This week’s selection is the Better Pistachio Opener by Printables contributor Jared.
Pistachios just might be my favorite nut, but they have a horrible problem: they’re often provided in the shell, and you have to open them. Usually this isn’t an issue, but sometimes the shells are so tightly closed you end up wrecking your fingernails trying to open up the delicious nut.
Sometimes I give up and toss the unopened nut, rather than wasting another fingernail. You can’t even win if you get a bag of pre-shelled pistachios, because it’s far too easy to eat the whole bag.
Enter the “Better Pistachio Opener”, a 3D print that could help you overcome this awful first-world issue.
The 3D printable device actually cracks the pistachio shell, and then acts as “tweezers” to extract the nut inside.
Jared’s design is actually a remix of tomato18’s Thingiverse design to open pistachios. Jared believed he could improve the design, explaining:
“I really loved using them, but wasn’t sure what to do with my hands after cracking the shell open and trying to get the nut out with my fingers. Now the tweezers immediately grab the nut after cracking open the shell, sending your pistachio consumption rate through the roof. No more salty fingers! (on one hand at least)”
Jared suggests printing the Opener using support structures, and unusually asks that you wait until cooled on the bed before removing it. Apparently this may add a bit of strength to the mechanism, which will need it to defeat the most stubborn pistachio shells.
I intend to print this one out right away and dig into my pistachio collection.
Finally, some wisdom from Jared regarding use of the Opener:
“I put it in the ‘Kitchen’ category, but my testing has shown that they can be used in any room.”
Sensible and true.
Via Printables
