How to open a hazelnut with your knife.

[Bushwhacker]

This is an old country method to open up a hazel nut with a small pocket knife. It sure as hell saves your teeth.

Here's your nut.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011707.jpg

Removed from the husk.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011708.jpg

The end of the nut which sticks out from the husk is the end you want to work on.
Scrape the end of with your knife. **Bear in mind I had to hold a camera with one hand, you should be using two hands.**
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011709.jpg

Scraping will reveal a small split in the nut shell. It doesn't show up too good in the pic.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011711.jpg

Insert your knife point and work it in. **DON'T DO IT ON YOUR LEG THIS IS JUST FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES.**
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011712.jpg

Give it a twist and you'll split the nut.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011714.jpg

There it is.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/03102011715.jpg

[Thumbcrusher]

Marvellous! Thanks for sharing!!

Now, where's the nearest tree.......

[Martin]

Ha Ha Ha!!! I tried this the other day after being shown it by someone who shall remain nameless. I didn't do a very good job with my Opinel No8 which slipped and cut the back of the middle finger on my left hand right through to the bone!!!

The moral of this story? Make sure you know where the nut crackers are. ;)

Martin

PS, when I eventually did get into the offending nut, it was all dried up inside. :(

[Bushwhacker]

Ha Ha Ha!!! I tried this the other day after being shown it by someone who shall remain nameless. I didn't do a very good job with my Opinel No8 which slipped and cut the back of the middle finger on my left hand right through to the bone!!!

I am trying to recreate the scenario right now and I can't fathom how you managed that!

*Perhaps I should add that you only need to hold the blade a few mm's from the end of the tip when inserting into the split.

[Martin]

I am trying to recreate the scenario right now and I can't fathom how you managed that!

*Perhaps I should add that you only need to hold the blade a few mm's from the end of the tip when inserting into the split.

That's the secret then. :D

Seriously, the blade slipped off the knife and the hand I was holding the nut in flew along the side of the blade at quite some speed. You know 'that feeling' when you've cut yourself and you're too afraid to look at the damage??!! Well, that was the feeling. I applied pressure and held my arm above my head until it went numb. Then washed it and dressed it, again holding it above my head. Thankfully, there's not much flesh there so it didn't bleed too much and has healed surprisingly quickly.

Anyway, thanks for sharing this, hopefully there won't be too many digitally challenged bushcrafters out there. ;)

Martin

[Bushwhacker]

Ouch, so the blade came off the knife? Hope it heals quickly.

[Martin]

Ouch, so the blade came off the knife? Hope it heals quickly.

Ha ha!! No, the knife came off the nut as I was trying to prise it open. ;)

Martin

[bushcraftboy]

Nice one :)

I keep on jumping on the nut and eat the remains.

[comanighttrain]

ill stick to hittin them with rocks... probably end up taking my finger off doing that haha

[Tony1948]

Ill leve em for the tree rats and mice of the woods;)looks to me nuts and blades dont go together:happy-clapping:I deafantly wouldant be useing a folder on them............Remember you be carefull out there.

[Bushwhacker]

Ill leve em for the tree rats and mice of the woods;)looks to me nuts and blades dont go together:happy-clapping:I deafantly wouldant be useing a folder on them............Remember you be carefull out there.

Bad workman 'n' all that........

[Martin]

Bad workman 'n' all that........

Ha Ha!! I must admit to being guilty of that. The person who showed us this technique did it perfectly and didn't have any such mishaps as me. I'm sure practice makes perfect. :)

Martin

[Bushwhacker]

Ha Ha!! I must admit to being guilty of that. The person who showed us this technique did it perfectly and didn't have any such mishaps as me. I'm sure practice makes perfect. :)

Martin

Sorry Martin, I wasn't having a dig. :)
It's a better technique than using a nutcracker for me. I had a pocket full the other night and was sat up at the local merrily shelling nuts, by the time I've chewed one the next one was open.
Made a mess of the bar mind.

[Mountain Goat]

My teeth are strong... think I'll stick to using them and drinking lots of milk :-D

[Adam Savage]

I've seen Mr Whacker do this in the flesh (not flesh in the same way as Martin mind :)) and I can vouch that it works. However, like Martins experience, 8 times out of 10 (for me at least) the contents aren't too great. Those pesky tree rats know which ones are bad and leave them for us lot ;).

[Edwin]

If one has a multipurpose tool use the pliers.

[Adam Savage]

If one has a multipurpose tool use the pliers.

Definitely. Although I still like the "bash it with a rock" method :).