PSA holder enhancements

[f2tornado]

Announced on their YouTube channel. Supposedly stronger heavier plastic and no more sleeves. I suspect I already received a few of these in my last sub.

https://youtu.be/bJ_X7BLtE8w?si=_hKYdjzMXvSGsJAf

[TXRunner]

My latest order I received was all the new slab style. I like the new material. It is a very noticeable difference compared to the old plastic.

[703dispensary]

key note from the email: 40pt max thickness and rolling out in May with PLANS FOR A WIDER ROLLOUT.

[unreal13]

I have 20-30 of these so far and prefer them to the older style as well. Instantly noticed they were different in both look and feel.

[towerymt]

No more baggie?!?!?!?!

[towerymt]

The re-holder bill gonna be spendy

[redgem]

Yea, I had to struggle for 40 minutes to crack that Stroud PSA 9 out...watch their business tank now, can't crack anymore.

[thenightman]

Originally Posted by redgem

Yea, I had to struggle for 40 minutes to crack that Stroud PSA 9 out...watch their business tank now, can't crack anymore.

I cracked a card out to see and it was brutal! Do they not know that half their business is crack and resubs?

[waytoomanycards]

Maybe they'll start selling the machine they use to crack cards out lol.

[prospectorgems]

I hope this means they will spend time to get the card straight in the holder to go with that new premium look/feel.

Cause this to me is just absolutely unacceptable. If there wasn't a charge I would be sending these back.

[703dispensary]

Originally Posted by thenightman

I cracked a card out to see and it was brutal! Do they not know that half their business is crack and resubs?

While I am sure they appreciated that business - at some point they probably decide that the impact to the image & integrity of their grading "standard" is not worth that business; and not as a sole reason for the new slabs but as one consideration. Total speculation but that's what I think.

[prospectorgems]

Originally Posted by towerymt

The re-holder bill gonna be spendy

Yeah, I hate it when they do that. Obviously if you look at other examples of the same card they don't have that stupid plastic on them. I have a few cards that are the same that look fine in the holders and some that look like this with the plastic. Hoping now with these new holders they will have enough in stock not to use this type of method anymore.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by 703dispensary

While I am sure they appreciated that business - at some point they probably decide that the impact to the image & integrity of their grading "standard" is not worth that business; and not as a sole reason for the new slabs but as one consideration. Total speculation but that's what I think.

"PSA" and "integrity" is LOL funny.

[thenightman]

Originally Posted by 703dispensary

While I am sure they appreciated that business - at some point they probably decide that the impact to the image & integrity of their grading "standard" is not worth that business; and not as a sole reason for the new slabs but as one consideration. Total speculation but that's what I think.

I would argue that if they cared about the integrity of their grading standard they’d have a uniform standard of grading.

[Ehawk89]

I wanna say I got 1 of these thrown in on order last year for a Caufield Red Pmg. Card doesn't move around in the slab, which alot upper deck cards do.

[slogue2]

The new slabs feel very nice. Feels more substantial when holding them. As a few others noted, it's nice to not have the card moving around in the slab, which was a bit of an issue for certain cards in previous orders over the years.

[nothinbefore]

I noticed them on my grading reveal yesterday, cant wait to hold them in hand. If they can feel sturdy like TAG's slabs that would be great.

[RealDocStrange]

Originally Posted by waytoomanycards

Maybe they'll start selling the machine they use to crack cards out lol.

I picture an offer on the grading reveal page before shipping: “Not happy with the grade? We can bust it out and just ship the card back to you for an extra $10”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Makakilo Cards]

Perhaps new slabs are the reason assembly is taking forever right now

[BoKnowsCards]

My last 4 PSA orders all have the new slabs (all 4 received this month May 2024). I definitely love the new slabs. They are heavier and more durable and the new slabs still stack on the old slab types.

Now on to the most important part - cracking for resubmission. I have about 50+ slabs in my queue to be cracked. I was going to wait until the weekend, but now I'm curious since people have said they are tougher to crack. I use my trusty Dremel, so I might do one tonight and I'll let everyone know how it goes.

