charisstoma

They used that thick paper tape that has diagonal fibers in it especially for boxes with heavy things like large quantities of books in them. And they did the hospital corner type of bedsheet folding of the tape on the corners of the boxes so I couldn't get the scissors under it to snip my way through. The boxes had been crunched so that the edges were softly springing and that tape held like it was part of the box itself.
Should have just rousted out the actual box cutter from the backroom. It was one of those 'I'm an idiot moments'.