Alright, I know there had to have been a better way...


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Mandirigma
April 6, 2008, 12:43 PM
I just still for the life of me can't figure one out. Last night had a Sobe brand beverage (Glass with the thin metal cap) (http://www.sobebev.com/product_info/exotic.shtml) that would not open. Apparently I was the fifth person or so they gave it to try to open it. Some of the guys before me are definitely stronger than I am. We happen to get the one bottle that you no matter how tightly you gripped it, it just kept spinning and not opening. I mean they are designed to open manually but this bottle wasn't having any of it.

Immediately recognizing my problem "We wanted tasty beverage out" I quickly took a mental inventory of the tools on my person: karambit, case sodbuster jr., P38 can opener, Surefire E2D, Atwood knife prybaby, Glock 33, Bic Pen and Lighter. I chose a solution and got said beverage out, albeit in an unusual way.

Keep in mind this is in a liberal workplace so both the karambit and Glock weren't going to make an appearance.

The Case may have worked but I didn't want to risk damaging it. I've messed up knives doing things like this in the past.

The P38 was ineffective because there was no lip for it to hang on to and provide a pivot.

I may have been able to loosen the top with the lighter, but it would have taken too long.

I know I could have broke the glass with the teeth of the E2D, but glass in beverage is unacceptable.

My solution was to hold the Atwood Prybaby in an icepick grip and bash the ever living crap out of the attached bottle lid. After about 4-6 hits I finally pierced it in a few places, I then pried these openings even larger. Last thing I did was hand over a couple plastic cups so they had something they could pour their tasty beverage into.

No the Prybaby is no worse for wear if anyone is interested.

Anyone ever encounter anything similar? Anyone know of a better way to get the beverage out?

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woodybrighton
April 6, 2008, 01:27 PM
buy a leatherman or swiss army knife they have things called bottle openers on?:D

RLsnow
April 6, 2008, 01:54 PM
aye, bottle opener

(good choice with the glock btw)

Pax Jordana
April 6, 2008, 02:24 PM
aye, bottle opener

(good choice with the glock btw)

Somebody once said here, "I carry a knife because it's hard opening packages with my gun" or something to that effect.

Mandirigima, I stand behind your bashing 100%. There is a time for talk, and a time for bashing, and the way those caps are formed there must be a few per million that don't get the threading put into them right (were I a handier man I'd know the right word for it. Stamping, maybe.) which makes your bashing necessary.

I'd say something about sheeple and the priceless looks on their faces when their ill-contrived conveniences go awry, and how the teeth of the sheepdog will always be handy to open cans of soda when the tab breaks off.. but I believe your handy solution has been gratification enough.

walking arsenal
April 6, 2008, 02:26 PM
I would have opened it with the glock.

"Can you get this open?"

"Sure" WHAM!! "Here ya go"




Just kidding.

I had something similar happen once, I just rammed the tonto tip of my S&W Spec ops through the lid in two places.

Presto. Drinks in the glass.

It startled my coworkers at first but as I was pouring the drink into the glass for them I exclaimed "See? Aren't tools great! It's what separates us from the monkeys you know."

EHCRain10
April 6, 2008, 02:33 PM
love the story
walking arsenal, mind if i quote you about the tools?

Todd A
April 6, 2008, 06:02 PM
Anyone know of a better way to get the beverage out?


"Be Prepared"

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/todda/ulster1.jpg

Ulster BSA knife

walking arsenal
April 6, 2008, 11:21 PM
EHCRain10

No, go right ahead.

hso
April 6, 2008, 11:57 PM
You boys aren't paying attention. :rolleyes:

The Sobes don't have a screw top lid like a crown cap (beer bottle) that you can get a bottle opener under to pry off. They have the ring necked wide-mouthed TE screw caps with no lip.
http://www.mckernan.com/store/images/D/DM-27512.jpg

As to Mandirigma bashing the daylights out of the top of the Al SoBe lid, nope, not what I did. The last on I encountered I couldn't open by twisting, I simply pried the ring down with the small screw driver bit on my SAK enough to snap the connections one by one so the lid would turn. You could have done the same thing with your Pry Baby without the risk of smashing.;)

Pax Jordana
April 7, 2008, 12:54 AM
Hso, you get extra points for utility and creativity (on a scale of one to macguyver I'll give you a six).

But there's no real style to it!

The only alternative I could think of would be if you had a flat backed can opener (like on a SAK) and something to tap it (GENTLY) with.

Mandirigma
April 7, 2008, 07:41 AM
hso, Yeah! thats the offending lid/bottle top!

Knew there was an easier way.

I did try to pry in between the connections once or twice (instead of directly on the connection) but it kept slipping and not catching so I went to plan "d" ( "a" being open by twisting, "b" being dry off top and hand then twist, "c" trying to pry under the bottom of the ring or between the connections)

plan "d" consisted of being annoyed and not wanting to let the bottle win so I bashed. I'll admit there was a certain feeling of triumph over beating an inanimate object in a game it doesn't even know it was playing.

p.s. I have a leatherman but it was in the truck. And the Atwood Prybaby doubles as a small prybar, nail remover, wire stripper, bottle opener and a flathead screwdriver. Not to mention bottle lid basher. Neat little tool.

http://www.atwoodknives.com/home/pics/109596172prybaby2.jpg

Soap
April 8, 2008, 08:31 PM
I would have went out to my truck to get my Stanley FUBAR. :cool:

Boats
April 8, 2008, 09:59 PM
http://www.swissarmy.com/images/ProductCatalog/vm/vm_53964_sol_a02.jpg

The awl on the Vic Farmer is a wicked penetrator.

ArfinGreebly
April 9, 2008, 01:31 AM
I've had to solve that same bottle cap.

I did what I figured was the crudest fix: I simply walked my little pocket folder around the base of the cap, cutting the little connecting tabs that join the retention collar to the top. Thumb against the near side of the neck, blade on the opposite side, until the top and collar were separated.

Gerber Silver Knight, 2½-inch blade.
76024

Hey, it was all I had at the time, and the top came right off after the collar was detached.

Although, I can imagine that punching holes in the top might be more fun.

WinchesterAA
April 9, 2008, 02:28 AM
Oxy/acetylene torch.

wolf_from_wv
April 10, 2008, 06:42 AM
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200306401_200306401?cm_ven=Aggregates&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=Hand%20Tools%2C%20Wrenches&cm_ite=1501539&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1501539

:)

Dksimon
April 10, 2008, 06:52 AM
I had the same problem recently and I ended up cutting the perforations in the metal security seal and pulling the cap straight off. Not exatly the easiest way but it was alot more thoughtfull than smashing on the kitchen floor like i was tempted to do.

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