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

On 1/26/2014 1:35 PM, Tdacon wrote:
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

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.

Tdacon wrote:
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?


Don't let it get to ya. It's not a sign of old age, it's a sign of
engineers trying to come up with new and novel ways to solve a problem that
does not exist. Why make it so inconvenient to get a cap off? What problem
is that really solving? None! It all started with that stupid screwdriver
slot in the cap. Did absolutely nothing except frustrate the user. At that
time, it was supposed to thwart kids from sniffing stuff. Yeah - right...

--

-Mike-

"Tdacon" wrote in message ...
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

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

"Tdacon" wrote in message ...

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

"Keith Nuttle" wrote in message ...

On 1/26/2014 1:35 PM, Tdacon wrote:
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

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

"Tdacon" wrote in message

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

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

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

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

On 1/26/2014 1:35 PM, Tdacon wrote:
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 take a good swing and bang the cap against the edge of the bench.
Flies right off.

"Tdacon" wrote in
:

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


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
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

On 1/26/2014 9:52 PM, Puckdropper wrote:
"Tdacon" wrote in
:

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


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

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

--
Jeff

On 1/26/2014 2:12 PM, Gramps' shop wrote:
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

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

On Sun, 26 Jan 2014 10:35:59 -0800, "Tdacon"
wrote:

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

Channel locks work for me.

"Tdacon" wrote in message ...

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

"Tom Dacon" wrote in
:


"Tdacon" wrote in message ...

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


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
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.

On 1/26/14 3:45 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:
On 1/26/2014 1:35 PM, Tdacon wrote:
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 take a good swing and bang the cap against the edge of the bench.
Flies right off.
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