spray-can cap conundrum

[Tdacon]

Any of you old-timers in the same fix I'm in? I was trying to wrench the glass-slick cap off a spray can of Minwax urethane finish last night, and these old hands have lost so much grip strength since I was young that I couldn't get the dang thing off no matter how I tried. I was eventually reduced to jamming a long screwdriver right through the cap and levering the wreckage off of the can. When I was done I looked down at the mess I'd made of it and just shook my head.

Your basic old Krylon cap is a bit easier, but not much. Often I end up slipping a flat-bladed screwdriver tip under one edge and levering it off, trying not to break it in the process.

Anybody have any good ideas for me?

Thanks, Tom

[Keith Nuttle]

Did you try the old belt routine. Placing the belt around the cap and then wrapping around your hand such that as you turn the the cap the belt tightens on the cap.

[Artemus]

Squeeze the cap in the vise until you can pop it off then throw it away. Art

[WW]

Any of you old-timers in the same fix I'm in? I was trying to wrench the glass-slick cap off a spray can of Minwax urethane finish last night, and these old hands have lost so much grip strength since I was young that I couldn't get the dang thing off no matter how I tried. I was eventually reduced to jamming a long screwdriver right through the cap and levering the wreckage off of the can. When I was done I looked down at the mess I'd made of it and just shook my head.

Your basic old Krylon cap is a bit easier, but not much. Often I end up slipping a flat-bladed screwdriver tip under one edge and levering it off, trying not to break it in the process.

Anybody have any good ideas for me?

Thanks, Tom

I have the same trouble since Krylon was bought by Sherwin Williams. The old cap with the push tabs was great. Us old farts have troubles when we loose or grip strength. WW

[WW]

Did you try the old belt routine. Placing the belt around the cap and then wrapping around your hand such that as you turn the the cap the belt tightens on the cap.

Keith The cap is tapered towards the top and very slick. That would be hard to get a grip on. WW

[dadiOH]

Try squeezing it a bit (make more oval) then pull.

[Gramps' shop]

Today's packaging is Number One on my list of pet peeves. In no particular order:

-- Hard plastic blister packs that require a razor knife to cut through

-- Watco push-down-then-turn caps -- absolutely impossible to open without a wrench.

-- Rattle can covers that refuse to pop open even when you work them over with a screwdriver

-- Twist-off lids that require a nearby grandson to get open or one of those adjustable rubber belts (which I can never find when I need one).

-- Battery compartments for some gadgets that refuse to open unless you know exactly where to apply pressure.

-- Heat-sealed food packaging that requires just the right amount of force to open without ripping the package.

-- The big bag of Oreida french fries that does not come with a resealable zipper.

My father had an old curse that he voiced for things like this: May the hands fall of of the asshole who made this so he can't make another one.

Larry

[Greg Guarino]

I take a good swing and bang the cap against the edge of the bench. Flies right off.

[Puckdropper]

"Tdacon" wrote in news:lc3kia$obn$ [e-mail]:

There's one cap that looks like it's supposed to be squeezed one way, but it has to be squeezed gripping another. If you apply pressure at just the right point, it pops off easily.

Generally, caps don't get reinstalled after they're removed. If you'd like a color indication, spray some tape, let it dry and wrap it around the can. Been leaving the caps off spray paint cans since I was a kid, and never had a problem. (I know--how horrible! a 12 year old using spray paint!)

Puckdropper

[woodchucker]

Try a pair of large plumbing pliers to squeeze the cap to get the off.

[jo4hn]

+1 and kudos to your father. A wise man with a sense of humor. :-)

[athiker]

Channel locks work for me.

[Tom Dacon]

Well, thanks for your comments. No silver bullet so far, but if I think of anything brilliant I'll let you know.

Gramps' joke on another thread (Cap conundrum II) was a good one.

Tom

[Puckdropper]

"Tom Dacon" wrote in news:lce173$48c$ [e-mail]:

Don't go for the silver bullet, a lead one will work just fine. Take CAREFUL aim, place the can out a good ways, and fire that cap off! Just be careful NOT to hit the can itself or the tip inside! :-)

Puckdropper

[Brewster]

Ditto that! A good whack against the bench. It takes practice, too close to the can and the nozzle goes flying, too far away and you miss....

-BR