowly go down one side of the PSA holder with the boxcutter but don't apply too much pressure becuase at the point that the boxcutter makes it through the seal, you don't want it hitting the card. As you use the boxcutter on the seal of the holder, it will start to turn white, knowing that's you making progress. Eventually you will see the blade make it through the seal and generally at that point, you can pull it apart with your hands.

BGS: Wrap the BGS holder in an old towel. Put it on a hard, stable surface (like concrete). Take a hammer and gently tap only the edges of the BGS holder (not the center of the holder). You will hear it crack all the way around the holder. When you open the towel, you will have a big mess of the cracked BGS edges, but the holder should be able to be pulled apart with you hands at that point.

I would definately suggest buying some "junk" PSA and BGS cards and practice these methods before using it on your undergraded 57 Topps Mantle that you want to resubmit. Also remember to send in your flips so the Population reports don't get all messed up.

JeffVN

I agree with aro13, send it in for crossover service. If the crossover grade is not what you want they will leave it in the slab and send it back to you. If you break them out of the competing slab, then you get the grade that PSA gives you and you cannnot go back.

RayBShotz

Anybody got a technique for cracking out of SCD holders?
RayB69Topps

FB

Ray,

Lay it down on your driveway and drive over it with your SUV. 95% of the time, the card is very easy to remove afterwards.

mrc32

Anyone ever cracked a GAI holder?

Got any recomendations?

koby

GAI holders are tough because the seam is underneath the holder. The one time I broke a GAI holder, I used thin flat screwdriver and worked my way around the edges. When its time to pry them apart, you have to remember that there is a center piece and you don't want the center piece damaging the card.

mrc32

I just cracked 4 cards out of holders.

3 SGC T-205s which popped out quite easy and 1 GAI T-205.

I was surprised how easy it was to pop these things out. I was really dreading it and expecting the worst.

I have never cracked a PSA card. What is the difference? Is PSA that much tougher or are they roughly the same difficulty to crack?

PS- I must go on the record again saying how much I like the black insert used by SGC and GAI.

Southsider

I've only cracked out one card in a GAI holder but it was extremely easy. I twisted the holder with my hands in opposite directions, breaking the seal and simply pried the top right off. Took all of 20-30 seconds, no tools required other than opposable thumbs.

gaspipe26

For GAI holders I take a pair of clipping plyers and crack off a corner. Then tap a small flathead screwdriver and pry it up.

Bob

qmayer

For PSA holders, I just got a screwdriver that was thin enough to fit in-between the two slabs. I would go around and turn the screwdriver just enough to push apart the slabs. It would crack away and turn white. This way seems a lot safer than using a blade.

Justin

Glynparson

A very easy way to crack cards out of any of the companies holders is to take a pair of wire cutters clip off a corner of the holder where the label is insert a screw driver in the now open space turn for some of the holders they will open right up. For BGS you sometimes have to move the screw driver around the outside of the holder or clip off 2 corners. However i would agree with most that for BGS or BVG crossover is usually the way to go because they will grade cards with non factory cuts, unlike PSa, so if they are still in the holder you may be able to get your money back or sell them to a Beckett dealer or collector but if you break them out PSa may not holder them.

packCollector

I use a dremell rotary tool to cut off a corner then pop it with a screwdriver. takes all of 30 seconds and so far so good, I haven't damaged any