How to crack a PSA cello slab (Safely of course)

bking

I'm about to take the plunge, but want to know the most foolproof way to crack a PSA cello slab.

Thanks and apologies since I'm SURE it's been discussed to death, I'm just too tired tonight to search it.

Farmkidd

I don't know how to open it up, but just remember to let PSA a know the Serial # of the cracked case so they can readjust thier population report to keep it accurate.

MCMLVTopps

How I crack a slab...

Tools needed; vice, chisel, hammer two pieces of scrap wood. Eyes popped out yet?

Ok, sandwich the slab between the two pieces of wood and gently press together in your vice. The slab is maybe 1/3 into the vice, this allows for the upper 2/3s to break open with ease. Once the slab is snuggued, place the chisel on top of the slab and in the tiny groove in such a manner that if you accidentally went vertically down, you could not touch the actual card. Tap, tap, tap till you hear or feel the slab beginning to give way. Make sure your chisel is still vertical and tap hard enough to separate the pieces...go to the other side and do the same. Continue downward till you have substantial separation. You may have to adjust the pressure on the vise to accomodate the slab remaining taut. You will know when you have done enough to crack it open. The beauty of the chisel is that it's beveled, which is what generates the pressure needed to make the separation.

I've read different ways people have cracked slabs, from screwdrivers to pliers. I think these are a bit risky. I can crack a slab in less than 30 seconds with my method.

GL

MCMLVTopps

but just remember to let PSA a know the Serial # of the cracked case so they can readjust thier population report to keep it accurate.

C'mon, how many people do you think really do that? Like zero. Thus the fallacy (UNFORTUNATELY) of the POP report. I'd bet that 99% of people who crack out simply toss the red tag along with the destroyed slab. The carrot is the fact that this can be an enormous financial gain to anyone willing to crack a 7 and hope for an 8 or even a 7.5.

As an example, when a 7 is cracked and comes back higher, the POP of the 7s does not go down, thus there is a ghost 7 in the POP for that card and a new 7.5, 8 or higher is created from basically the same card. While your thought is commendable, I doubt it is really done in 1 out of a 1,000 times. Obviously, if the card comes back as a 7, the POP of the 7s goes up by one, but really hasn't changed, as the same card has now been counted twice. After all, raw breakouts are sent in, not slabbed 7s looking for a bump...if so, I suspect graders discount those right away and leave them as is, maybe a few cases, but very, very few.

I was not a proponent of the half point change for this reason, a bump from 7 to 7.5, or greater yet, from an 8 to 8.5 in some cases of what I collect can mean $ks to the risk taker. If one takes a gander at POP reports and sees the number of .5 cards throught the PSA Registry, it isn't difficult to see how this bump has caused inaccuracies in the POP report.

Dboneesq

<< <i>How I crack a slab...
Tools needed; vice, chisel, hammer two pieces of scrap wood. Eyes popped out yet?
Ok, sandwich the slab between the two pieces of wood and gently press together in your vice. The slab is maybe 1/3 into the vice, this allows for the upper 2/3s to break open with ease. Once the slab is snuggued, place the chisel on top of the slab and in the tiny groove in such a manner that if you accidentally went vertically down, you could not touch the actual card. Tap, tap, tap till you hear or feel the slab beginning to give way. Make sure your chisel is still vertical and tap hard enough to separate the pieces...go to the other side and do the same. Continue downward till you have substantial separation. You may have to adjust the pressure on the vise to accomodate the slab remaining taut. You will know when you have done enough to crack it open. The beauty of the chisel is that it's beveled, which is what generates the pressure needed to make the separation.
I've read different ways people have cracked slabs, from screwdrivers to pliers. I think these are a bit risky. I can crack a slab in less than 30 seconds with my method. GL >>



This is exactly how I crack the PSA slabs. Have not tried it with a cello, but I guess it would be just as EZ. Like described above, in 30 seconds it's opened and there is NO MESS! Here is what the slab looks like after it is opened. I cracked the Pafko out, sent it to him TTM and then put it back in the slab.

HammeringHank

There is an easier way...hold the card down on a table top (bench)...use a pair of plyers and just break off the one of the tips on the top of the holder near the name...once broken...use a screwdriver to separate the plastic by slipping the head in just a bit...and merely turn the screwdriver or use a bit of force to pop and separate the plastic...watch out the when you use the plyers as piece of plastic fly all over (into you eye...maybe...wear glasses)...make sure your screwdriver does not slip and damage the card...again work on the one end where name is printed...not the end where you card is closest to the edge...after a bit of careful practice you can pop cards quick and easy...

Dboneesq

<< <i>watch out the when you use the plyers as piece of plastic fly all over (into you eye...maybe...wear glasses) >>



Henri ... you think that is easier than the above mentioned way? LOL

cardbender

<< <i>There is an easier way...hold the card down on a table top (bench)...use a pair of plyers and just break off the one of the tips on the top of the holder near the name...once broken...use a screwdriver to separate the plastic by slipping the head in just a bit...and merely turn the screwdriver or use a bit of force to pop and separate the plastic...watch out the when you use the plyers as piece of plastic fly all over (into you eye...maybe...wear glasses)...make sure your screwdriver does not slip and damage the card...again work on the one end where name is printed...not the end where you card is closest to the edge...after a bit of careful practice you can pop cards quick and easy... >>



This is exactly the way I crack open a PSA or SGC slab.
I've cracked maybe 100 open over the years and only damaged one card with this method.

I use a large tin snips to do the cutting. Holding the slab over a garbage container, tilted downward, to avoid getting shards of plastic in the eyes.

bking

To everyone with suggestions - they were all great for cracking a card, but not a cello pack.

Here's what I did and it worked perfectly:

1. Saw the slab horizontally in the flat area below the flip. See scan in my thread about the crack in the SC memorabilia forum.
2. On the back, pry open the thin plastic that runs across the width of the slab. It is essentially part of a "ring" that goes around the entire pack area.
3. Carefully pry open the remaining ring at each upper corner. It should easily break and the entire ring can be removed.
4. The back portion of the pack enclosure will then lift right off.

5. profit!! Well, not so much... but enjoy!!

macboube

Ive cracked out several of my '55 AA Cellos that are slabbed and they are 20 card packs so very thick. I use a very sharp pair of long nosed dykes to cut thru - that is the key. The rest is like crackin out a card more or less.