Home› Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

Is it difficult to crack a card out of a Beckett holder?

BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 3,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I just purchased a 1971 Topps Greatest Moments Willie McCovey card and it's in a very hideous and bulky Beckett holder. I've had no problems cracking cards out of PSA holders but the Beckett one has no seams.

Anyone have any advice on cracking cards out with this type of holder?
Daniel

Comments

  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,950 ✭✭✭✭
    Yes. Gloves and goggles.
  • otwcardsotwcards Posts: 5,291 ✭✭✭
    And Band-aids...
  • tigerdeantigerdean Posts: 910 ✭✭✭
    It is not difficult, I just cracked out a 2005 Topps National 9.5 Whitey Ford and it crossed over to a PSA 10. Snip off one top corner of the slab with a good size pair of wire cutters then use a flat tip screwdriver to gradually wedge it open. You can finds posts related to this by searching the archives of the board. Just be careful especially if it is a card worth some $$$
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,912 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It is so much more easy to crack a BGS holder then a PSA holder.

    Take wire cutters. Hold the card firm, line the cutters up and then crack the upper right hand corner off. Once you remove the corner simply take a flat head screw driver and gently push it between the slab.

    Once you do that start to lift and pry open. Once it is loose open completely and snag the bag the card is in. Take scissors and cut it open at one end and gently remove and immediately insert into your card saver.

    I have cracked a lot of cards with this method and it has worked every time.

    Good luck.
  • brianwintersfanbrianwintersfan Posts: 3,626 ✭✭
    Toughest holder out of all of them. I just did it a couple of weeks ago and it was a pain.
    Good luck!
  • BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 3,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for the advice. It's certainly not a high end card. It's graded 5.5 (Ex +) but is probably more like a PSA 4. At $25 I felt it was about right.
    Daniel
  • RipublicaninMassRipublicaninMass Posts: 10,051 ✭✭✭
    might want to do it inside a plastic bag as shards can go everywhere...then into your foot! Also, be careful cutting the plstic bag open inside, sometimes they are very close to the cards borders
  • jeffcbayjeffcbay Posts: 8,950 ✭✭✭✭
    It's harder to do in the parking lot of a card show with tools that are limited to what's in your truck. I had an auto'd card that I wanted in a PSA slab, and the PSA booth wouldn't accept it in the BGS slab, so I went outside and busted it out. lol
  • BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 3,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, I broke the card out today. It was actually pretty easy using the method that Dpeck100 described. Ripublicanin was also right about shards - I performed the cardectomy outside and was glad I did!
    Daniel
  • yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,251 ✭✭✭
    I take a good sized philips head screwdriver, put it where the flip is, then hit the screwdriver with a hammer. Yeah, stuff goes flying but then I just use a flat head to separate the slab. Works like a charm
  • KK Posts: 1,364 ✭✭✭
    My Boston Terrier stepped on a BGS shard that made it's way behind the futon in my card room. Left a nasty little gash between a couple of the pads on his paw and a small blood trail down the hall and into the guest bathroom before I could get to him.
  • leathtechleathtech Posts: 3,191 ✭


    << <i>I take a good sized philips head screwdriver, put it where the flip is, then hit the screwdriver with a hammer. Yeah, stuff goes flying but then I just use a flat head to separate the slab. Works like a charm >>



    My favorite method! Normally stick the slab inside the daily newspaper and smash away.
    image
  • Probstein123Probstein123 Posts: 1,281 ✭
    try heavy duty Multipurpose Scissors
    Rick Probstein
    Ebay Store:
    Probstein123
    phone: 973 747 6304
    email: rickprobstein1@gmail.com

    Probstein123 is actively accepting CONSIGNMENTS !!
  • BunchOBullBunchOBull Posts: 6,188 ✭✭✭
    I take a standard screwdriver and place the head perpendicular to the BGS label, in the center of the slab, directly in the center of the label.

    One solid whack to the butt of the handle of the driver with a hammer causes the BGS slab to crack into two halves, with sideways tension, no downward strain on the card.

    I've cracked dozens of BGS cards with this method with no slip-ups...way easier than a PSA slab IMO.

    Edited to add...no shards to deal with either, or little pieces of plastic, just two halves.
    Collector of most things Frank Thomas. www.BigHurtHOF.com
  • nightcrawlernightcrawler Posts: 5,110 ✭✭
    A set of tile clippers can peel the edge off a bvg slab quik and easy.

    image
  • pclpadspclpads Posts: 457 ✭✭


    << <i>My Boston Terrier stepped on a BGS shard that made it's way behind the futon in my card room. Left a nasty little gash between a couple of the pads on his paw and a small blood trail down the hall and into the guest bathroom before I could get to him. >>



    This was your first mistake. A Boston Terrier is too small a breed to successfully crack a slab. I've always let my Lab handle it with no problems.
    image
  • Mickey71Mickey71 Posts: 4,259 ✭✭✭✭
    The key is to only clip the corner....You do not want to hurt the trimmed vintage card.image
Sign In or Register to comment.