Cracking Holders

[RI AL]

Great photo, Hayden Tubbs. Is THAT the magic method to cracking those darned SEGS slabs???

[RI AL]

MY PCI slab today met its maker. It was my first attempt at "the deed". I took a vice grip to one corner and a pliers to the diagonal corner. One moderate twist with the vice grip and poof...PCI was no more. But...I like the vice idea better so that will be my next approach. The PCI made such a satisfying snapping sound.

[MorganMan]

I will still do the Dremel cutting disc about 1/8" into all sides. Then a light pop open with a small screwdriver at the TOP edge away from the coin.

 

I cringe at the thought of a hammer whack, the slab cracks in the middle and coin and holder go flying out on the floor.

 

Dremel only takes about 2 minutes to go around the edge.

 

Never tried the vise, but mine is up in my shop. My slab cracking is usually on cold, rainy nights. Not a walk I want to make to the shop.

 

One reminder for any of these ideas: SAFETY GLASSES

 

MM

[Brando]

Great Idea MorganMan...never would have thought of that.

[MikeKing]

I think I will have to follow James's advice. I live in Boston downtown and don't have a workshop or vice or anything like that. What I do have is a nice big framing hammer that I use to use when I lived in Colorado.

 

Thanks everyone for your advice

 

Winston

 

 

interesting how posts can revive out of nowhere

 

which makes me think...

 

Winston....why would you even need a vise?

[Coindude]

Personally, I use a small vice. I put the coin in... vice only has to open less than 1/2 inch. I use a hacksaw to cut under the label below the partition. Rotate the slab and make another cut and so on..... after 4 cuts you're done, takes less than 5 minutes. Make sure to leave yourself plenty of margin... of course if you're going to do a silver dollar, there's not much room for error. I've never managed to cut into a coin... yet! Anyhow, after you make the cuts it pretty much falls apart. I think I might try James' method as well. It sounds safe enough, but I'll try it with a cheap coin.

[IGWT]

[Coindude]

You know, I tried using a jig saw... figured it would speed things up... it did... well, at least it cut through the plastic quicker... so fast in fact that it melted the plastic back together! Back to the hacksaw!

[WinstonWare]

I think I will have to follow James's advice. I live in Boston downtown and don't have a workshop or vice or anything like that. What I do have is a nice big framing hammer that I use to use when I lived in Colorado.

Thanks everyone for your advice

Winston

interesting how posts can revive out of nowhere

which makes me think...

Winston....why would you even need a vise?

 

Yeah it is funny how threads can come back. My situation is actually different now. I live in a house outside of Boston and I do have a vise. I still use that framing hammer though

[RareSov]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf6nyVmuHvg

 

The bolt cutters method. Looks easy and effective (for PCGS holders only)