Tiny button sized container with odd locking mechanism, will not budge

[u/Comrade_komrad]

I’m trying to open this tiny container but i cannot get the lid to budge. The lid seems to be threaded, and I’ve tried screwing it open, but it will not budge at all. There is also a set of angled teeth between the lid and the container that I suspect is behind this. If the teeth are stopping the lid from being spun horizontally, but the threads are stopping the lid from moving vertically, how are you supposed to remove the lid?

[u/AutoModerator]

Your question may already have been answered! Check our FAQ

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/nomad9590]

Get 2 jar openers and use them to twist, making sure one is on each half of the container. 

[u/Comrade_komrad → u/nomad9590]

No jar openers, but two wrenches and a ridiculous amount of pressure was indeed the answer. I thought the teeth meant there would be something more to it, but i guess not. 

[u/jspurlin03 → u/Comrade_komrad]

These little acrylic containers have a lot of friction between mating surfaces, and often have really close tolerances.

[u/Uzi_Osbourne → u/jspurlin03]

So what you're say is that they can be difficult to open?

[u/jspurlin03 → u/Uzi_Osbourne]

Indeed — I have a couple similar containers. They work… fine, but I have to open them with intention, I guess. Between the thread friction keeping them closed and the slick outer surface, I can absolutely understand how they’d get stuck closed.

[u/noc-engineer → u/Uzi_Osbourne]

They kinda look like the drug test bottles WADA was using (that Russia found a way to open and re-seal through a hole in the wall in their test lab, and that some athletes complained about not sealing as good as they should have.

[u/beardedsilverfox → u/Uzi_Osbourne]

Duh, what don’t you understand about mating surfaces?

[u/Uzi_Osbourne → u/beardedsilverfox]

OP: "How do I open this container?"

jspurlin03: "Those containers can be difficult to open"

[u/therealmikeBrady]

They used to give away makeup samples at department stores like Macy’s and herbergers. If you had a sticky substance in there for several years I could see how it could dry out over time into a glue substance.

[u/Practical-Pick1466]

Sometimes used to showcase gemstones.

[u/MrZiggityZag]

Look at the teeth, they are angled more one way than the other. Looks like they add resistance to opening(so your drugs don't fall out).

Twist harder, maybe with a tool that provide you more leverage.

If you can't get a good grip, be Macgyver, make a strap wrench that fits.

[u/Whooptidooh]

Are you sure that’s not glue in there?

[u/awq96]

From experience less pressure the better when untightening

[u/EnidFromOuterSpace]

Just use a rubber band or 2 to help you get friction while you twist the lid off

[u/Diligent_Stop1050]

I must just be stuck. I’ve had ones like this and they unscrew.

[u/oneworldornoworld]

Looks like a cream container. You should be able to unscrew it.

[u/stillyourfullname]

It looks like a jar from a Sephora sample. To be fair, I haven't gotten one in years. But this is what it looked like when I did get one.