Monthly Archives: June 2014

Bottle Cap Hive

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IMG_2709 hive

In a previous post, I reviewed the Starr Magnetic Bottle Cap Catcher. It is a magnetic tool to catch bottle caps as they fall from the opener above. Since that post I’ve let the bottle caps collect onto the side of the fridge. It turned into a hive that swelled off the side of the appliance. I decided to let it grow to obnoxious proportions to see how long it could maintain its super powers.

The hive collected about 50 bottle caps before the miss rate started to climb. Around that point, new caps would sometimes stick and sometimes roll off onto the floor. After 60, the hive stopped catching caps at all.

Taking the caps off the hive to count them was like peeling an onion. The caps came off in layers. The first 25 came off easily, but the remaining caps had to be pried apart from their brothers. The core magnet is impressively strong.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend your own hive growing beyond 25 caps or so, but it was an thirst quenching experiment to execute.

 

 

Category: Bottle Openers

Father’s Day

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_MG_8932 cardI had a great Father’s Day full of thoughtful gifts and gestures from my family. I could tell you all about those, but this is a bottle opener blog. So instead, let me tell you about the card I got from my dog.

IMG_2625 lucky

My dog Lucky is incredible. Without thumbs, pockets, or a driver’s license, she somehow managed to buy a very thoughtful card with an attached bottle opener.

The card includes a 4″ flat metal cap lifter. It’s light and could fit on a keychain. The opener is attached to the card via a strip of adhesive and thankfully pops off. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be nearly as functional.

Once plucked from the card, the opener works well for what it is. It’s small and lightweight. It’s extremely thin and not as sturdy as my preferred openers. However, it’s solid and does the work. It’s also nicer than the standard church key opener, in my opinion.

_MG_8927 card

By the way, the punchline on the card: “And the correct answer is… IT’S ALL EMPTY! Cheers to you!”

Ha!

Summary

Does it open? The card doesn’t do much, but the attached opener does the trick.

Can it do anything else? Isn’t offering father’s day wishes enough?

Overall rating: 3 Stars (3 / 5).

References: Carlton Cards. JFO C style.

 

 

Category: Bottle Openers

Shark Attack!

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_MG_8755 shark

Remember the 50’s, when men were men and a powerful bottle opener meant something? Me neither, but I enjoy collecting the relics of that era.

The Bremer Bar Shark is an aluminum chunk of awesome. It weighs a solid 6 ounces and 7 inches long (8 inches if you follow the curve of its tail). It spends its days patiently lurking on my counter while waiting to pounce on the next bottle.

_MG_8775 shark

_MG_8776 shark

The shark mouth is used to pop the cap and the long body is used for a grip. If perfectly centered, it will pop a cap on the first tug. However, it usually takes two pulls as it mauls the bottle cap.

There’s not much else to say about this one. It does the job, but the big takeaway is it’s freaking cool. Or as they said in the fifties, it’s a swell opener.

_MG_8782 shark

Summary

Does it open? It takes a couple tugs and will leave your bottle cap twisted and wounded, but it’s a shark – I’d expect nothing less.

Can it do anything else? It’s mighty tail could be used to split the boards on your neighbor’s fence, finally avenging the day he let his dog Merv poop on your front lawn.

Overall rating: 4 Stars (4 / 5). This opener feels great and looks even better.

References: JFO R-5

_MG_8786 shark

Category: Bottle Openers