PSA New Slabs

[Spacemanspif]

Has anyone else noticed the new slabs they’ve been putting out? I got a sub back last week that felt heavier and “softer” than the old ones.

I weighed a stack of 10 cards in the new slabs and it came at 19.8oz, 10 old slabs were 15.8oz. I say “softer” because they also make a different sound when I tap my fingernails on them which I feel like is going to be less brittle (and therefore harder to crack

Any thoughts on the new slabs, assuming they’re using them for all submissions now?

[thenightman]

I heard they’re harder to crack.

[inaka]

Yup, it's a much softer type of plastic.
In the past, with the old PSA slabs, I would use a tile nipper to "crack" off the corners where the label is, and then crack it back.

Now, tile nippers don't work well, but wire cutters do. So I use wire cutters to cut off the top corners of the softer plastic and then "peel" back the rest of the slab.

hard to explain, but the bottom line is that I found simple wire cutters work better than tile nippers, since the teeth of tile nippers never really touch when fully closed and now you need them to cut the corners rather than cracking the corners.

[thenightman]

Originally Posted by inaka

Yup, it's a much softer type of plastic.
In the past, with the old PSA slabs, I would use a tile nipper to "crack" off the corners where the label is, and then crack it back.

Now, tile nippers don't work well, but wire cutters do. So I use wire cutters to cut off the top corners of the softer plastic and then "peel" back the rest of the slab.

hard to explain, but the bottom line is that I found simple wire cutters work better than tile nippers, since the teeth of tile nippers never really touch when fully closed and now you need them to cut the corners rather than cracking the corners.

I've always used wire cutters, so I'm happy to hear that those still work.

[PooleParty]

i cracked one today and it was a bitch to crack.

[waytoomanycards]

Most of mine have been the old type whether they came from NJ or CA. Haven't figured out a rhyme or reason why some are new and some are old.

[learning]

Most of mine from Jersey have been the the heavier slabs, I'm pretty sure all from CA have been the older "normal" slabs

[Ehawk89]

I wanna say my red pmg Caufield got put in one of these slabs. I had a red pmg Lucas Raymond in the same order that got put in a older slab. The new slab definitely was a better fit for pmgs cause the card doesn't move around in the slab like upper deck cards tend to do.

[WYTMKE]

I figured out how to crack them fairly easy
there is a lip all the way around the new slab if you just peel that back or break it off all the way around they pop right open for the most part

[thenightman]

Holy crap, tried to crack a slab that contained a thicker card. I was finally able to do it, but it took awhile. Made cracking their thinner slabs feel like breaking tissue paper by comparison.

[messier2]

What's the best way to tell a new slab vs. an old slab (other than tapping with your fingernails)?

[JustRachel]

Originally Posted by messier2

What's the best way to tell a new slab vs. an old slab (other than tapping with your fingernails)?

New slab, old slab, whatever grading company...stick that thang in a vise with just the upper corner sticking up and whack that corner with a hammer.

Screwdriver (or butter knife) from there.

Same as it ever was.

[messier2]

Originally Posted by JustRachel

New slab, old slab, whatever grading company...stick that thang in a vise with just the upper corner sticking up and whack that corner with a hammer.

Screwdriver (or butter knife) from there.

Same as it ever was.

Lol, not looking to crack one. Just wanting to know how to tell the difference!

[Goldie]

Originally Posted by JustRachel

New slab, old slab, whatever grading company...stick that thang in a vise with just the upper corner sticking up and whack that corner with a hammer.

Screwdriver (or butter knife) from there.

Same as it ever was.

I cracked two slabs a few months ago. One was no problem. The other took fifteen minutes. The issue is that once you get the corner off it doesn't matter - it doesn't "pry" open anymore. I had to snip the edge off all around, and even then it was dicey.