Problem with opening fraystop

[mizgeorge]

It may help to know, Jules, that I fraycheck quite a lot for various things, and rarely use the tip. I generally just unscrew the whole top and dip into it, or pour a few drops onto a flat surface and use that.

[Petal]

Yes George, I was hoping I could do the same with mine and just open the top and use it. However, I've got Fraystoppa and am unable to open it at all. I've tried the strong arm of hubby and he is stumped completely. This is it....

.

I don't like to give up on something without a good fight, or chuck things, but I really don't want to spend ages, or take up everyone's valuable time, with something like this. So I think its going to be relegated to the back of the draw.

thanks for everyones help xx

xx

[Solunar Silver Studio]

OOOO.....can't.......give.....up........yet....... ..!!!!!!!

This might have the answer!!... You have the bottle....see if you have one!!!

it says....We apply a foil seal to increase the shelf life of this product by drastically

reducing solvent evaporation.

Just another improvement the we give our customers that our competitors don't.

Perhaps it is an improvement they could do without!!

See image on this link...

helmar - Fray Stoppa

[Petal]

Yep, that's the little bugger I have!!! Oh Bee, I had to laugh when you replied, 'cos I knew you wouldn't want me to give up on this stuff either!

YES it does have the 'easy open seal' (their words, definitely not mine). Trouble is, how the hell do I get the bloody top off to get rid of the seal.....

Oh hell, I've got to go out for 20 mins to drop off some jewellery to a customer.. I'll be back soon - I promise!

[Solunar Silver Studio]

OK! So - we are getting closer!! Sometimes things with foil seals get the seal mangled up with the thread of the screw top and need a bit of brute force. First - get your monkey wrench/huge pair of heavy duty pliers/ rubber glove/anything that is going to give you a good bit of grip and traction....second - fill the kettle, collect cup/mug (make that 2!!). Boil kettle. Pour half a cup of hot water in one receptacle. Place tea bag, (milk, sugar-optional!) in other and fill with water from kettle. In the moments that the tea is brewing, invert the Fray Stoppa bottle into the now slightly cooled half cup - so that the hot water covers the cap portion only and doesn't touch the bottle section. Hold in that position for 45 seconds - I minute. Remove from water and immediately set to work with the tool of choice from the above list!! Hopefully the hot water will have expanded the plastic the top is made of by just a fraction which might just encourage it to release it from the bottle with just a twist!

Slightly more serious variation....collect icecubes from the freezer and pack these around the bottle in a small container with a little cold water to ensure good contact with the cold for 5 minutes before attempting the above. This will hopefully encourage the plastic of the bottle to contract slightly making the warming of the top in boiling water more effective.

When this techniques works just like magic....settle down to your freshly brewed cuppa!!

[lesley]

OMG stab it!! .......or saw it in half

[Di Sandland]

Sorry, Jules, but I'm enjoying this. The creeping desperation and increasingly more dramatic language...

[bustagasket]

OK! So - we are getting closer!! Sometimes things with foil seals get the seal mangled up with the thread of the screw top and need a bit of brute force. First - get your monkey wrench/huge pair of heavy duty pliers/ rubber glove/anything that is going to give you a good bit of grip and traction....second - fill the kettle, collect cup/mug (make that 2!!). Boil kettle. Pour half a cup of hot water in one receptacle. Place tea bag, (milk, sugar-optional!) in other and fill with water from kettle. In the moments that the tea is brewing, invert the Fray Stoppa bottle into the now slightly cooled half cup - so that the hot water covers the cap portion only and doesn't touch the bottle section. Hold in that position for 45 seconds - I minute. Remove from water and immediately set to work with the tool of choice from the above list!! Hopefully the hot water will have expanded the plastic the top is made of by just a fraction which might just encourage it to release it from the bottle with just a twist!

Slightly more serious variation....collect icecubes from the freezer and pack these around the bottle in a small container with a little cold water to ensure good contact with the cold for 5 minutes before attempting the above. This will hopefully encourage the plastic of the bottle to contract slightly making the warming of the top in boiling water more effective.

When this techniques works just like magic....settle down to your freshly brewed cuppa!!

omg lmao i am almost choking with laughter here you are fantastic B love you to death

[Solunar Silver Studio]

Just can't bear to see someone beaten by two pennyworth of plastic!!

[Petal]

Yeeeeeeeesssssssssss - I've done it! Thanks a million Bee - you've made my day and all made me laugh so much, I've had tears rolling down my face


... oh god and all that for a £3 bottle of fraycheck. I was tempted with the mallet/saw it in half idea Lesley, but decided on this



No - course I didn't use the wrench... I just used a pair of rubber gloves and went outside to open it

It was bleedin' obvious (with a normal head and not the one that was attached to my body yesterday), to use the hot water idea and I do that with anything else that won't open, but was put off with all this talk of pickling and vapours. Having read the side of the bottle I thought it might be a bad idea, in case it reacted with water in some way!

Oh, what a laugh eh! I can honestly say that my bottle of fraycheck will not be at the back of the drawer now and I shall think of Bee and everyone helping me to open it and all the laughs we have had

BTW, my wires came this morning and my micromesh ! (I nearly kissed the postman... no, on second thoughts, maybe not)... anyway - much excitement .... and for my next trick - polishing my hammer......

Love xx