This post will show you how to crack a walnut quickly and easily to get two unbroken halves for crafts and other DIY projects.
If you are looking for the best way to crack walnuts in half so the shells don’t crumble into a hundred pieces, you’ve come to the right place. This post teaches how to split a walnut open into two perfect halves. When it comes to nature’s bounty, few things are as versatile and satisfying as the humble walnut. Not only are walnuts a delicious and nutritious snack filled with healthy antioxidants and Omega-3s. But their unbroken shells can also be transformed into captivating craft materials that add a rustic charm to your creations, especially after the fall harvest and throughout the holiday season.
However, it can be tough knowing how to crack open a walnut. And it’s even more of a challenge to crack a walnut perfectly. So you end up with two unbroken shells you can use for crafts instead of a large pile of broken walnut shells on the table looking like scattered puzzle pieces covered in nut dust. Because these nuts are so hard to crack, crafting with walnuts requires knowing how to cleanly crack open a walnut in order to use it as a craft material. And I’m not talking about using the jaws of the nutcracker to do it. In fact, it’s best if you don’t.
How do you crack walnuts without a cracker?
Get ready to learn how to crack a walnut without a cracker. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter, a teacher, or someone new to DIYs, this easy trick for cracking walnuts for crafts opens up a world of creative possibilities. What can you use to crack Walnuts? The good news is you can choose between two different simple tools you are likely to already have at home. In this article, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of cracking walnuts without a walnut cracker quickly and easily. We’ll also share some inspiring walnut craft ideas (like the Baby Jesus Christmas Ornaments in the photograph below) to get you started with the art of walnut crafting.
Why Crack Walnuts for Crafts?
Walnuts aren’t just packed with nutrients; their hard shells are perfect for various craft projects. Cracked walnut shells have a distinct, earthy appearance that adds depth and texture to your creations. Using natural materials like walnuts in your crafts can foster a stronger connection to nature and offer your DIY projects a unique, sustainable, natural touch. You might also enjoy this list of nature craft ideas and art activities that use natural materials.
How do you crack walnuts to get halves?
When you need walnut shells split and broken open into two perfect halves, not cracked into bits, do NOT use a nutcracker of any kind! Instead, use a butter knife, a flathead screwdriver, and the other walnut-cracking tools and materials on the list below. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to learn how to break open a walnut cleanly in half.
What is the best tool to crack walnuts quickly?
A butter knife or a flathead screwdriver is the best tool for splitting open walnuts quickly and easily. These common household tools produce clean, unbroken half-shells for crafting and other DIY projects. Watch the best way to crack a walnut in the video tutorial below.
Cracking Walnuts: Tools and Materials Needed
- Walnuts: Choose firm, uncracked whole walnuts with intact shells. The size of the walnuts may influence the scale of your crafts, so pick them accordingly.
- Safety Gear: To protect your eyes, wear safety glasses. As you’ll see in the video tutorial below, the shell-cracking process can be a bit messy, so gloves and an apron or old clothing are optional but recommended in some situations.
- Butter Knife or Flat Head Screw Driver: Using a butterknife or a flat-head screwdriver is the best way to crack open a walnut so that you have two useable walnut shell haves remaining for crafts and other DIY projects. A standard nutcracker is not recommended unless you want to use crushed shells for your crafts. (In the video below, I demonstrate how to split a walnut first with a 3/16 flathead screwdriver and next with a butterknife so you can see how quick and easy it is to crack walnuts with either common household tool.)
- Nutpick: Use a nut pick or a smaller flathead screwdriver to scrape the walnuts from the shell after they have been split open.
- Flat Surface: Find a stable and clean hard surface to work on, such as a countertop or table. Use a cutting board to protect the surface if needed.
- Containers: Have a few re-useable containers, mason jars, or bowls ready to collect and separate the cracked shells and walnut pieces, as shown in the photograph and video below. This will help keep your workspace tidy and make separating the nut meat or kernel from the shells easier for eating and crafting. (After we are finished cracking the walnuts, my family likes to clean and chop the walnut kernels and mix them into cookies and our gluten-free crisp recipe for added flavor–yum!)
How to Crack a Walnut Perfectly: Step-by-step Instructions
Read through the directions for splitting walnuts before getting started so you know the steps involved and what to expect when cracking a walnut. The video tutorial is posted below these instructions.
1. Prepare your workspace.
- Gather tools and materials and put them in your workspace.
- Put on your safety gear, and have your tools and containers ready.
2. Position the walnut.
- Hold a walnut in your non-dominant hand so the pointier end faces down and the rounder end of the walnut faces up, as shown in the video below.
3. Crack the walnut open.
- Carefully grip the broader end of the walnut.
- Insert the tip of the knife or flathead screwdriver into the seam or indentation between the two walnut shell halves and twist to open, as shown in the photograph below and the video tutorial in the next section.
- Apply gentle pressure as you wiggle and twist until the shells split, pull apart, and crack open along the ridge or seam around the middle.
- This is easier than cracking the shells with a standard nutcracker or pliers because, with just a twist, it’s open. You will get two half-shells, both perfect!
- Be cautious not to exert too much force, as this could break the shells or crush the walnut kernel or meat instead of splitting it into two perfect half shells.
4. Remove the nut meat or kernel from the cracked nut.
- Once the shell is cracked, use your fingers, a smaller flathead screwdriver, or a small nut pick to extract the nut meat or walnut kernel from the broken shell and put them into one of the containers or bowls.
- Inspect the kernel for any remaining shell fragments and remove them.
5. Separate the walnut shells from the kernels.
- Place the walnut shell halves in a separate container or bowl and set aside to use for walnut crafts.
6. Keep cracking: Repeat the process.
- Continue the above steps for as many walnuts as you need for your craft project.
- Take breaks if your hands become fatigued to prevent accidental slips.
Walnut Cracking Video Tutorial
Watch the video below to see how to crack a walnut to get two usable complete halves for walnut crafts.
Cracking Walnuts for Crafts
Cracking or splitting walnuts for crafts isn’t just a creative endeavor; it’s a way to engage with nature’s beauty and infuse it into your projects. From walnut crafts to home decor, the cracked shells of walnuts provide a unique and visually appealing element to your craft supplies that can really make your DIY projects stand out.
To make this walnut cracking activity even more lovely, have you ever noticed that the nut kernel inside looks like a heart when you crack a walnut open? My daughter noticed this fact long ago, so we added a photo of a walnut split open to reveal the heart kernel to the video in our post about going on a heart-shaped scavenger hunt. Click the link to see it!
Gather your materials, put on your safety gear, and let your imagination run wild as you explore the endless possibilities of cracked walnut crafts. We have a few walnut craft ideas you can try on the list below.
Craft Ideas Using Cracked Walnuts
If you are looking for walnut crafts you can make with the shells of freshly cracked walnuts, try these simple ideas:
- Baby Jesus Ornament
- Holy Family Christmas Craft
- Christmas Nativity Scene
- Walnut Mouse Crafts
- Miniature Scenes from Walnut Shells
More Fun Nature Craft Ideas
If you like crafting with walnut shells, you might also enjoy the nature craft ideas on the list below:
- Acorn Marble Necklaces or Ornaments
- DIY Leaf Lanterns
- Leaf Lacing or Sewing
- Autumn Leaf Crown or Tiara
- Nature Craft Ideas with Natural Materials (Contains more walnut craft ideas)
- Best Fall Nature Crafts (Contains more walnut shell craft ideas.)
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