Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Nut pump

High air pressure nut cracker
  (+6)
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Put the nut in a strong chamber, then use high pressure air on the outside of the nut. When the nut cracks, the air pressure equalises on each side of the shell. Bleed off the pressure and remove.

High pressure air could be provided by hand pump but also could use a small explosive.

Ling, Dec 22 2015

Inspired by MB's nutcracker idea. Intelligent_20nutcrackers
[Ling, Dec 22 2015]

Fire piston. https://en.m.wikipe...rg/wiki/Fire_piston
[Ling, Dec 22 2015]

Ahem Self-shelling_20nuts
[MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 22 2015]

Pecan cracker https://www.youtube...watch?v=zGSR8t0bYRw
[bhumphrys, Dec 22 2015]

Hypobaric Nutcracker Hypobaric_20Nutcracker
[mitxela, Dec 23 2015]

[link]






       Actually it could use a similar technique to that of the fire starters that get hit with a hammer. Link for that coming.
Ling, Dec 22 2015
  

       Nut shells are porous, so the rate of rise in pressure would have to be very fast relative to the diffusion rate.   

       Explosive decompression might be better, as then the air inside the shell will push the casing fragments away from the kernel.   

       Better still would be to place the nut in a pressure vessel containing a stoic fuel gas/oxidiser mixture and allowing it to equilibrate, then provide a suitable ignition source. The shell would literally be blown away from the kernel, which being relatively incompressible would sustain an acceptable level of collateral damage.   

       Diesel nutcracker, hmmmm.....
8th of 7, Dec 22 2015
  

       Much better than the title might have implied. Just glad you haven't developed a similar device for cats.
MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 22 2015
  

       Would it work on pecans, I wonder? Those are the worst. Trying to pick out the little bits is frustrating at best. Something must be done. + for effort.
blissmiss, Dec 22 2015
  

       I agree with [8th], that to gradually add air pressure to the chamber holding the nut, and then allow the air to explosively decompress, should shatter the shell nicely. Might even work for Brazil nuts.
Vernon, Dec 22 2015
  

       Ahem. <link>
MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 22 2015
  

       // Just glad you haven't developed a similar device for cats. //   

       <coughing and sniggering>
8th of 7, Dec 22 2015
  

       Have you ever tried this technique in the link I wonder [Bliss]?
bhumphrys, Dec 22 2015
  

       A design using isotropic implosion would be excellent, just like "Fat Man" but without* the plutonium, or the tamper. But still using explosive lensing, just on a tiny scale, suitable for walnuts, or even hazelnuts ...   

       *Maybe just a little bit, for authenticity ...
8th of 7, Dec 22 2015
  

       The best way to crack pecans (which Americans seem to pronounce as "pecans", as opposed to the English pronunciation of "pecans") is just to squeeze them in a clenched fist (I suggest your own). That cracks the shell without crushing the nut.
MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 22 2015
  

       //Ahem. <link>//   

       Well, well, who'da thunk it....? Nicely done.
Ling, Dec 22 2015
  

       title makes me wince.
FlyingToaster, Dec 22 2015
  

       [bhumphrys], even that seems like more work than I like to do to get a pecan. I'm good just opening the bag. It's not like they taste better fresh out of the shell. Just give me a bag, and sharp pointy thing to open it with, and I'm good.
blissmiss, Dec 23 2015
  

       I'm sure there used to be a barometric or similar nutcracker on here before that proposed using a sudden vacuum to explode the shell (perhaps a precursor of [max]'s idea). Can't find it now though.
pocmloc, Dec 23 2015
  

       That'd be the hypobaric nutcracker <link>   

       You know, if any of these pressure-based nutcrackers actually work, especially the hypobaric exploding one, you wouldn't need to own a nutcracker at all. Just pressurize the nuts at the factory and sell them in a high-pressure cannister. When you open the can, all of the nuts crack open on demand.   

       Of course maybe you don't want them all to crack at once, so you'd probably have each individual nut in its own pressure can. Which might get tedious, opening a can before every nut. Perhaps we could invent some kind of pliers-shaped device to assist in nut decanning.
mitxela, Dec 23 2015
  

       //Just pressurize the nuts at the factory and sell them in a high-pressure cannister//   

       Spray-on nuts in their shells!
pocmloc, Dec 23 2015
  

       // you'd probably have each individual nut in its own pressure can //   

       No, just an air lock so you can remove them one at a time.
scad mientist, Dec 23 2015
  
      
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