I am not a weakling!

Fifty pound bags of chicken feed, lifting small farm equipment, and heaving about large limbs are no problem for me. Then why, oh why, can't I open a jar of pickles?
I don't consider myself a weakling, but opening jars, getting the shrink-wrap off cheeses and other food stuffs, and even trying to get the toilet cleaner squeeze bottle open (yes, I do occasionally clean the bathroom!) is becoming more and more difficult. I think the airline industry is expanding their product line to include shrink wraps and glues, in addition to airplane wings.
Is anyone else experiencing difficulty getting bottles, cartons, and other containers open?
Excuse me, I need to go sweep up the flour that spilled when I tried to open a new bag .

 

Jane, I too, carry 50# bags of grain and work outside doing very strenuous work at times and am not a whimp, but I agree packaging materials are becoming harder to open. I think (just my opinion) that after attending some food safety courses in Jan. at the growers convention that maybe this is in response to consumer safety to keep the packaging tamper resistant and not have too many returned from the store or written off as damaged or loss. Have you noticed the vegetables are coming more and more already packaged in wrappers that you cannot open at the store. They must be cut open. No one can open the bag touch the food and reclose the bag and leave it there if they don't want it. Who knows where their hands have been? we are not only becoming a germaphobe society we also have to watch out for malicious and intentional intent to make others sick. I often do worry a little about this as a seller at my markets. (not the intentional, but the unintentional germ carriers).

 

I was trying to open a bag of grated cheese yesterday. It said, "cut here." So, I did. It didn't open to the zip lock part. So I cut it a little more. I guess you know I cut it so many times there was no zip lock left. I had to put it into another bag. Mostly I hand bottles and jars to dr to open.

dooley

 

Well, I hate to brag - But my hands are as precise as a watchmaker. I have been tinkering with very small electronic components since childhood, and have been making very tiny PCBs (printed circuit boards) with my own hands.

However, what I can't do, is crack open an egg with one hand (as my mother could easily do, with considerable speed). Actually, I can't even crack open an egg with 2 hands either - It's just something I am totally incapable of doing, (I really end up making a mess)...

I know my hand and fingers are very precise, but seriously, this cracking open an egg stuff is something that simply just cannot happen with me - No matter how hard I try!

But as for a packaging, yes, I too have noticed that things are getting a bit hard to open - Only I didn't realize (until now) how other people in different parts of the world are also experiencing the same thing... I think it's all got to do with the arrival of the new and cheap Chinese build packaging machines. They all seem of have a different standard of packaging rigidity.

Actually, come to think of it - I have noticed that whenever any company gets that ISO-9000 stamp on it's product. Is the exact moment from where opening their packaging becomes a headache. Still, I have no serious problems (as I'm a machete wielding doomsday prepper)

But for other normal people, I highly recommend a small knife or a scissor that one can wear as a necklace - Take these small new arrivals from Victorinox (makers of the famous Swiss Army Knives).

http://www.victorinox.com/ch/category/C ... 123&m=add&

Of course, one can easily find knockoffs like it all over the place (which will be a lot cheaper too). And some are not bad at all when it comes quality and functionality.

 

I broke down and bought a jar opener. Works like a champ. Simple plastic grip that goes over the edge of the lid, you grip and twist. Wonderful! I've given up on opening plastic bags for frozen foods and luncheon meats at the zip lockr (much to the chagrin of my hubby). Two months ago after the last ziplock refused to part where it was supposed I went back to the old-fashioned way. I now just pick a corner or side and use the scissors for a clean cut. I reseal with plastic clothes pins bought just for that purpose. A little tuck, roll and pin works great and seals up a whole lot easier than the suggested "zip lock".

I guess the next purchase will be the special tool I've seen advertised for opening hard plastic packaging. I have broken more scissors, come so close to wounding myself with knife and utility blade, been so frustrated and taken a huge amount of time trying to get something out of that type of packaging without breaking what is in it :-x What the heck is the reason for using that heavy melted on plastic?

 

I was intrigued by your description but when I went to the link it had expired or something, I couldn't find what you were talking about. Do you have another link?

Regarding the topic being discussed, yeah I have trouble opening things too. I have scissors in every room, and in my car, so that I can more easily slice through whatever it is I'm trying to open.

But by far the hardest thing for me is jar caps and bottle caps. I've become more and more gripless the older I've gotten. I just can't manage to exert both the pressure and the torque needed to open those things easily, not like I used to.

So along with the scissors, I have those plastic gripper things everywhere too, including in my car. My bottles of water that I take with me everywhere are sometimes impossible to open. I'm considering even carrying those plastic gripper things in my purse, so I'm never without!

 

Frank, the butter knife pry works well. So does gently tapping the side of the lid all around with the hilt of the knife, or running hot water over the lid.
What I really hate is struggling to get a jar lid off, and then realizing there is a plastic shrink-wrap band around it! I dislike feeling both weak and dumb .

 

How I get jar open. Dh if you want pickles on your sandwich-open it. Not here use rubber mess oven -mit

 

lid opener

Need I say more??? I love mine. I have used it for about 6 years now. It sits in my pantry next to my real can opener on my microwave. It's good.....

 

I can relate! I also haul big bags of horse fodder, heavy hay bales and bags of sawdust, dirt bags, bark chip bags and water cans all over the place, but lids and plastic wrappers are a problem. Luckily my husband is thoughtful. We've got some circular rubber whatchamacallits to wrap around lids. It gives me a good grip. If that doesn't work we've got a lid opener with plastic handles too.

Your lid opener looks like a very handy tool waretrop.

 

I have a jar opener also Barb. It works great. But I still can't open a prescription bottle. Once I get a child proof bottle open the cover goes back on upside down.

Jewell - I do the clothes pin thing to. Much easier then zip lock bags.

 

For a snack i go for a tin of Sardines,..i have to use all my strength to start the cover,..pulling the ring by way of a finger is hopeless,..so i resort to a screw driver as a lever,.. but milk cartons,..to start the seal a pliers is a must,..my neighbor who is nearly 86 constantly calls me to open bleach and medicine bottles,..in particular the child proof types,..

 

I don't know, the link seems to be working fine for me... However, this thing should be of an interest to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amy7Z-p618E

Of course, for crazy doomsday preppers like me, this is a great tool too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b60OZhrTB6o



The Chinese military shovel 2 ( photo / image / picture from S-H's Garden )


The Chinese military shovel 1 ( photo / image / picture from S-H's Garden )