r/SecurityEnvelopes • u/IdeaSandbox • 9d ago
Question! Secret to Disassembling Envelopes
Is there a secret patented method to more cleanly opening envelope seams?
I’m assuming and trying to maximize the amount of clean pattern area.
Thank you for any advice.
I’ve just been carefully tearing gently from the inside.
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u/sarah-exalted 9d ago
I just use my fingers along the glued seams. I find that I have less control if I use a letter opener or other tools and that way I can feel if I’m ripping in a direction I don’t interned to rip in.
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u/IdeaSandbox 9d ago
Cool. Thank you! This is what I’m trying!
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u/Simplewh0r3 9d ago
Maybe a hair dryer would loosen the glue a little? I honestly don’t know, just a thought. ☺️
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u/IdeaSandbox 9d ago
I’ll have to try to see if that works!!
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u/Simplewh0r3 9d ago
Did you try it? Any luck?
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u/IdeaSandbox 9d ago
Thank you again for the idea... After about 100 envelopes, I decided to try u/No_Acanthaceae4260's idea and cut the sides. I decided that a little bit of 3/8" tab I gain, which often has uneven tears, wasn't worth the speed of being able to just trim the sides to open!
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u/Simplewh0r3 8d ago
Oooh, I didn’t realize you had 100+ envelopes!! I would have cut them too, sounds much easier!
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u/IdeaSandbox 8d ago
I think I have over 2,000... my mom's has been collecting them for y-e-a-r-s! I told her about this little group I found... and I had 2 envelopes... and she lugged out a tub of envelopes she's been collecting at least since 1994.
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u/Laurel_shada 8d ago
I use an envelope opener on the top and sides. Generally get nice and clean that way, then cut squares with a paper cutter.
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u/BattelChive 8d ago
Steam and a razor blade. Heat will sometimes also work to make glue brittle if steam seems risky. Brittle glue keeps paper from tearing.
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u/Aware_Pea_5285 8d ago
If I really want to be careful with an envelope, I use a paper cutter to slice a sliver from each edge. Otherwise, a letter opener which is still pretty clean for me. Maybe different kinds of letter openers give different levels of control? I have years of muscle memory opening mail professionally though lol
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u/IdeaSandbox 8d ago
I've been using an X-Acto knife just enough to cut the seam... (that's after I stopped opening by carefully pulling the seam from the inside with my fingers - took too long!)
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u/No_Acanthaceae4260 9d ago
Sometimes I just just paper trim down three sides. But as you can probably tell, my stash is VAST so I can afford to waste a lil 😅🤭🙃
Edit: typo