Let me explain this again: “21” is for TCGs, “25” for phone cards, "1T”, “1LR”, & “1LR+” for sports cards. There’s cases for everything: game tickets, postcards, packs.. Sometimes they use wrong the case.. They are not indicative of new vs old cases. With the volume that psa deals with, you are bound to run issues, whether its in assembly or from manufacturing.
Also, FYI, when the flow lines issue first came up, that was before the new version of the psa slabs came out.
I use wire cutters and a small pry bar.
If you don’t have those, Home Depot or other home improvement stores has tool rental - mostly power tools, but if you went in asking if you can rent wire cutters and a small pry bar i bet you one of the guys would bring you to the employees’ section and just let you borrow some.
Especially if you were carrying a slab. Personally, i’d be like “well this will be interesting..” and would be pleased to let you borrow those tools.
Good luck!
Thanks a lot for the detailed breakdown once again. Based on what you’ve explained, it sounds like PSA is now using the slabs that were originally intended for sports cards for TCG cards as well, correct? After all, in your list, the slab with the “1LR” serial number is listed as being reserved for sports cards.
That said, the question remains why the issue of easily opened slabs – just like the “flow lines” – only appears on slabs with the 1LR serial number, and whether this is just a coincidence. After all, the ancient mew cards shown in the video linked above were all in 1LR slabs as well.
I’m not sure if I can share this IG link on e4. If not, please mod/admin delete it.
I saw a guy use an easy, fast technique with a bottle opener to crack the PSA slab. The cert number in the video is 12XXXX, so I guess it’s the new slab.
I always use a knife to open beer bottles, seems like I need to get a bottle opener now
I’m sure many have said this but wear eye protection please. The fragments move fast and unpredictably
First things first, use eye protection when cracking a case and consider cracking it inside a bag/towel to reduce fragments flying everywhere. With that said, I’ve seen people use bottle openers on the corners of the slabs to crack them open.
I did this for the first time last night and it was way easier than it should have been.
If you haven’t cracked a Japanese ARS graded card, you’re in for a treat!
Basically once you crack the top, wiggle some sort of wedge down one of the sides and slowly / gently separate that side until it snaps open. Make sure your wedge isn’t facing the card so you don’t poke it