Slab damage?

[jchcollins]

I decided before I read your post Bill. And the verdict is...well, turns out a BVG slab isn't that much harder to open than PSA after all:

The lip that extends further out to cover up what are essentially two thicker slabs pushed together is the tricky part. Neither PSA or SGC has anything like that. But once you use wire cutters to get a corner of that lip off, the rest works pretty much the same with a flathead screwdriver, except you have to pry up the rest of that much thicker and more resistant lip around the edge. I'll give Beckett credit, theirs is the most difficult slab bar none - but I still got it open.

Below is a picture of the card in question now. I'm much happier.

-John

[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

I decided before I read your post Bill. And the verdict is...well, turns out a BVG slab isn't that much harder to open than PSA after all:

The lip that extends further out to cover up what are essentially two thicker slabs pushed together is the tricky part. Neither PSA or SGC has anything like that. But once you use wire cutters to get a corner of that lip off, the rest works pretty much the same with a flathead screwdriver, except you have to pry up the rest of that much thicker and more resistant lip around the edge. I'll give Beckett credit, theirs is the most difficult slab bar none - but I still got it open.

Below is a picture of the card in question now. I'm much happier.

-John

I have heard that numerous times as well, which is one of the reasons I am leaning towards them to grade my cards.

Question, however. In order to remove your card like you did, would it be impossible not to damage the slab in order to do so?

I have read about PSA being fairly easy to crack and the only noticeable, but not always, is the frosting you get when you do so.

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by irv

Question, however. In order to remove your card like you did, would it be impossible not to damage the slab in order to do so?

Yeah it totally destroys the slab when I bust cards out - Beckett in particular. I can occasionally get a PSA case open with "only" frosting the edges, but usually it cracks and splinters in other places too. I'm sure there are others who can liberate a card without doing as much damage to the slab as I do, but my purpose is never to save the slab so I'm probably less careful with that on the whole except when it gets close to the card.

The BVG slab I cracked last night wound up in about 6 pieces...

[irv]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Yeah it totally destroys the slab when I bust cards out - Beckett in particular. I can occasionally get a PSA case open with "only" frosting the edges, but usually it cracks and splinters in other places too. I'm sure there are others who can liberate a card without doing as much damage to the slab as I do, but my purpose is never to save the slab so I'm probably less careful with that on the whole except when it gets close to the card.

The BVG slab I cracked last night wound up in about 6 pieces...

Thanks for the info.

[deeg23]

I know I broke out a Jerry West RC in a PSA slab to get it autographed and it was incredibly easy without damaging the slab! Just used a mini flathead screwdriver and it popped right open. I was surprised and very pleased as I put it right back in the slab and I can't even notice I popped it open (: Going to be trying it on some BVG slabs tonight though for the first time so hoping it's not TOO difficult! haha

[irv]

Originally Posted by deeg23

I know I broke out a Jerry West RC in a PSA slab to get it autographed and it was incredibly easy without damaging the slab! Just used a mini flathead screwdriver and it popped right open. I was surprised and very pleased as I put it right back in the slab and I can't even notice I popped it open (: Going to be trying it on some BVG slabs tonight though for the first time so hoping it's not TOO difficult! haha

Looking forward to hearing/seeing the results.

[glynparson]

The newer PSA slabs are far more difficult to pop open than the old slabs. BVG/BGS still the hardest to crack open but they also have the least amount of collectors and the lowest resale (On vintage cards).