Equipped to Survive: Blister Packs

Okay, so what exactly is the best tool for these dang blister packs? Any better suggestions other than using a sharp pocket knife, remembering to slice away from you, and making darn sure there is nothing that you do not want destroyed anything around you in case the knife slips? (And additionally trying not to destroy the item inside the blister pack!)

Chainsaws? Tin snips? Any ideas?

I think I heard/read somewhere that more injuries are caused on Christmas day by people opening blister packs than anything else.

I'd have to vote for the sharp knife thing...The blade on a Charge or Wave seems to do nicely.

Depending on what it is, and how it's packaged, sometimes you can cut just enough, far away enough to pry the rest open with your fingers.

Barring that, I try to use just barely more than the tip, so the blade stays away from the goods. Of course, a sharp knife helps that whole process work.

Another thing you might try is moving the blister pack instead of the knife...a trick I learned the summer I failed at selling Cutco. I wasn't cutting blister packs of course, but when using the Chef Knife, we were encouraged to move the food we were dicing toward the knife instead of moving the knife toward the food...same thing works for blister packs...if you keep the knife in one place, then if there is a slip, it's the pack...you might smack yourself in the chest, but there are no lacerations

If I have them handy, then, yes, tin snips are the way to go... That little serrations that they have grips the plastic well and will even catch the raised edges and cut right through them.
They are the only REALLY safe way to open the things!

never used one but there's this thing made specifically to open them:

http://www.myopenx.com/

I use my kitchen scissors, kershaw shuns are the ones I have. Never had a issue with any package, or even cutting thru a chicken for that matter.

small amounts of C4?

EMT-shears work for me.

+1 on the tin snips, i use the long nose wiss snips. Haven't had a package yet they wouldn't open.

http://tinyurl.com/2nv85o

Cutco scissors if the form factor isn't too radical. They will cut a penny in half, but are more articulated than tin snips.

If it is a real odd shape, I've been known to get out the portable dremel tool and a cutting wheel, or even my solder gun. Gotta be a bit more careful about them things, though.

As luck would have it I found in my stocking yesterday one of these http://www.thefirestore.com/store/product.cfm/pid_359_benchmade_5_rescue_hook/ Let's just say that no package was safe yesterday!

EMT shears!

+1 for the kitchen shears. We have the Fiskars ones with the seratted edges. Those serations help "hold" onto the plastic while cutting.

I usually use my Wave also, but the serated edge, not the straight one. Doesn't always cut in a straight line, but it does get the thing opened. A side note, if you are not careful, you can get one heck of a "paper cut" from the cut edge of the plastic...

We use kitchen shears here too.

I agree EMT shears work great. When I don't have those I find the serrated blade on my leatherman wave does the best job. Although I must admit if I had access to it, there are many times I would, like the other poster said, gladly use c4 to get the dang things open!

-Kurt

Why are they called "blister" packs? Is it because you get blisters trying to open them?

I use my pocket knife because I know it's sharp. If the knife is sharp and the person holding it knows anything about knives it's fairly safe...it's when the knife is dull and/or wielded by a careless person that accidents happen.

When I don't have my knife handy, kitchen shears work fine too.

My trick is to cut the 'blister' part and not where the two halves are joined as the blister has the thinnest plastic and the edges are thick and heat fused together. This also allows me to cut through only one later of plastic instead of having to cut both around the edge.

I would prefer to just torch 'em. Instead I use heavy duty scissors. I cannot use the serrated blade on my Leatherman Crunch due to the fact that it is made for a right-handed person. I'm a lefty. That is why I stay away from those serrated blades. They are essentially like carbon paper oof old: only good on one side.

Does anyone know why they're called "blister packs"?

The super shears you can get at the hardware for cutting heavy plastic & light sheet metal. Either them or paramedic's scissors.

Maybe 'cuz you can get a blister opening them???

Well, that's what I thought too, maybe. Seems too simple though...

I vote for EMT shears.
Mangle a few blister packs then return the item with the pack destroyed. I do not care anymore if I ruin the pack when I need to return something.

I use my electrician's scissors to open clamshell packs.

I destroyed the hinge of a pair of inexpensive trauma shears working on blister packs. Other than a sharp knife, maybe a band saw?

IF they have the hole thing at the top, that they hang them from in teh stores, i usually am able to actually put one finger inside and rip it. Works pretty well, unless it doesn't have a hole, then i use my kitchen shears.

I think they call them blister packs because if you see them without the contents in them they look could like blisters, the soft plastic on cardboard especially so. Just guessing.

Works for me..

I reckon they are called blister packs because of the way they are put together. The plastic is heated until it is malleable, then is pressure formed over the item it is to contain along with the carboard backing vis-a-vis some sort of die forming machine, then the edge is welded together to seal it up. Since the plastic is a smooth sheet before it is heated and applied, it is much like forming a blister over the contents.

Very good. Very good. Thank you both. The mystery is thereby solved.

Tuesday we used EMT shears, kitchen shears/scissors, and wire cutters.

If any of these had failed, my father in law was ready with the chainsaw.

Jace, you must have skinny fingers.

And what tough skinny fingers he must have. Did I mention those "paper" cuts from the plastic???

I have used that method before and it does work.
If you try it, you will find that you are actually less likely to get cut that way than you are by the plastic cut by a knife.

Well, for 1) I'm 13 and, 2) i rock climb, that should answer the "How I do it"