Shelling Tools

Nut Shelling

• Maybe you've seen a hammer used for busting open chestnuts, but there are more elegant nut-shelling tools. One of them is no real mystery -- the nutcracker. A nutcracker works best for shelling nut with harder shells such as almonds, macadamias, pecans, hazelnuts and walnuts. Once you crack the shell, you might need a sharp knife or pick to extract the nut meat from the broken shell. For peanuts, the only tools you really need to shell them are your teeth or your fingers, as peanut shells are relatively soft and weak.

Lobster Shelling

• Many use nutcrackers -- and also hammers -- to also shell lobsters. For the more serious-sized lobster, though, you might need a stronger shelling tool. Author Jasper White, in the book, "Lobster at Home," recommends a thin pair of straight-edged garden shears to both cut through the shell and remove the lobster meat. These work much better than culinary scissors. bit they shouldn't be confused with large hedge shears, which would be overkill and even dangerous.

Corn Shelling

• Corn shelling involves removing the kernels of corn from the raw cob. This has traditionally been done by hand in the kitchens or yards of homeowners and farmers. Performed on a large scale, though, shelling by hand would quickly wear on fingers and skin, and there are large, commercial shelling machines to do the job. For the smaller sheller who can't afford or doesn't really need a machine of such scale, there are basic shelling tools to fit their needs; one such tool is simply a plank of wood that has hole large enough to pass a corn cob through, and four nails driven in at such an angle and depth that they protrude into the hole about an inch. You simply insert the cob and twist it between the nails, which then shells the kernels off the cob.

Sea Shelling

• Forget selling seashells by the seashore -- embrace shelling seashells by the seashore. A local beach and basic tools can easily turn into a favorite hobby; for example, shelling is a well-known and -favored activity on Florida beaches, especially by children. Recommended tools for beach shelling are a bucket and a scoop, preferably one that has a longer handle relative to your height so you can avoid excessive bending and stooping. Also consider a net which can be used to nab shells in shallow water.