Pickles by Brian Crane for August 25, 2024

Get the grandkid. Kids can open the childproof caps on a lot of things.

I have a pair of adjustable pliers in the kitchen.

My then spouse had some kind of ongoing prescription (don’t recall what) that was in a child-proof bottle. It was flawed and could NOT be opened (I understand how they work, and could see that the ratchet mechanism, inaccessible, was malformed). I cut the lid off with one blow of a cleaver and we kept her meds in a bowl for the month. When I took the bottle back for a renewal, the pharmacist raised his eyebrows… and I explained. When he handed me the renewed prescription it was in an easy-open bottle. No questions asked.

Hey—I made the comics!

I have my wife open my pill bottles for me since I have arthritis in both hands. Two months ago I had my second hand surgery and I’m only now starting to be able to open some of them and other jars. Soon I’ll be able to wear jeans and other things with buttons again.

No safety caps for me.

“push down and turn” ain’t so bad – it’s the ones where you have to align the ⧎ arrows that give me trouble

I sometimes saw the cap off using a bread knife.

I was just saying today that, since our new car has push buttons instead of a shifter, we’d be screwed if either of us ever has right-hand surgery leaving us with weak fingers.

I’ve said many times. “You can fix anything with a big enough sledgehammer” (giggles)

When all else fails, get a bigger hammer, right Earl?!

With finesse!!! LOL!!!

I didn’t know finesse is a synonym for hammer.

Not everyone has the skills it takes to open a pill bottle with a hammer with finesse.

And that’s why I have my pharmacy put on non-childproof caps. It’s right there in my patient info. A bottle will occasionally slip by them but that’s why I never toss out the empty bottle until I have the new one… if they miss the cap, I just switch it with the old cap. Also helps that I only have to open them on Saturday evenings when I refill my pill organizer ;)

OMG, I thought it was just me. . .every darn bottle. . .

For years I’ve been using an empty bullion jar for aspirin.

I wonder if they have something for tight pill bottle lids at IKEA.

You can tell he’s a jack of no trades by the way he’s choking up on the hammer handle.

For those “childproof” caps on medicine bottles – use a large rubber band and wrap it around the lid. Then press down and turn on the lid. It usually opens with minimum strength (for me, anyway, but it’s worth a try).

Yeah, those child proof bottles can be a real pain for those with arthritis in their hands.

You can GET ’em without the safety caps…… I think

I’ll bet Nelson could open it properly…

Pliers, scissors and rubber gloves and a can/bottle opener all essentials in my kitchen and separate from the regular toolbox. Also cleaned spice bottle with sharpie/painters tape label.

When I was having some blood drawn a few months ago, the tech said that the elastic band around my arm was great for opening jars. When she took the band off, I took it from her and dropped it into my purse. It’s the best thing ever for those jars I can’t get open. My hand doesn’t slip and the band really grips the lid.

Curse those “childproof” caps!

An especially made tool for this would make millions, at least….

I bet there are seniors out there that got a bottle of kid proof by mistake that can’t get their meds opened. Some older people have to rely on others to even pick up their meds. I understand the need for kid proof but it’s a question all pharmacists and their techs need to ask people when they refill prescriptions. Our current pharmacy uses lids that are kid proof on one side and screw off lids on the other side. I sometimes wonder what I’d do if I lost my husband because most of the time, I can’t get jars open. I’ll be taking them to the neighbors to open.

Next time Earl, even if you could open the bottle, don’t – Grump a$$ Opal doesn’t deserve your help.

The invention of the hammer was a Great Leap Forward for masculinity.

Those adult-proof lids can be a real “pill”.

Shakespeare said it: First, we kill all the packaging engineers.

An excellent use of a “Gentle Persuader” tool…

Now Opal will need help opening the migraine pill bottle. What will she do?

Right after child proof caps came out, my father came home to find the aspirin bottle shattered on the kitchen counter and a claw hammer laying next to all the aspirins scattered over the counter. My mother had a headache. ;)

Hahahaha