• RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    FWIW may I suggest these:

    They’re called “strap wrenches” and are used in plumbing or automotive work among other things.

    Lots of the suggestions here require grip strength, and that is tough for people who are elderly, arthritic, or just don’t have it. The “toothed” opening assist devices slip, and require strength to hold it against the toothed surface and twist the jar.

    The strap wrenches can be levered against each other, grip harder the more pressure is applied, and can be “pushed” together vs needing grip strength. My 78 year old MIL uses these just fine. A pair can be bought for less than $20.

    • Zanathos@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I just lightly tap the lid with a knife around all edges, side and top. Even if making small indentations, the vibrations separate the lid from the jar. Works every time.

      • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Yes, that does work. It’s not the vibration, the dents change the contact surface pressure of the seal by making it uneven. That makes less surface to fight against.

        I was trying to offer an alternative to something that might chip or break glass. Small odds that it will happen, but it could. I’ve probably only ever had 2 jars chip in a lifetime.

  • renzhexiangjiao@piefed.blahaj.zone
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    3 days ago

    most people think opening a jar requires installing JRE. but this is actually false, as jars are simply zip files in disguise, so you can open them using a file archiver of your choice, such as 7zip or winrar

  • Fleur_@aussie.zone
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    2 days ago

    I feel like I need to start going out onto street corners and yelling at people who walk by “YOU CAN SQUEEZE A BUTTERKNIFE BETWEEN THE LID AND THE GLASS AND INSTANTLY BREAK THE PRESSURE SEAL! IT WILL OPEN AS IF IT HAD ALREADY BEEN OPENED. YOU DONT NEED A SPECIALISED TOOL OR A GYM MEMBERSHIP!!”

    • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Warming the lid under hot tap water, and gripping it with a hand towel when opening so it isn’t slippery, will also open it much more easily without the risk of chipping glass or damaging lids for something that might need re-closing like pickles vs one-time use like pasta sauce.

      Or you can buy a pair of “strap wrenches” used in automotive and plumbing work, for less than $20. I suggest these instead of other kitchen aid devices because many of the made-for-kitchen ones are shit. My elderly MIL uses these all the time.

    • unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz
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      2 days ago

      Oh no that might imperceptibly alter the shape of the butterknife AND the lid and then we’re in a real situation, such as which there’s not a fucking question

  • NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone
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    2 days ago

    If you can get the flat of a knife into the screw thread it’ll break the air seal and the lid will come off much more easily then.

  • Oka@sopuli.xyz
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    3 days ago

    Im using this

    Im Agender AMAB, getting called a man feels like being stabbed with a fork

    • Victor@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Honestly there’s no reason why we need gender in our language anymore other than to describe someone’s appearance for the sake of recognition (say if someone goes missing or is wanted for a crime).

      Let’s normalize describing people by their attributes and qualities.

      “I need help from someone strong here.” That’s really what they needed.

      Assigning typical qualities to genders is just stupid.

      • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
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        3 days ago

        “I need help from someone strong here.” That’s really what they needed.

        Offtopic-ish, but a couple of years ago, I couldn’t open a jar, so it said “ugh, I’m going to need a tool for this”. Then my then-boyfriemd walks by, opens it and goes “you’re welcome”. I had to explain why I was laughing so hard.

        I still tease my now-husband with that every time I need a hand.

      • Taleya@aussie.zone
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        2 days ago

        Legit, i just sing out who’s feeling beefy / tall / delicate-fingered / whatever is required for the task at hand. It’s not hard.

      • [object Object]@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        You can also genuinely say “I need help from a lefty”. Because applying torque counterclockwise is easier with the left hand, wherein the base of the strong thumb is doing the work.

        • Victor@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          I need someone who can open this jar

          if you wanna get really specific I guess 😄

    • Victor@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Yep, pulling elbows apart muscles are stronger than pressing palms together muscles. 👍

    • Elting@piefed.social
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      2 days ago

      Just wack the edge a couple times with the back of a butter knife and the lid will come right off

      • morbidcactus@lemmy.ca
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        2 days ago

        If it’s really bad (sometimes you just can’t get a good grip), you can break the seal by pushing the lid up or prying a bit, there’s tools that do just that, I’m totally guilty of leveraging it a bit with a crappy butter knife.

        • rumschlumpel@feddit.org
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          2 days ago

          Or just puncture the lid. Makes the open-and-closed-again jar spoil much faster than without the hole, but I’d assume that bending it out of shape probably has the same effect.

          • [object Object]@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            If you’re lifting the edge up, it’s gonna spring back at least somewhat afterwards. And the thread is still there to do most of the holding the lid in place.

      • EtherWhack@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        It actually works better as there is more available strength in the arm to twist something counterclockwise with the left hand.

        I swear this is one of the factors of why left-handed people tend to gravitate toward mechanics or engineering. As you could take things apart a lot easier and therefore lower the threshold to learn how something was made

      • RisingSwell@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        I used to, but now I have an old twisty thing that just crushes the lid as a grip. Works on things from bigger than my palm down to drink bottle lids, and leaves a noticeable dent so you can tell when it’s been used.

  • fubarx@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    We had one of those jar opening hand-tools. It broke. This one hasn’t failed yet.

  • Bombastic@sopuli.xyz
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    2 days ago

    Am I missing something? He opened the lid and placed it down? That’s feels good? What does that entail? Am I old?

    • Wirlocke@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 days ago

      I’m assuming they are a trans girl, so the mom saying she needs “a man’s help” was misgendering her. OP basically affirmed that because they are not a man they cannot help and gave back the jar unopened. Given the pettyness one can assume that the mom misgendering OP is a frequent occurrence.

  • WorldsDumbestMan@lemmy.today
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    2 days ago

    I use like 10% of my strength by just pulling under a different angle. Maybe pulling the lid left/right first, then I only rotate from a certain angle. TL;DR: skill issue.