Weird scratch/fog pattern on PSA cases - solved - perfect fit holders

[APOHBatAutos]

UPDATE:

Issue resolved. Perfect fit sleeves scratch the PSA holders.

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I've always noticed a weird vertical line scratch/fog pattern after time goes by on my PSA holders. I always thought it was a random occurrence and was part of the holder. Most of the time I put my PSA cards in perfect fit holders. It's been some time since I looked at a lot of my collection, and noticed some of my bigger cards have a very weird scratch/fog pattern on the case. The scratches are vertical and aren't from anything other than the perfect fit bags as they were put into them immediately upon being received back from PSA. I'm not sure what is going in, maybe it is cheap plastic from PSA, but over time only my cards in these perfect fit holders have the pattern. All of them have it. All that weren't put into perfect fit holders don't have it.

I've looked on the internet now and see people have posted about this issue before. So I'm chiming in to say this is the cause of it. Sad as it is... as someone who has always loved perfect fit holders, thousands of my cards now have foggy cases with faint vertical lines/scratches all over them.

Check your cards that have been in perfect fit holders over time. I'm sure it isn't just me.

[21stguy]

Going to check mine since I love the holders too - got any pics by any chance you could share?

[eb12057]

Thanks for the info. I’m gonna take all of mine out and just keep them in my case. I looked online and saw examples of what you are talking about. That is frustrating.

[APOHBatAutos]

Originally Posted by 21stguy

Going to check mine since I love the holders too - got any pics by any chance you could share?

Originally Posted by eb12057

Thanks for the info. I’m gonna take all of mine out and just keep them in my case. I looked online and saw examples of what you are talking about. That is frustrating.

Sure. Here is 3 photos of cards where the issue is present and were sleeved, followed by 2 that have no issues and were never sleeved. It's not so easy to see, but they are vertical lines mostly as well as some bubbles that people often complain about that looks like moisture on the Vander Esch. These were graded in 3 different submissions, Vander Esch and Lamar 2+ years ago, Mickey Mantle a few months ago. The lines on the Mantle are the faintest but still very clear in person. All other cards from the Mantle order that were sleeve'd have the same issue, all that don't, have no issues. The Vrabel was in the same order. The Jonathan Isaac was also from a couple years ago in the same order as the Vander Esch. Never sleeved as it was not a 10, and perfectly clean.

I have countless more examples, but anyone who has used these perfect fit sleeves for years can simply check their cards and they will know pretty quickly. I'm not sure it is same for all "perfect fit sleeves" as they are not created equally.

[APOHBatAutos]

Originally Posted by eb12057

Thanks for the info. I’m gonna take all of mine out and just keep them in my case. I looked online and saw examples of what you are talking about. That is frustrating.

You're welcome. Some of my better most beloved cards are super foggy and I will need to pay PSA to re holder them.

Hopefully enough people will see this thread and not make the same mistake.

[alam98]

Can't you buff out of the fog with some scratch remover? Might be cheaper and faster than getting reholder

[PLB9eight]

Were these Superior fit sleeves or the perfect fit from cardboard gold?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[salthill]

Hmmm. I use Perfect Fit (now Superior Fit) psa sleeves and don’t see a mechanism for how this could happen while they’re being inserted.
Stress on the plastic over time from the close fit of the sleeves maybe?

[mc1]

I sent a PSA slab that looked brand new to COMC about a year and a half ago. I recently got it back since I didnt sell it on there. It has these same scratches/fog. I asummed they had scratched it while they scanned it or when they shipped it.

Ive never used the superior fit and only recently started using perfect fit from CBG. I think I used the Ultra pro baggy sleeves before.

[APOHBatAutos]

Originally Posted by salthill

Hmmm. I use Perfect Fit (now Superior Fit) psa sleeves and don’t see a mechanism for how this could happen while they’re being inserted.
Stress on the plastic over time from the close fit of the sleeves maybe?

Correct. Stress on the plastic. It will happen rather quickly, but the degree to which the stress exaggerates is related to the amount of time it spends in one. Also how the cards are packed in whatever storage box you use. I have cards which I graded in the last 6 months that already have stress lines, the Mantle I posted a photo of included. The stress lines are no where near ones that I've had for a few years, but they are still evident. I would say the Mantle as well as other cards in that order are not a detraction at all but noticeable, and ones that have been sleeved for a couple years are a big time detraction (Leighton Vander Esch/Lamar).

I put most of my PC BCW boxes, with the shoe box one*? being my favorite. Usually packed tightly. That being said, whether it was in a row box, a PSA box, any box, packed tightly or not, so long as a perfect fit sleeve was used there is damage. The only one card that does not have damage is a card I had graded by PSA over the last year, and whatever sleeve they used which had a lot more room than the perfect fit sleeves doesn't have any stress. It was also never packed tightly. It seems to fit around the card without adding ANY stress at all, hovering around it in all directions. I've heard from a few people that say that this exact protective sleeve PSA uses has caused the damage to the case for them. So I'm sure it's on a case by case basis and probably isn't as bad as the perfect fit sleeves I've used. I have also noticed this similar issue with standard team bags. So it's all dependent on how tightly the sleeve/team bag (whatever you want to call them) are.

I'm happy and sad to have solved this as I'm checking the internet and seeing how this has been a glaring issue for a long time and the consensus has always been that other people have scratched or damaged the holders, or that PSA uses cheap plastic that deteriorates over time. I have used both Card Board Gold as well as "Collect Save Protect" which I believe is the first ones that were on the market maybe 6 years ago? At the time I believe they were only sold by carolinadeals or someone like that and had that name as the brand. I could be wrong on that. Those are the ones I've used the most as they had the most snug fit and were the cheapest. Live and learn.

