On 2015-05-01, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

> Relieving the vacuum is the best way to open a jar. Usually a can/bottle
> opener will do the trick, even a knife blade to lift the edge.
> Stabbing, of course, if you really have to.

I've always used the "whack the lid with the back of a knife" method.

You take a table knife, and hit the corner of the top of the lid with
the knife. Sometimes using the handle to whack the lid works better.
Whacking consists of glancing blows to the lid all around the top edge
in the direction that opens the lid (lefty-lucy). I've also used this
in removing rusted nuts/bolts. Take a chisel and hammer to the
nut/bolt edge and tap in removal direction. Works better than most
lid removal tools.

nb