How do you correctly open large flour bags closed with looped string?

[Anonymous]

I know there's a nifty way to do it and any farmhand would know, or maybe. I frequently buy large bags of flour (50 lb.), and they are closed at the top with string that's looped. A few times I did it right, but don't know what I did. I usually wind up having to take out my pocket knife and generally make a mess of it, leaving pieces of string here and there. I want to know how you get the whole bunch of string to come off in one piece. The bags never have instructions, I guess you're just supposed to know.Thanks for insight on how this is intended to be done.

Dan

[cln]

Just like potato bags, you need a good grip on the string. Pull the string, the tention will/should focus on the holes made by the string and tear at that point, all along the bag.

[dpb]

If by "looped" you mean sewn, the trick is to start at the correct end and simply pull the thru-stitching side thru--the backing side will be left in place. It's simply a loop stitch (essentially like the rope chain made by repeating forming a loop in the previous--pull on the ends and it all comes loose.

If it doesn't come free, you're starting at the wrong end--it will only pull from the one end.

--

[Erma1ina]

Check this out:

"OPEN UP THAT FEED SACK By Marion B. Williamson

Any livestock owner will agree that opening (or ripping apart, as is more often the case) grain-filled bags in order to give your animals their rations can sometimes be a moming's chore in itself! However, I've discovered the secret to unlocking the bags. And my time-saving (and fodder-saving) trick is so easy that even an all-thumbs homesteader will find that it works every time!

If you closely examine the gunnysack, you'll notice that the stitches on one side of the receptacle are "flat", while the seam on the opposite edge of the cloth container has a knotty appearance. You'll want to face the fodder sack so that the flat stitches are on the right-hand side as you look at the edge of the bag. Once the feed sack is so situated, find the first flat stitch in the right-hand corner. (This string "unzips" the opening.) Cut this tie off at the corner and lift out the first few loops, using a knife or a fingernail.

Next, to open the bag, grasp the just-sliced lace in one hand and hold the opposite string on the knotty side of the sack in the other hand . . . then gently pull on both strands. If you're doing this step correctly, the seam should easily unravel.

[Andy]

[David Nebenzahl]

On 1/14/2009 3:27 PM dpb spake thus:

So I've got a related question: I have a similar problem opening bags of concrete mix. Usually end up ripping the paper apart so it looks like a badger attacked the bag. Is there some neat way to do this so you might even be able to re-close the bag if you don't use the entire contents?

[Red Green]

Dan Musicant ( [e-mail]) wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Those are a PITA. When I get one of anything like it, I just grab kitchen or Wiss snips and whack the damn thing. Works every time.

[Mark]

A utility knife?? I usually get a pretty clean cut thru all layers of a quikcrete bag that can be folded closed fairly neatly using a standard utility knife.

[SteveBell]

I stick my hand in the valve, grab the inside edge, and carefully rip the valve out. This leaves a hole in the corner about as big as my fist.

[David Nebenzahl]

On 1/14/2009 8:15 PM SteveBell spake thus:

Valve???

[DerbyDad03]

re: Valve???

Yeah. If you reach into the corner of the concrete bag, you'll find a flap that has been folded over and almost seems like it could be pulled out and used to pour the concrete. I, like Mr. Bell, simply rip this flap out leaving an open corner to pour from.

[SteveBell]

The valve is the opening at the top corner through which the sack is filled at the factory. It's a short tube that pokes into the sack, and it's open on both ends.

The filling machine inserts a tube into the valve, then injects the contents. When the filler tube is removed, the contents of the sack press against the valve, keeping it closed.

[Anonymous]

On Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:44:15 GMT, Erma1ina wrote:

:" [e-mail]" wrote: :> :> I know there's a nifty way to do it and any farmhand would know, or :> maybe. I frequently buy large bags of flour (50 lb.), and they are :> closed at the top with string that's looped. A few times I did it right, :> but don't know what I did. I usually wind up having to take out my :> pocket knife and generally make a mess of it, leaving pieces of string :> here and there. I want to know how you get the whole bunch of string to :> come off in one piece. The bags never have instructions, I guess you're :> just supposed to know.Thanks for insight on how this is intended to be :> done. :> :> Dan : :Check this out: : :

:"OPEN UP THAT FEED SACK :By Marion B. Williamson : :Any livestock owner will agree that opening (or ripping apart, as is :more often the case) grain-filled bags in order to give your animals :their rations can sometimes be a moming's chore in itself! However, I've :discovered the secret to unlocking the bags. And my time-saving (and :fodder-saving) trick is so easy that even an all-thumbs homesteader will :find that it works every time! : :If you closely examine the gunnysack, you'll notice that the stitches on :one side of the receptacle are "flat", while the seam on the opposite :edge of the cloth container has a knotty appearance. You'll want to face :the fodder sack so that the flat stitches are on the right-hand side as :you look at the edge of the bag. Once the feed sack is so situated, find :the first flat stitch in the right-hand corner. (This string "unzips" :the opening.) Cut this tie off at the corner and lift out the first few :loops, using a knife or a fingernail. : :Next, to open the bag, grasp the just-sliced lace in one hand and hold :the opposite string on the knotty side of the sack in the other hand . . :. then gently pull on both strands. If you're doing this step correctly, :the seam should easily unravel.

Cool, I KNEW this would probably be hard to explain in text. I've always thought that some good old boy could show me in about 3 seconds flat how to do it neatly and easily in such a way that it works every time, but I've never run into the cuss. Next time I am about to open one of those bags I'll go to this thread (likely print out all this stuff) and have at it.

Dan

[Anonymous]

:Dan Musicant ( [e-mail]) wrote in :news: [e-mail]: : :> I know there's a nifty way to do it and any farmhand would know, or :> maybe. I frequently buy large bags of flour (50 lb.), and they are :> closed at the top with string that's looped. A few times I did it right, :> but don't know what I did. I usually wind up having to take out my :> pocket knife and generally make a mess of it, leaving pieces of string :> here and there. I want to know how you get the whole bunch of string to :> come off in one piece. The bags never have instructions, I guess you're :> just supposed to know.Thanks for insight on how this is intended to be :> done. :> :> Dan : :Those are a PITA. When I get one of anything like it, I just grab kitchen :or Wiss snips and whack the damn thing. Works every time.

LOL! I'm glad to see I'm not the only guy who's had problems with these. I was feeling diffident posting about it.

Dan

[Red Green]

DerbyDad03 wrote in news: [e-mail]:

In doing all the stuff I do I'm sure I've taken in via air or contact more toxins than a herd of medical lab rats. But sticking my hand cement dust just to get it open is some nasty shit...for contact and for the dust...I think anyway.

Like I said, just cut the bag corner off.