[jchcollins]

Dremel tool might prove quicker, but is unnecessary. Snip off an edge and then get to work separating the two halves. The Beckett slabs look intimidating in that the plastic is thicker, but it is generally very brittle plastic. Once it starts to cracking it's not markedly more difficult to open a BGS slab than any other. The one difference I would note is that Beckett's slabs work kind of like the lid on a shoebox. One side of the slab fits into another that way. Once you take the corner off and begin cracking around with a flathead screwdriver (up by the flip and not down near the card, of course....) - you should begin to intuitively see how it's put together. Some and the "lid" side of the slab just lifts off easily.

Of course the true PITA about Beckett is the card that will eventually be yielded from the scary slab is sealed in a thick plastic sleeve, almost reminiscent of a mid 1980's album page. It's sealed all the way around, so you will have to cut the card out - but this should not be difficult unless you are being just really careless.