Excellent point!

I hate this stuff.

I imagine everyone here has a ritual for trying to deal with the packaging. Mine involves a very sharp knife (thereby scaring the materials into submission) and includes slitting the S/B (sticky/brittle) piece down the middle and peeling it off in two pieces.

My favorite packaging is the gorgeous heavily lacquered cases used by Hesp

Thieves actually go into stores with slivers of razor blades taped to their finger tips. Female versions of same/said shoplifter, many times have sharpened their nails to perfection.

They then slide this razor edge down the side of the case..and slip the given CD, DVD, etc, out of the jewel case, all while the whole thing is still in the rack. This is done with one hand. Then the disc is slipped into a pocket, etc. Some do it in teams. I've seen teams of teenage girls being headed by a older woman, who (the younger girls, or guys, depends on the crew) lambaste a given sales person or group to distract, while the thieving is done away from them.

The designs in use now are to thwart thieving. However difficult it may be to do so, thieving is very prevalent.

Your desire to get a disc cleanly out of a case is secondary to preventing loss of store stock.

Not until many years into my CD purchasing did I notice the little triangles on the corners of the cd made by the plastic wrap on the outside. I usually go for those first in order to get that off. If that doesn't work, I pull out the closest sharp thing I have--generally my keys. That usually doesn't work, and I end up scratching the jewel case. This is followed by me clawing at the plastic and not getting any progress. Finally, I'll make a little tear and slowly work my way through it.

Once the plastic is off, the sticky brittle stuff is next. Fortunately, I was taught an excellent method to remove this, but you have to be careful. Simply try and open the cd with it still on there. What will happen is the two halves of the jewel case will come apart. If done correctly, nothing will break and you cans simply remove the sticky stuff from there. You can then put the two halves back together neatly. Its way easier this way than pulling out another sharp object.

On a side note, I really love the cd packaging that are not jewel cases, but instead the more papery/plastic material. A bunch of Grateful Dead Reissues were done in this manner. The booklet is then contained within the case. The paper feels incredible, and you don't have the issue of scratching up the jewel case, or even worse, it cracking.

This thing works GREAT! I give them out to people, use it all the time. End the frustration, broken cases. Doesn't do SACD super case though. http://www.cdconnection.com/details/CD_Stripper__CD_Stripper/32241?source=gstrip2

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End the frustration, broken cases.

Broken cases?!

How did you get the plastic wrapper off before using this stripper that broke the case?

The wrapper is quick and easy. It's the little plastic strip that's annoying. Too bad the stripper doesn't get it, too.

I use a razor blade to slice along the edge of the jewel case. That cuts through the plastic and the little strip, making everything just slide right off.

I'm not that patient. I need to open the CD the second I walk out of the store, so I can put it on in the car (when not in NY.) Unfortunately, I'm usually not carrying around a boxcutter.

I have a small, retractable blade on my keychain. If you're really from NY, you should have one too.

I have an opening technique that gives me minimal headaches.

First, off with the plastic...that's so easy, anyone can do it.

Then, holding the CD so that I'm looking at the front label, I lift the bottom "hinge" of the CD case and flip the cover up, so it is now above the the bottom of the CD case.

Then, I just separate the two pieces so that the tape goes with the top piece. The, zip, off comes the whole piece of tape and I reattach the hinges to the case.

Takes around 4-5 seconds.

Clever, Buddha.

I like.

I use a blow torch. I haven't heard any new music in while.

BTW, Buddah has it right.

Quote:
I have an opening technique that gives me minimal headaches.

First, off with the plastic...that's so easy, anyone can do it.

Then, holding the CD so that I'm looking at the front label, I lift the bottom "hinge" of the CD case and flip the cover up, so it is now above the the bottom of the CD case.

Then, I just separate the two pieces so that the tape goes with the top piece. The, zip, off comes the whole piece of tape and I reattach the hinges to the case.

Takes around 4-5 seconds.

AFTER SLICING THE PLASTIC WRAP WITH MY SWITCHBLADE:

I also use buddha's method of opening from the bottom but I don't remove the tape.

I rip the CD, put it back, shrink wrap it and return it to the store for a full refund. Or, I give them as Xmas presents, but only rarely, because I am far too cheap to pass up the refund.

Disclaimer: the above is a joke, please don't call the FBI.