Author Topic: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?  (Read 6198 times)

Offline evjo

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How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« on: June 23, 2016, 01:51:41 PM »
Just wondering what others do to open letters from pen friends in a way that causes the least damage to the envelope.  Do you try to undo the flap?  Do you slit the fold of the flat with a knife or letter opener?  Do you cut the envelope on the side the way some people do with bills?  Or  >:( do you make a mess of it and rip the envelope and swear and feel like an idiot like I just did?
Ev

Offline NikkiB

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2016, 02:50:35 PM »
I use a knife to slit open the top, but sometimes I miss the beautiful envelope liner that way  :'(
Nikki x

Offline Inked botanicals

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2016, 03:45:02 PM »
I use a letter opener. Unless the envelope comes in a way that is easier to open: washi tape, inside a cello bag... But if it gives any kind of resistance I use the letter opener to avoid the "making a mess and feel like an idiot" thing. Anyway, I always open my letters a little scared of rip something apart because of getting the opener too deep or something. So I end taking way too long opening it, and my father saying "come onnnn open it open it what is it what is it!!!"
Alba.

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Offline AndyT

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2016, 04:39:36 PM »
I use a letter opener.

So do I, except when it's his day off.   ::)


Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2016, 06:34:59 PM »
Letter opener, of which I have a small collection. Of the two at my desk, this is my favorite--made by my grandfather in France in WWI.

Offline Suzie L

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2016, 10:29:41 PM »
I use a letter opener.

So do I, except when it's his day off.   ::)

HA!! ;D

Offline Inked botanicals

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2016, 06:59:06 AM »
Letter opener, of which I have a small collection. Of the two at my desk, this is my favorite--made by my grandfather in France in WWI.

Wow! No wonder why it is your favorite!

I use a letter opener.

So do I, except when it's his day off.   ::)



This one is mine. I bought it last year at an antiques and second hand fair, from a german seller. It does not have a day off (I am quite tyrannic with my stationery), but it is a rebel and sometimes it hides to avoid work.
Alba.

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Offline ekeyart

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2016, 03:06:39 PM »
I cut a very thin strip either from the top, bottom or sides (depending on the design that has been done on the envelope) with scissors after I've tapped it on the desktop (about 20 times!!) so I don't cut anything inside ;)

Elayne x
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Offline Bianca M

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2016, 06:27:30 PM »
Verrrrryyyyy slowly... I try to get the flaps up, just in case there's an interesting liner, and sometimes it's just a very slow process.  If needed, I'll very carefully slide a bone folder along the adhesive.  But, sometimes people really glue that stuff closed, and then I just slit open the top.

Offline Sandy_Odom

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2016, 08:07:57 PM »
I usually cut a very thin strip on the side.  If you use a glue stick to seal your envelope instead of licking, it will open without tearing up the envelope.  I learned that little trick working at The University of Texas System for 25 years.  Mailed out thousands of invitations over the years.

Offline Gabby10109

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2016, 10:59:18 PM »
I open my letters very slowly also! If anyone knows where I can find a beautiful vintage or modern/ minimalistic letter opener, please let me know! I've been dying to get one ❤️

Offline Elisabeth_M

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2016, 06:37:24 AM »
Letter opener, of which I have a small collection. Of the two at my desk, this is my favorite--made by my grandfather in France in WWI.

What an amazing heirloom!  I have heard of trench art but never knew anyone who had a piece made by a family member (maybe because the US came into the war so late?).  Do you know what the blade part is made of?
Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.  --Carl Sagan

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Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2016, 04:54:07 PM »
Letter opener, of which I have a small collection. Of the two at my desk, this is my favorite--made by my grandfather in France in WWI.

What an amazing heirloom!  I have heard of trench art but never knew anyone who had a piece made by a family member (maybe because the US came into the war so late?).  Do you know what the blade part is made of?
The blade is made of copper from a larger shell casing. The bullet is copper jacketed lead. The casing here is brass. (Not to worry, the cartridge is spent, not live. There is a dimple in the bottom of the casing where the firing pin ignited the original powder.)
He also brought back two large casings from artillery shells (probably from a field cannon) and made lamps out of them, which I have. Serious firepower.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2016, 05:01:21 PM by AnasaziWrites »

Offline Elisabeth_M

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2016, 07:04:04 PM »
I usually cut a very thin strip on the side.  If you use a glue stick to seal your envelope instead of licking, it will open without tearing up the envelope.  I learned that little trick working at The University of Texas System for 25 years.  Mailed out thousands of invitations over the years.

This needs to be a PSA broadcast to every mail artist.  :)

For opening letters, I either try to be really, really careful or I use a letter opener.
Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.  --Carl Sagan

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Offline handmadeletters

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Re: How do you open the beautiful snail mail you receive?
« Reply #14 on: July 13, 2016, 08:22:01 AM »
This is a really fun thread. These are the things I use to open my letters.

Back in the 70's when my father took over a small doctor's practice in Glassport, PA, the retiring doctor gave the letter opener to my mother. It's severely dulled, a little bent at the tip, but I still use it.

The Xacto knife comes in handy with those thicker envelope papers. I usually start at the top, but if there's resistance from a liner, I open the letter on the side. It's not easy to open up those flaps with beautiful liners. I'm sure there are many guests who tear into wedding invites without realizing the care that went into lining the envelope.