I have just bought my very first small containers of petal dusts, or powders. I cannot get them open... **audience chuckles**... I am afraid if I tug too hard all the powder will be flying all over the place. Are they screw top? DUH... such a dum question, I know...

the ones with caps that are clear plastic are just REALLY hard to get open...ease it up on one side slowly till it gives a little...but do hold it tight, or else you will have dust everywhere....

some of the dusts come in screw tops....but I think those are obviously screw tops and the lids are usually white.....

hahahaha - I am laughing because I had exactly the same thought with a few new ones I just bought.

I ended up getting the tip of the knife under the "lip" of the lid and twisting carefully BUT ... YES - I did think...... surely this is NOT the way they expect you to open it.

yeeeahhh....been there done that. but i've got it down pat. practice makes perfect!!

yeh same for me lol I tried getting my gold lustre dust open the first time until my finger had a deep dint in it and was bright red then passed it down the members of the family til someone finally got it open lol

After a few opens it get easier to open from then on

ok... got it! Thanks I was feeling really DUMB!
Reefing gently... that is the key!

Get a clean sheet of printer paper and open it carefully over that, that way if any of it does spill out, you can easily put it back in the container.

learned this at a cake club meeting some years back.. just a simple bottle opener.. hth... i keep a small one in my dusting powder drawer...

Someone use to sell a mini 'bucket opener' just for those types of containers but I can not remember who it was...whoever it was also sold the dusts.

Nice to know that I am not alone with that issue. Love the sheet of clean paper idea and the bottle opener idea. Thanks for the tips.

http://www.beryls.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6742

okay....that was beryl's not gsa

I wonder if one of these would work...

http://www.usfi.com/greenworks/images/products/hospitality/sales_and_marketing/miscellaneous/Aluminum-Bottle-Opener-Key-Ring.jpg

could probably find one in the auto parts store or anyplace that sells key rings

Have you ever heard of a church key? That would be the little device that has a pointy end and a dull end. Both ends have a thing underneath them.

Some people use the blunt end to open beer bottles.

I like using the blunt end to open those nasty containers. It works well, just make sure you hang on to that tiny little vessel that has just cost you $5+.

I also find that a rubber mallet comes in handy, when you need to close those suckers up.

HTH

I just gently use an old fashioned can opener. (be gentle or it will put a hole in the lid!)

You would think that the different makers of petal and luster dusts would get smart and just make all of the blasted containers twist off!! But, then all of the cake decorators of the world wouldn't have NEARLY as much fun when they have to use it at one in the morning to finish their darn cakes and are already dog tired and want nothing more than to shove that tiny little cylindrical container up the makers nose... Sigh...

: )

I think they need to get those cheap bottle openers that people give out for advertising and pass out at all the conventions, cake camps, ICES, and with every order. I find the church key works but is a bit big. Our local convenience store gave out bottle top keychains and I have used it for my dusts.

Several years ago, I was working in my kitchen one day with another chef and needed to open one of those little containers. I reached up to the magnetic strip (where knives are stored) and grabbed the "church key"/beer bottle opener thing and popped off the lid of the luster dust container. He stared at me and thought I was brilliant. LOL.

This reforming sailor (not really...just cuss like one and trying to do better) isn't having much luck reforming when trying to open those things.

I'm sure that nobody would ever or has ever opened one with their teeth.

Yeah, I figured out the church key thing pretty quick. I guess I didn't realize this tool isn't common anymore until it dawned on me that opening petal dust containers is pretty much all I use that end for. LOL

I've transferred my dust to similar sized containers (found in the paint/art section of the craft store), but had trouble labeling them. So, I found slightly larger containers that I can keep the entire original container inside of, lid removed, of course.

Y'know the Wilton edible dusts that kinda unfortunatley suck but they come in awesome scew top mini jars.

Jarring thoughts for you.

I use my teeth..Uh Huh....gently pry it open....Sorry but my fingers just flip that ol dust everywhere....It's an art!

I am so excited! I have a few test tube style bottles that will fit in my gel pen stand that I also use for wires. I can transfer the dust in them and organize them by color and everything! Thanks for the help!

A demonstrator at a DOS I went to last year opened hers with a bottle opener and so many of us smacked ourselves on the forehead and said "OH, DUH!"

are you guys talking about the little tubs with a piece of tape on the sides? I just slide an exacto knife around the "slit" to make a cut in the tape and then they open without a problem.