I have a feeling that some >15kV jolts are in play here. Washing hands before handling electronics can significantly reduce erratic behaviors from static charges and of course a grounding strap is best. If you touch anything on a laptop or the metal on a desktop before handling ICs, you will notice a difference. I remember when I was 14 and took out a whole set of 640kB DRAM DIPs (later tested ever chip, not one survivor) but not holding onto a plugged in case. Worked a while in the NW and I could nearly comb my hair with DRAM DIPs.