# I'm getting better: It only took me 15 minutes to open 6 DVD's! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182 "2007-08-28T02:20:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/1 "2007-08-28T02:20:03Z")
Why, oh why, must they make them so difficult to open? I do understand that they don’t want people to open them in the store and steal the disc inside. I do. But jeez-o-peet, should it take me 15 minutes to peel 6 DVD’s? I ask you, is that fair? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/2 "2007-08-28T02:26:21Z")
[Spend a buck](http://www.cdrdvdrmedia.com/cd-dvd-opener-jewelcase.html) and you’ll have those six DVD’s opened in about a minute and a half. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/3 "2007-08-28T02:30:04Z")
Well, whaddaya know? Thanks, **Hal**! (Maybe I can find one at Best Buy, .99 cents is a great deal, but $6.73 for shipping seems a bit much.) ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/4 "2007-08-28T02:33:09Z")
Just take a knife and slide the blade between the opening on the three sides where the two sides of the case meet, easy as pie. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/5 "2007-08-28T02:33:24Z")
6 DVDs in 15 minutes…that’s about two and half minutes per… Yeah, you’re quicker than me. I hate the dang things. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/6 "2007-08-28T02:55:01Z")
[QUOTE=pool] Just take a knife and slide the blade between the opening on the three sides where the two sides of the case meet, easy as pie. [/QUOTE] I \<3 my pocketknife for this very reason. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/7 "2007-08-28T11:00:53Z")
Another fine packaging effort from Bastards Incorporated. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/8 "2007-08-28T11:57:13Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] [Spend a buck](http://www.cdrdvdrmedia.com/cd-dvd-opener-jewelcase.html) and you’ll have those six DVD’s opened in about a minute and a half. [/QUOTE] Some clerk used one of those on some CDs we bought once. Scored the hell out of the jewel case. I’ll never buy one. I just run my fingernail along the front “hinge” until the plastic opens up. Easy peasy. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/9 "2007-08-28T11:59:37Z")
Knifes are fine tools. Hijack for Hal. You have only 7,499 posts. Someone else in your office has one. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/10 "2007-08-28T13:12:26Z")
I was using a letter opener. It’s just that there’s the plastic outer wrapper, and _three_ sides of that sticky ass stuff to seal the edges. It takes forever. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-getting-better-it-only-took-me-15-minutes-to-open-6-dvds/417182/11 "2007-08-28T14:42:51Z")
I found a thing in an old toolbox that works like a charm. It looks a bit like that hook that your dentist uses to scrape your teeth, but the “hook” part is much smaller. My technique is basically: insert hook under a corner of the plastic wrap and drag across. That’ll tear it off, or at least create a large enough opening to tear it off manually. For the stickers, slip the hook under the edge at the seam where the two edges of the clamshell case meet, since there’s a tiny space there. Drag or pry with the hook. Sticker comes off easily. Then, on to the inside. I hate those plastic security tag things they put inside. So, I stick the hook in one side, slide the tool almost to the opposite end, and pry upward with the blunt shaft. Peels the whole thing off effortlessly. And presto! One unwrapped and de-tagged DVD in 20-30 seconds.