How to open a carded toy without damaging the card

I thought that this might come in handy for some members who may be relatively new to toy collecting. :)

What you will need
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...psebmdoaoz.jpg
* A sharp blade, such as a hobby knife or box cutter.
* Cutters, such as tin snips or a pair of scissors.

Removing the blister
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...pstzpfwkhk.jpg
* Make an incision in the blister, a few millimetres above the card (A)
* Cut along the bottom edge of the blister all the way around (B, C)
* Remove blister (D)

Removing the toy
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...psmmehe3r3.jpg
Use snips or scissors to cut any ties holding the toy down.

top tip for combiner wars figures. the bottom right corner of the plastic has a hole you can fit the end of the blade into for the perfect cut

I'd always snip ties from the back so the toy isn't marked.... But now hasbro did away with plastic coated metal, I just use the knife to slice the toys as well as the bubble

for cards with pack in comics like the tankor in the image I would slice at the top of the book rather then the bubble and either repeat that process around the comic or remove the comic then follow the steps gokky points out, one mis-step with the knife at the top of the bubble and you have sliced the first few pages of the comic

Or you can do what I do for all the Hasbro toys I don't care about the packaging of... Cut the tape and rip it open.

I take care with Takara Tomy packaging and keep everything, but that's just cause it's cool and foreign.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sharky

for cards with pack in comics like the tankor in the image I would slice at the top of the book rather then the bubble and either repeat that process around the comic or remove the comic then follow the steps gokky points out, one mis-step with the knife at the top of the bubble and you have sliced the first few pages of the comic

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Heh, yes. I did that in the photos, but didn't describe it in text. But you're absolutely right -- if there's a pack-in comic, slice a few mm above the actual comic. :D It also leaves enough of the lower portion of the blister to hold the comic in place for vertical display. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Heh, yes. I did that in the photos, but didn't describe it in text. But you're absolutely right -- if there's a pack-in comic, slice a few mm above the actual comic. :D It also leaves enough of the lower portion of the blister to hold the comic in place for vertical display. :)

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No, he means cut the entire plastic off from the top of where the comic is when standing up the card. This is where I cut it as well, because as Sharky says, if you are cutting just the extruding bubble (which is the middle of the comic), and if the knife catches on the plastic and suddenly frees itself, you are likely to cut into the comic.
I cut along the top of the plastic portion, slide out the comic and then cut the rest off. I'd never cut mine the way they are described in those photos... it's just too risky for the comic, and the toy, and more hassle trying to cut into a rounded surface of the bubble.

Oh I see. I've never shredded any of the comics, but I can see the merit of that method if you want to eliminate the risk. :)

interesting, I use a pocket knife with a comparatively broad very sharp blade. I start at the bottom corner at the spine of the comic and cut as close to the card as I can. I remove the entire bubble with the blade sliding behind the comic the entire way around.
this removes a maximum amount of plastic and starting from behind the spine means there is very little chance of hooking a page and cutting into the comic.

I then use the scissors in the pocket knife for ties.

different strokes for different folks:D

I just wait about 20-30 years until the glue dries and the tape turns yellow. It lifts off by itself then :p