I bet this question has been asked and answered 100 times before but I can’t find any threads on the subject. Short of a sledge hammer, how do you open Air Tites? Thanks all!
Artfully . . . the two halves fit together so nicely that the older ones are practically impossible to separate. I've been pretty frustrated by them at times. I believe there is a newer version which has a circular segment removed to allow one to pry them apart with a thumbnail.
Generally I can get a little-finger nail in and then use that advantage to get another fingernail in to pop it open. A few times I have resorted to CAREFULLY using a razor blade.
Sometimes I feel like the coin will rip in half inside the air tite before it opens. I always get them eventually but sometimes it's an aggravating 15 minute struggle which is better than the alternative of them easily popping open I suppose
Like others have said, the X-Acto knife works the best. The only word of caution I should add is that you never want to put the halves of the AirTite together when there is no coin inside. Doing so would create a partial vacuum which makes it extremely hard to separate them. When storing my unused AirTites, I always put the tops in one box and the bottoms in another box. Chris
I found one old thread - same answers https://www.cointalk.com/threads/opening-an-airtite-holder.4978/
I see a lot of people suggesting the use of an x-acto knife. I'd like to make another suggestion, because as a former art student I know how dangerous they can be... I use these plastic blades because: 1) They are MUCH safer for you. 2) They are much safer for your air-tite; they don't damage the air-tite like a metal blade can.
I always use my SwitchBlade that I carry... then Fingernails. BUT, if it won't open, I use Wire Cutters on the Edges of the Air-Tite (where the coin ISN'T) and break it apart.
