I got this micrometer and I found out that it works great as a seed cracker too, and it’s less than $10 including shipping if you are an Amazon prime member. You simply place the seed between the calipers and gently add pressure until you hear it crack. I have seen people selling $60 seed crackers on IG, and this one works just as well, if not better than those.
this one should work fine too, and around the $10 price point as well:
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Cool . I have one in my tool room . Never thought of using it for that . Don’t have much use for it anyway now days .
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I had that micrometer kicking around my tool chest for a long time, I bought it for a luthier project I was working on, but after that I didn’t have much need for it. I was eyeballing one of those expensive seed crackers that a friend of mine bought and it occurred to me that I already had something almost identical to it at home.
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Huh. When everyone said they was cracking seeds I always thought it was a figure of speech.
Dose hardend seeds happen over time? Or is it just a really healthy seed?
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Yeah as seeds get older they seem to get harder, some strains more than others I think, also just have a higher chance of germination because of age.
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Never tried cracking seeds but will rough them up with emery cloth and use hydrogen peroxide.
Might have to try this.
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yep if the seeds don’t pop in a few days you can crack the seed along the seam slightly and that often helps to promote better germ rates.
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I’ve heard sandpaper. This sounds like a last resort kinda thing huh?
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I crack seeds manually pretty regularly - I let the seeds soak in water, then I transfer to a moist paper towel and if I don’t see any action within a couple of days I split the shell manually by squeezing them on the ends until the seed shell slightly separates. It works well, especially on seeds with extra thick shells or older seeds. I have also been known to use my teeth, but the micrometer is much classier lol.
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Lol. Whatever works right.
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Twenty20 Mendocino has their own seed cracker available on Etsy
https://www.etsy.com/listing/779719462/twenty20-seed-cracker
as you can see it’s a board with a groove in it where the seeds sit, and then you drop another piece of wood on top of it to crack the seeds. I think the micrometer is a little less brutal, and a third of the price, but it doesn’t have the Twenty20 Mendocino logo stamped on it! Only a breeder would come up with a seed smasher, er I mean seed cracker like that - “buy our expensive seeds and use this seed smasher to help them along!” lol
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Hilarious. I like the first one better.
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The micrometer is a hell of a lot more precise in the application of pressure. I was thinking along the same lines a while ago.
I thought about adding a couple blobs of epoxy to the anvil and spindle and then forming depressions or pockets into the epoxy. That would be better to hold the seed.
Cheers
G
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good idea, I was thinking of maybe a notch with a file, but I like the epoxy blob idea better, but it seems to work fine as is. there must be some sort of cuplike bead or something that can be glued there
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It destroyed my seed
Must be user error, want another fem seed for $25
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Hey guys, what I do if they are not opening after being in a shot glass of water and in a paper towel for a few days is just take my finger nail and gently press right on the crack. It should be a little soft… just peel of one side and put back in moist paper towel. It should start taking off. You can hang your paper towel sideways and all the tap roots will grow down. I thought that was cool. Crazy the roots wanna go into the ground! Lol
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I have a use for my micrometer now that I am retired.
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I just use a cheapo fingernail file. Grind down the edges/seams a little. Works pretty well if the seed didn’t sprout in 24hrs after the water soaking…
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The GREAT minds of OG save the day again! (Including this one that thought to check a search on OG!). Was looking for a 3D printer file to make one of these! Just ordered mine for $5! Thanks guys! 
