On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 07:16:36 -0600, jay > wrote:

:On Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:06:57 -0800, Dan_Musicant wrote:
:
:
:>:jay
:>
:> I've had lots of practice. Been doing it regularly for years. It
:> surprises me too, to be honest. Every time I do it I marvel at the fact
:> that it's doable. Imagine halving 2 cups of hazelnuts. It's kind of
:> weird! The almonds aren't quite as tough. Walnuts are pretty easy, as
:> are pecans.
:
:Interesting. For the hazelnuts you could make a 'jig' ..get a piece of
:hard wood about 2 times the length of your cleaver and router a groove in
:it for the hazelnuts.... cleaver through the center of the row and get a
:bunch done per chop.
:
:rube goldberg


Thanks! Very interesting idea. In fact, I think it will work. Brilliant!
The hazelnuts are definitely the hardest, followed closely by the
almonds. But the almonds are definitely easier. I'm going to make that
jig! I believe I will dip the far end of the cleaver into a groove in
the center and far end of the jig for alignment and drop the cleaver
firmly down the center... Cruuuunch!

Some batches of hazelnuts are bigger than others, in that the average
diameter of the nuts can vary by 30% or more. I can make the jig
adjustable, not a big problem. Probably won't use a router (don't have
one, but could borrow one. However, I have almost zero experience with a
router), but the configuration will be the same.

Dan