[daaaaaaaaniel]

I use the sleeves from Cardboard Gold. I started to notice that they scratch the PSA case when I put the card into the sleeve.

[eb12057]

I had the majority in cardboard gold, and about 25% in the perfect fit sleeves. Luckily I had just put them in the sleeves within the last couple months. The only one that I have any scratches on is an old blue label Bobby Orr which I’m going to get recased in the red case. I unsleeved them all as a precaution. I couldn’t imagine having to recase a bunch of slabs.

[nera20]

Is a regular team ag a better choice?

[Gigantor]

I'm almost certain this is not a stress issue.

I've sleeved over a thousand slabs with Superior (Perfect) Fit sleeves. The plastic they use is abrasive if pinched or pressed against the slab while inserting. The sleeves are very tight, and the tendency is to press the sleeve against the slab while sliding upward. I grabbed this fresh slab to demonstrate (VG3 Rice that I missed a crease on).

Before:


Pinching while trying to slide the sleeve on:


After:



I now pinch the edges where any scratching would not be noticeable:




Lastly, picture of the label:





I'm not too worried about scratching once in the sleeve, but this thread has me considering (carefully) removing these sleeves from my collection.

[Gigantor]

Originally Posted by alam98

Can't you buff out of the fog with some scratch remover? Might be cheaper and faster than getting reholder

Good call on a polish. Here is a chap that has the same fine scratches on a slab. Link to the before and after https://youtu.be/Xp7c1rr7v9s?t=455.

He used Meguiar's PlastX. - https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...0-10-oz-liquid

I had a bottle of Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 9 in the garage - https://www.meguiars.com/professional/products/m9-mirror-glaze-swirl-remover-16-oz
. Used a pea sized amount with a microfiber, similar to how he demonstrated in the video. Certainly removed these shallow scuffs w/o issue. Hope for the collection!

Before:



After:

[APOHBatAutos]

Originally Posted by Gigantor

Good call on a polish. Here is a chap that has the same fine scratches on a slab. Link to the before and after https://youtu.be/Xp7c1rr7v9s?t=455.

He used Meguiar's PlastX. - https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/...0-10-oz-liquid

I had a bottle of Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 9 in the garage - https://www.meguiars.com/professional/products/m9-mirror-glaze-swirl-remover-16-oz
. Used a pea sized amount with a microfiber, similar to how he demonstrated in the video. Certainly removed these shallow scuffs w/o issue. Hope for the collection!

Before:



After:

I watched the video. Those are scratches, and are different than what has happened here.

Also that Jerry Rice is not consistent with what I have shown.

I will try doing what you have said incase I am wrong and it is the same thing. I will post results when I'm done and I hope you're right! They definitely don't look like they are on the outside of the case.

[APOHBatAutos]

I stand corrected. I just slid a card in and then slid it out and low and behold. It's scratched. I guess the time spent in it and the worse it's gotten is due to its rubbing against the sleeve. Disgusting......

But thanks for the easy fix! Glad to be WRONG.

[APOHBatAutos]

Originally Posted by alam98

Can't you buff out of the fog with some scratch remover? Might be cheaper and faster than getting reholder

Thank you, sorry for doubting. Happy to see that this can be resolved. Hopefully this thread can be a help to people who have used these sleeves. I for one am going to stop using them immediately and find a better solution.

[Gigantor]

Originally Posted by APOHBatAutos

I stand corrected. I just slid a card in and then slid it out and low and behold. It's scratched. I guess the time spent in it and the worse it's gotten is due to its rubbing against the sleeve. Disgusting......

But thanks for the easy fix! Glad to be WRONG.

Hoping yours clean up nicely! Post some after pictures if you don't mind.

[discodanman45]

I checked all my superior fit sleeves and no issues for me. I just put pressure on the side of the sleeve and the PSA case and slide down. Took some out 5 to 10 x's to test and no issue. I am not going to press against the front or back of the case though.

[salthill]

Originally Posted by APOHBatAutos

I stand corrected. I just slid a card in and then slid it out and low and behold. It's scratched. I guess the time spent in it and the worse it's gotten is due to its rubbing against the sleeve. Disgusting......

But thanks for the easy fix! Glad to be WRONG.

So the original problem was how people stuff the slab into the sleeve.

Separately, you’re claiming that it gets worse by rubbing against the inside of the sleeve. How?

[mc1]

This can happen with ANY sleeve.

[discodanman45]

Originally Posted by salthill

So the original problem was how people stuff the slab into the sleeve.

Separately, you’re claiming that it gets worse by rubbing against the inside of the sleeve. How?

I think 99% of the problems with this is how people put cards into these sleeves. Just put pressure on the side of the sleeve when putting in and don't pinch the front. By pushing on the side, it will push the superior fit sleeve slightly away from the slab or will have minimal contact.

Once inside the sleeve, I don't see how you can scratch it further. Unless you start rubbing your cards for no reason.

[towerymt]

Originally Posted by Gigantor

I now pinch the edges where any scratching would not be noticeable:

That's what I've been doing too, since this topic came up a long time ago. Pull on the tab/flap, while holding/pinching only on the edges.

[zack88]

Originally Posted by towerymt

That's what I've been doing too, since this topic came up a long time ago. Pull on the tab/flap, while holding/pinching only on the edges.

Same thing. I hold the sides of the sleeve while pulling up on the top flap of the sleeve and pushing down on the slab from the top. I dont think I've ever put pressure of the front of the slab so hopefully these abrasions won't be an issue. I've sleeved all of my slabs at this point.