tharpforge Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 I need to crack Butternuts. Does anyone have a pic or an idea how to make a extreme heavy duty nutcracker to use on butternuts? Any and all help is much appreciated. Quote
DennisG Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 I have a few "Blacksmith Nutcrackers" from a 500gram up to an 8lb one but I call them hammers. LOL Quote
wedwards Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 What about a vise-grip or a C-clamp and save some time and enregy? Quote
Woody Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Think of a small pair of tongs except riveted on one end, make sort of a wolf jaw taper the reins and a nice little scroll on the end. I tried to attach a drawing but the attach file thing didn't work. Message me with your email address and I can email the drawing to you. Quote
Tom Allyn Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Maybe you could forge new 'nutcracker jaws' for a pair of bolt cutters. Otherwise I guess it's hammers. http://new.yankeemagazine.com/article/hard-nut-crack Quote
peacock Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Sounds like a great excuse to buy a fly pres That is what my wife uses mine for. Quote
Tom Allyn Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Perhaps if you bolted the lower handle of said bolt cutters to a short plank they would be easier to use. The lower jaw could be forged into a dish shape to hold the nut while the upper jaw, perhaps forged like a straight peen, does the cracking. Of course the lower jaw in a pair of bolt cutters need to be able to move a bit. But if you secured the end of the handle to the plank with a pivot pin and captured the front of the lower handle in a fork then I think you'd have something. Go check out the motion of a bolt cutter to see what I mean. Observe what happens when you try to pin down one handle. Quote
Bob S Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Dennis what are you some kind of caveman or blacksmith? what's the difference? :P Quote
KST1-Derek Fultz Posted January 20, 2012 Posted January 20, 2012 Here's a page with a few ideas. Black walnut crackers I've seen the lever type made with a foot pedal so they can be used sitting down with leg power. My Grandad cleaned, cracked, and picked out 53 lbs. of black walnut meats last winter to keep himself busy (90yrs. old). We've bought and made him all kinds of nut crackers over the years, but he normally uses a hammer to crack them and a pick made from a nail... -Derek Quote
Travis Covington Posted January 21, 2012 Posted January 21, 2012 Maybe keithh999 will post a pic of his nutcracker. I believe it would do the job. Quote
keithh999 Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 oh you mean this one? starts as a 12" piece of 3/8 square...forge down one end to 3/16" ..offset to one side.... punch or drill 1/4 hole..rivet and finish as desired Quote
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