How to Crack open a Slab ?

I would leave it as is for novelty sake, unless you want to put it in an album.

 

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I vividly recall, shortly after PCGS started up and thereafter, the sounds one could occasionally hear at the big coin shows...the "crack" of the hammer slamming the edge of the slab, sometimes followed up by the "bing" and then $X#%&#!!!! as the gold coin bounced off the table and onto the bourse floor...

 

Grading Services have used Slabs with different formulations over the years, some with a brittle nature, and some more pliable, so that one's appraoch to "cracking it open" may yield different results of effectiveness, with different levels of effort required. Some Slabs that were not effectively sonically welded will part at the Seam with little effort, leaving two halves that don't show much, if any damage. Some Slabs that are completely welded, and/or more pliable in nature, will be a bitch to open without twisting the ends back-and-forth, and some will splinter or suddenly fracture sending (sharp) shards of the Slab flying.

After some trial-and-error using some of the aforementioned methods, I have settled on the following method which has yielded good, repeatable results, without damaging either the coin, Insert, or Label:

First, wear Safety Glasses or your regular Prescription Glasses to protect your eyes. Second, wear leather gloves or heavy duty rubber gloves while holding the Slab, again, because plastic shards can be sharp and if you don't wear protection the sudden giving-away of the Slab pieces can pinch your skin or even penetrate it. Third, use a 7 inch or longer pair of Vise Grips; using Vise Grips allows you to adjust the spacing of its Jaws so that squeezing the Handles together just causes enough of a closing movement to sufficient force to the surface--but not too much. Fourth, with the Handles of the Vise Grips in the Locked Position, turn the Adjusting Screw so that the Jaws open just slightly wider than the thickness of the Slab at its Corner, then position the open Jaws so that they overlap the Weld Seam (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide, depending upon the manufacturer) then turn the Adjusting Screw CW until the Jaws contact the Slab, then STOP. Open the Jaws by actuating the Handle Release, and then turn the Adjusting Screw 1/2 turn CW, and then grasping the Slab in your free hand squeeze the handles together over the Slab Corner until they lock--observe if the plastic at the corner has deformed or split at all. If it has, that adjustment can be used at the remaining 3 Corners, or around the periphery, until the Slab has parted enough for you to safely extract its contents. If there isn't enough "cracking" from the first setting, open the Jaws and turn the Adjusting Screw by 1/4 turn CW until you achieve the desired result.

 

In my older age I've forgotten now/then to add the following instructions to my submissions: DO NOT HOLDER (slab) IF NOT A STRAIGHT GRADE...and so have inadvertently received a few back in "details" slabs for one invisible/ridiculous/subjective reason or another for my grading fee, and so I crack those out using a 2-lb. sledge on an older/clean towel on concrete. I use a concrete porch step to avoid bending over/down very far, or on a cinder block on any rigid supportive surface. Hold the slab up on an edge, either upright or on its side on towel and strike down on a corner/edge...suggest wearing safety glasses and a thicker leather-like glove on the hand holding the slab...usually one or two light-moderate blows on a top corner/edge is enough to crack it...never any damage to coins and can just pry/pull apart the pieces enough to carefully remove the coin (mine have always come out still secured in the rings) and shake towel out over/into trash can. Fast and convenient for those without more sophisticated tools readily available or batteries, cords, et al...also no tiny/fine saw/plastic dust. Save the rings...some will fit other caps/holders.

 

I would only do that with their "quick release" slabs from ca. 2005 that have the rounded edge. Everything else gets stood on edge on a concrete floor and whacked with a hammer.

 

Leave it be.

 

I've heard of using one of these tools, just went to the shop and grabbed one tonight for the first time...definitely prefer this to the hammer method...man they really work slick...at least on this brand, and they have a rep for being a tough slab.

I like my well circulated bust halves unslabbed, thank you.

 

Yup, the easiest, safest, quickest way to open a slab. Learned about it from dealers at shows. Have seen dealers that don't have a pair borrowing them from dealers that do. Picture below is of my end nippers. German-made and about $25 on Amazon. Can get cheaper Chinese-made nippers.

Cal

 

I agree, end cutters are the way to go. I make a cut about midway along each long side of the holder, then (usually) I can pull apart the top and bottom halves. Taking your time and not being impatient is key