Best way to Crack Gai or Gem Mint case ? Crossover

lawyer05 · September 27, 2016 1:08AM

Also..if I send the card to be crossover does Psa Crack it out of the case ? And do they leave it in if it dosent crossover ?
Thanks

DanBessette · September 27, 2016 1:33AM

I was told the reasoning was that this card was not issued as a 4 Player panel but a bigger sheet The hostess panel came as a 3 card panel and therefore it can be added. To my knowledge I havent seen a 2 card hostess panel in the registry .they grade them but not added in the registry.

Dpeck100 · September 27, 2016 1:51AM

Be very careful. GAI is the toughest case to crack by a mile. I have read about people using hand saws and I think I would try that with one of these. The typical wire cutter approach will work but you are putting the item at a lot of risk. Good luck.

lawyer05 · September 27, 2016 3:57AM

12 years ago i was cutting my one and only attempt at a sgc holder,,,,,ended in the emergency room with a lacerated hand. ..lol
tru story
i havent tried since
i feel luckier now

MCMLVTopps · September 27, 2016 7:21AM

How I crack a holder.

Full disclosure...I've successfully cracked at least 10 holders, SGC and PSA.

It helps tremendously if you have a vise...find a neighbor who has one. Sandwich the holder between two pieces of wood, then gently close the vice so the slab is secured. It helps if the holder cannot move downward...get a beveled chisel and hammer...place the chisel in a groove on either side NOT THE MIDDLE of the slab. Once you know the chisel is "grooved", begin to tap until you feel the slab give way. Continue tapping the chisel till you have the slab opened, the bevel on the chisel will help you continue to open the slab.

Using a saw or snips to break off slab corners or any other method will either ruin your card, or worse, hurt yourself.

Respect the chisel, it will take a chunk out of you if you're not careful...FAIR WARNING !!!

I assume no responsibility for your success or lack thereof, personal injury or any other harm you come to if you use this approach. You do this at your own peril.

My true story...I once cracked and SGC 34, sent the card in raw and it came back a one of one PSA 8.5. This was a 1955 Topps card and I made a tidy profit for my effort...very tidy!

K · September 27, 2016 8:10AM

I cracked one a couple years ago. Used a band saw with a 20 tpi blade across the header. This gave me a small gap to get a couple small wiring flatheads in and start levering the case open. Even that was difficult. Make sure you wear some eye protection! Also be prepared to shed some blood.

DanBessette · September 27, 2016 8:53AM

Originally posted by: MCMLVToppsUsing a saw or snips to break off slab corners or any other method will either ruin your card, or worse, hurt yourself.

This is unequivocally untrue. I have used snips and a small flathead screwdriver - always slide sideways along the seam and never push in towards the card. I have cracked more slabs than you say you have, always with this method, and never injured a card or myself. I have a friend who taught me this method, has easily used it HUNDREDS of times, and never damaged a card. The chisel sounds riskier to me.

bishop · September 28, 2016 12:05AM

I use this and a small screw driver for all removals. Takes less than 10 seconds and have never damaged a card

DanBessette · September 28, 2016 1:50AM

Yup, bishop does the same thing I recommend

lawyer05 · September 28, 2016 5:11AM

Originally posted by: MCMLVTopps
How I crack a holder.

Full disclosure...I've successfully cracked at least 10 holders, SGC and PSA.

It helps tremendously if you have a vise...find a neighbor who has one. Sandwich the holder between two pieces of wood, then gently close the vice so the slab is secured. It helps if the holder cannot move downward...get a beveled chisel and hammer...place the chisel in a groove on either side NOT THE MIDDLE of the slab. Once you know the chisel is "grooved", begin to tap until you feel the slab give way. Continue tapping the chisel till you have the slab opened, the bevel on the chisel will help you continue to open the slab.

Using a saw or snips to break off slab corners or any other method will either ruin your card, or worse, hurt yourself.

Respect the chisel, it will take a chunk out of you if you're not careful...FAIR WARNING !!!

I assume no responsibility for your success or lack thereof, personal injury or any other harm you come to if you use this approach. You do this at your own peril.

My true story...I once cracked and SGC 34, sent the card in raw and it came back a one of one PSA 8.5. This was a 1955 Topps card and I made a tidy profit for my effort...very tidy!

the card that sent me to the mergency room was a 1955 !!

lawyer05 · September 28, 2016 5:12AM

Originally posted by: bishop
I use this and a small screw driver for all removals. Takes less than 10 seconds and have never damaged a card

do u use that and a crewdriver
how ?

DanBessette · September 28, 2016 5:39AM

Use them to snap off a corner. Then do exactly what I said in my last post.

lawyer05 · September 28, 2016 7:29AM

thank U !!!!

MCMLVTopps · September 28, 2016 7:34AM

Not to challenge any previous posters...the screwdriver method of course will work, but the width of the screwdriver increases your chance of plowing right into the raw card.

The chisel that I used to use was over an inch wide and provided a good bit more "steadiness" as I lowered it through the slab.

The card I did so well on was #64, Gus Triandos from the 55T set. At the time it became a one of one...not even Don Spence had that particular card, he only had an 8. Now the card is a POP 4 of 4. I bought the SGC for less than $30 and it sold for almost $800...one of those things!!

PaulMaul · September 30, 2016 11:46PM

Originally posted by: DanBessette
Use them to snap off a corner. Then do exactly what I said in my last post.

This method works great. I use a butter knife after snipping the corner. It is tougher with the current slab design to get the screwdriver/butter knife between the two slab shells. I sometimes slip an x-acto knife in first just to loosen it up a bit.

muffins · October 1, 2016 4:33AM

the wood chipper method completely destroyed my 51b mantle.

moderate success with the chainsaw method, so thumb up!

" I didn't fail, I found 2,000 ways how not to make a light bulb; I only need to find one way to make it work."

TNP777 · October 1, 2016 9:05AM

My cousin works for a large construction company. I usually wait until I have a couple dozen slabs I want to crack and then meet him down at the yard. He cranks up one of their steam rollers and we get to work. If I am very precise, I can place the holders in such a position so the roller can neatly clip off a corner. Thankfully it moves slowly, 'cause one time I almost lost the tips of my middle and index fingers on my right hand when I got distracted by a girl driving a flatbed Ford.

Once the corners are removed, the chisel method works like a charm.

lawyer05 · October 3, 2016 7:01AM

Originally posted by: bishop
I use this and a small screw driver for all removals. Takes less than 10 seconds and have never damaged a card

this guy wins

Best way to Crack Gai or Gem Mint case ? Crossover

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