Tool to open stiff plastic covers - eg Laptop

JohnB47

Is there a specific tool available that can be used to slip under and carefully lever open plastic covers - e.g. the base of a laptop, so that minimum damage is done? I'm thinking of some sort of thin stiff plastic thing. I can't find anything when I search but there's probably a specific name for this - if such a tool exists. Thanks.

Chino

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spudger

grumpycrab

You want a flat metal spudger and - take your time, ensure you have good light, and you can see what you're doing...
e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/ACENIX-Opening-Opener-Spudger-Scraper/dp/B01EQM25JQ/

JohnB47

Excellent replies . Thanks guys. A spudger it is then.

John_Gray

If your laptop is a Lenovo, then the appropriate User Guide and/or Hardware Manual (downloadable as PDF from the Lenovo website) gives some useful diagrams of where the plastic clips are located around the four sides, and thus weher to insert your metal spudger.  Stating the obvious, you need to be patient and careful!

pbartlett

I used expired credit cards - well, this is a moneysaving site!

IvanOpinion

I use these things
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opening-Plastic-Guitar-Opener-Disassemble/dp/B075R3BHKR

PRAISETHESUN

It's worth investing in the tools if you're likely to be tinkering on an on-going basis otherwise for a one-off I'd probably suggest to keep it cheap. I also would've recommended a guitar pick, or a similarly sized small plastic object. 

vacheron

I've used a selection of old credit and loyalty cards to carefully open hard drive caddies for drive shucking before. 

Also, a decent "mobile phone toolkit" has a selection of pryers and spudgers plus other things you'll need for light duty work for that and other projects, and they're relatively inexpensive.

JohnB47

Cheers everyone -more useful advice. I've found a video showing disassembly of my actual model of laptop, so I can see what's involved. I'm planning to start at the back corners and work forward to the front. So, by the time I get to the part where any damage would be obvious, I would have honed my technique. Once I can get a finger under there, I hopefully will have quite a lot of leverage from the actual laptop base itself, meaning that minimum spudger leverage should be needed. Having done this sort of thing before, but not on a laptop, I can expect a bit of a tussle. So yes, I'll take it easy. I've now ordered a spudger set. Thanks again.

coffeehound

IvanOpinion said:

I use these things
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opening-Plastic-Guitar-Opener-Disassemble/dp/B075R3BHKR

• Plastic opening pick.Can be used for prying, sliding, separating, and air guitaring.

  


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