Help - Boston shaker jammed together

[Bricktop]

OK, so I made a cocktail this eveing (a White Lady for those keeping score at home), and I shook it perhaps too vigorously, and I can't get the bastard open now.

I have whacked it hard several times, and no joy.

Any tips or tricks to free the Lady from her glass and steel prison?

[Splificator]

OK, so I made a cocktail this eveing (a White Lady for those keeping score at home), and I shook it perhaps too vigorously, and I can't get the bastard open now.

I have whacked it hard several times, and no joy.

Any tips or tricks to free the Lady from her glass and steel prison?

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Assuming you're right-handed, hold the metal part in your left hand with the glass pointing up. Now tap it smartly with the heel of your right hand, fingers pointing up, at the approximate spot where the metal and glass meet. Repeat until the vacuum is broken, rotating the shaker a quarter-turn or so after every tap.

Good luck (and this happens to everyone)!

Edited.

Spelling? Who cares about that old thing anymore?

Edited October 4, 2006 by Splificator (log)

[Bricktop]

Thanks, Splificator. My hands are killing me from the effort, and still no luck.

I'm going to try heating the metal part with boiling water to see if I can expand it enough.

(Nice of you to mention that this is a common deal. The drink was for my wife. I made a Bacardi Classic for myself first, which she polished off while I did battle with the shaker. )

[Dave the Cook]

. . . she polished off while I did battle with the shaker.  )

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This also happens to pretty much everyone.

[birder53]

We had one shaker get so badly stuck that it finally took a well placed hit with a rubber mallet to get it apart. Talk about an icy cold drink!

[slkinsey]

These stories are another reason I've gone over to a metal-on-metal Boston shaker arrangement. Since both the small and large parts of the shaker are flexible it is considerably easier to break the seal, and you never need to worry that you might break any glass. Even the fanciest Boston shaker can't compete with a really nice cobble shaker on looks, so I don't feel that much is lost asthetically by going all-metal.

It makes a cool snapping sound when you break the seal, and because you can wrap your fingers around the top part of the smaller piece, it gives you added security to do things like this without worrying that the shaker will fly apart (which eventually happens to everyone with the glass-and metal kind):

[Bricktop]

We had one shaker get so badly stuck that it finally took a well placed hit with a rubber mallet to get it apart.  Talk about an icy cold drink!

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Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. I went to Home Depot at lunch and bought a small rubber mallet. A couple of pops, and we were back in business. Luckily I listened to my wife and did it outside.

[johnder]

Here is a better photo of Sam shaking the bejesus out of 2 junperitivos with a double metal on metal boston setup.

[birder53]

Here is a better photo of Sam shaking the bejesus out of 2 junperitivos with a double metal on metal boston setup.

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WoW!