To use a paper bottle opener, you fold a piece of paper multiple times to create a rigid shape that acts as a lever, allowing you to pry off a bottle cap.
While the exact folding method isn't critical, as the reference notes ("But really it doesn't really matter how you fold it. Something like that."), the goal is always to make the paper as compact and firm as possible. You can then basically use this folded paper "as your lever" to open the bottle.
Steps to Create and Use Your Paper Lever
Creating a functional paper bottle opener relies on making the paper strong enough to withstand the pressure needed to lift the cap. Here's a general approach:
- Obtain a Piece of Paper: A standard sheet of printer paper works well, but most paper types can be used.
- Fold Repeatedly: Start folding the paper. You can fold it in half lengthwise, then fold it over and over again. Keep folding until the paper is a very small, dense rectangle or strip. The more you fold, the stronger and more rigid it will become. The key is to make it thick and hard.
- Shape the Lever (Optional but helpful): Some people create a slight point or edge with the final folds to better grip the underside of the cap.
- Position the Paper: Place the folded, rigid edge of the paper under the edge of the bottle cap. Ensure a small part of the paper is securely under the cap, just like you would with a standard metal bottle opener.
- Apply Leverage: With one hand holding the bottle neck firmly, place your thumb from the same hand on the paper, right above the cap. Use your other hand (or the other end of the folded paper) to push the paper down and away from the cap, using your thumb as the fulcrum point. This leverages the paper against the cap.
- Pry Off the Cap: Apply firm, quick pressure. The paper lever should lift the edge of the cap, allowing you to remove it.
Essentially, you are transforming a flexible material (paper) into a solid tool through density and using the principles of leverage.
Why This Works
This technique functions because folding the paper many times dramatically increases its density and rigidity along the folded lines. While a single sheet is flimsy, a tightly folded block of paper can be quite firm. When you position this firm edge under the bottle cap and apply downward pressure with your thumb as a pivot, the force is concentrated on the small area where the paper meets the cap, overcoming the crimped seal. As the reference states, the folded paper becomes your improvised "lever."
Remember, success depends on creating a very solid, tightly folded piece of paper and applying the leverage correctly.
