What is that stuff???

[rcooled]

I went to cut up and dispose of a duplicate credit card today and found that not only wouldn't sharp kitchen scissors cut it, neither would a quality pair of 9" metal shears. I think I'd need a power tool to cut this card completely in half. There's a .010" sheet of polished metal laminated into it that seems much harder to cut into than it should be.

Anyone know what's inside these cards that makes them so difficult to cut up?

[stevej37]

Dunno...maybe a built-in RFID protection?

[herr_oberst]

It's a reciever-transmitter. All your information from your electronics, phone, computer, Alexa, shopping, any other cc chips in your proximity (friends, workers, neighbors) etc. is downloaded to your personal chip. Then, balloons pass overhead, reads the chip, and simultaneously downloads instructions for you to follow.

[stevej37]

^^^ thank gawd they finally shot it down.

[wildthing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6av8RV5o-Xs

I have had some luck shredding my old cards. My shredder pamphlet claims it can do up to two cards at a time.

[porsche930dude]

probably stainless its quite hard to cut with shears

[stomachmonkey]

The Apple card is a 90/10 Titanium/Aluminum alloy.

You'll need to bust out the cutting torch for that one.

[MBAtarga]

It's somewhat of a "status symbol" to have one of those heavier metallic cards.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

It's somewhat of a "status symbol" to have one of those heavier metallic cards.

It is?

I was wondering why the cards are made of such durable stuff. Mine are all just plastic. My shredder just gobbles them up when I get a replacement card after one expires.

The new cards don't have nay embossed numbers so I guess the olden days of "crunching" a card is over. Why do they make cards almost indestructible?

Is it because more and more people don't carry a wallet, just the credit card, cell phone and driver's license?

My wallet is the Bando slim wallet, and the credit cards are held in a slot that do bend them a little when they are in my pocket. I have had the plastic ones crack and I had to get my CC company mail a new one to me. Maybe they are having to replace too many cards.

It would be interesting to learn what the real reason for indestructible card is.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

It's a reciever-transmitter. All your information from your electronics, phone, computer, Alexa, shopping, any other cc chips in your proximity (friends, workers, neighbors) etc. is downloaded to your personal chip. Then, balloons pass overhead, reads the chip, and simultaneously downloads instructions for you to follow.

And that data automatically uploads to Facebook, Amazon, Google, China, Russia, the NSA, and, most importantly, Walmart.

[masraum]

My guess is that the strip in the card is part of the RFID "chip" system (probably the antenna).

The chip that's very visible in most cards these days that's reminiscent of the old cell phone SIM chips is not the RFID chip.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

The Apple card is a 90/10 Titanium/Aluminum alloy.

You'll need to bust out the cutting torch for that one.

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

It's somewhat of a "status symbol" to have one of those heavier metallic cards.

I think the most exclusive is supposed to be the Amex Centurion which requires that a minimum of $100k/yr is charged, has a $5000/yr fee, and is by invitation only.

I think most of the rest of the normal metal cards have yearly fees in the $250-1000 range.

[GH85Carrera]

Count me out of the pay to have a credit card club. No freaking way.

My card is 100% free to me, and I get cash back on the money I spend. I pay the statement balance automatically with a bank draft on the day it is due. In the last decade my credit card company has only made them money off of the vendors with the transaction fee, not from me and my cost has been zero. I don't care one wit to impress anyone with a credit card. Not my style. I could pay for my original house with the credit limit on either of my cards, who does that impress. Yep, no one.

My business partner has talked some about the guy he used to fly around in the clients King Air. He said they would fly to NYC, and pay many thousands for fuel, and hangar storage, have a limo take them into NYC and rent several rooms at a posh hotel, then fly everyone to Cancun for a week at a high end resort, and it all went on the card. Yea, someone like that needs a unlimited limit and might spend 100K per month. They are out there. I will just read about that lifestyle.

[rcooled]

Thanks for the input...even the ones in green

Originally Posted by masraum

My guess is that the strip in the card is part of the RFID "chip" system (probably the antenna).

The material embedded in the card is one continuous sheet that's almost the size of the card itself, not just a loop around the perimeter.

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I was wondering why the cards are made of such durable stuff. Mine are all just plastic. My shredder just gobbles them up...

Up 'till now, so were mine...always just cut them up with a pair of scissors. I was hesitant to put this card thru the shredder...thought maybe it would jam it.

[pwd72s]

Vise...hacksaw.

[NutmegCarrera]

When you get a new one, they send you an envelope so you can send the old one back.
Seems like about the easiest path.
...and the company that I get mine through reimburses the annual fee. I wouldn't pay for it either.