[Dereth]

Originally Posted by BoKnowsCards

My last 4 PSA orders all have the new slabs (all 4 received this month May 2024). I definitely love the new slabs. They are heavier and more durable and the new slabs still stack on the old slab types.

Now on to the most important part - cracking for resubmission. I have about 50+ slabs in my queue to be cracked. I was going to wait until the weekend, but now I'm curious since people have said they are tougher to crack. I use my trusty Dremel, so I might do one tonight and I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Do you just use the Dremel to cut all the way around, or is there an easier way?

[BoKnowsCards]

Originally Posted by Dereth

Do you just use the Dremel to cut all the way around, or is there an easier way?

There's an easier way. You cut the top right hand corner off at a 45 degree angle. Then take a thin screwdriver, insert it in the now exposed part of the slab you just cut, there is a mini gap to insert the screwdriver in the middle, and then apply pressure upwards with the screwdriver to lift off slab off - it may take a little maneuvering/prying.

The art is where you insert the screwdriver and apply pressure - if you go too low you can splinter the slab - it doesn't mean you damaged the card but now it's a little more work to get the card out undamaged. You may want to practice on a lesser value slab if it's your first time. I can crack slabs like riding a bike and it's a piece of cake for me now, they pop right off because I've had so much practice lol.

The guy in this youtube does it exactly how I do it and can give you a visual - I think he's cracking a GMA slab but it's the identical process for a PSA slab. The Dremel method starts around 6:00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IBq59wTzIw&t=426s

[Dereth]

Originally Posted by BoKnowsCards

There's an easier way. You cut the top right hand corner off at a 45 degree angle. Then take a thin screwdriver, insert it in the now exposed part of the slab you just cut, there is a mini gap to insert the screwdriver in the middle, and then apply pressure upwards with the screwdriver to lift off slab off - it may take a little maneuvering/prying.

The art is where you insert the screwdriver and apply pressure - if you go too low you can splinter the slab - it doesn't mean you damaged the card but now it's a little more work to get the card out undamaged. You may want to practice on a lesser value slab if it's your first time. I can crack slabs like riding a bike and it's a piece of cake for me now, they pop right off because I've had so much practice lol.

The guy in this youtube does it exactly how I do it and can give you a visual - I think he's cracking a GMA slab but it's the identical process for a PSA slab. The Dremel method starts around 6:00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IBq59wTzIw&t=426s

This is how I have always cracked slabs, except that I use wire cutters to crack the corner. I was under the impression that these new slabs would require something like using a Dremel all the way around.

[BoKnowsCards]

Originally Posted by Dereth

This is how I have always cracked slabs, except that I use wire cutters to crack the corner. I was under the impression that these new slabs would require something like using a Dremel all the way around.

So I took a crack at the new slabs (pun intended). For reference, with the old slabs - it took 10 seconds or less for a cut with the Dremel, and 5-15 seconds of popping it off with a screwdriver and you were done - card safely removed.

Like some other people mentioned above, the new slabs are much tougher to crack. The cutting a corner with a Dremel and popping off with a new slab didn't work. I used a PSA 6 for try #1 and messed it up (it was worth maybe $5). So I did another PSA 6 for try #2, and cut straight across at the top. Two problems occurred - the plastic of the new slabs is thicker and creates a plastic melt mess faster - also my prying off wasn't clean and it splintered (partially because plastic melt was blocking the one side). I successfully got the card out undamaged, but it was not easy. I'm sure someone will come up with a faster hack for cracking these new slabs sooner or later. But for now - it's doable just more time consuming and messier. I'll explore some other ways over the weekend. And yes Dereth - Dremel all the way around might be required, it would create a real plastic melt mess by doing the whole way around, but it probably makes things easier. I might try that one next.

[tyrith]

Could the best approach be to saw off a corner? I've seen people do that with thicker slabs in the past.