Safe way to release CRT vacuum?

[Eric H]

I've whacked the neck with a hammer many times and never had a problem, they were tubes that were installed in the cabinet for the most part.

On the last tubes I had to dispose of, several shot 7JP4's, where whacking the neck isn't an option, I drilled a small hole through the Bakelite base and just kept going with the drill on low speed until I broke the nib.

Some folks punch a hole in the metal anode connector but that makes me nervous, banging on the bell of the tube in any amount is scary.

If you have a really sharp punch you can gently work the punch through the thin metal anode and release it that way.

A modern CRT should be very easy to break the nib off the base since it fairly exposed.

If it were a Fishtanker converting a vintage set the method I would recommend would be to clutch the tube tightly to their chest and jump off a tall building