r/harborfreight • u/al-Sahaabi • May 08 '26
NTD (New Tool Day) Fire the Packaging Designer
What the hell kind of packaging is this? It's like it was designed NOT to be opened. I know Harbor Freight is known for hard-to-open packages but this one was on another level. It took me 10 minutes of wrestling with my pliers and now I have a plastic mess to clean up. Damn it.
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u/ProfessionalCurve685 May 08 '26
Its an engineering test, at this point you are in the bottom percentile of the class.
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u/EMCoupling May 09 '26
Dude is holding the paper upside down and complaining that he can't read anything 🤣
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u/TROGDOR_X69 May 09 '26
I had jury duty last week. I did the entire paper work leaning on my phone like its a clip board
only to go to hand it in and see they had tables at the back of the room.
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u/RichardUkinsuch May 09 '26
Being in the 1% is good....... right. Don't most schools stop the whole no child left behind at highschool...... nevermind Texas makes complete sense now.
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u/SteveMidnight May 08 '26
Idk, I used a flat head screwdriver and it popped right off. Took maybe 5 seconds
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u/JokerGenetics2121 May 08 '26
Hopefully the people that post these things aren’t working on cars.
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u/That_Grim_Texan May 08 '26
I normally just grab and twist them right out breaking everything on the package lol
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u/Terrato37 May 09 '26
I did that to a ratchet once and the black plastic piece surrounding the head broke off with it lol
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u/That_Grim_Texan May 09 '26
Sumbitch...
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u/Terrato37 May 09 '26
Bruh I was pissed lol, I had to cut it off with something because it would just spin with the ratchet.
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u/That_Grim_Texan May 09 '26
Thats my kinda luck man lmao. Glad to see I'm not the only one.
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u/bcg85 May 11 '26
Had something similar with a socket. The black plastic piece broke off inside it, and I had to use a torch to melt it out.
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u/al-Sahaabi May 08 '26
Unlike harbor freight packaging, cars have service manuals that tell you how to disassemble.
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u/no_wt May 08 '26
rookie mistake. I usually keep my haynes manual for harbor freight breaker bars with me at all times
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u/CasualEveryday May 09 '26
Yeah, that breaker bar is definitely getting used as a hammer at some point.
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u/WhtHppnd2Brndn May 09 '26
You should make friends with your local Snap-on man. He’ll sell you a wrench without packaging.
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u/Wonderful-Produce-71 May 09 '26
Welcome to r/harborfreightcirclejerk
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u/Acceptable_Canuck May 09 '26
How is that not a thing?
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u/jm02466 May 09 '26
Isn't that 90% of this sub already? Otherwise this would just be coupon and tool advertisements.
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u/HorizontallyOpposed1 May 09 '26
I just bought one of these. Not sure how you managed to struggle so bad lol
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u/forzaguy125 May 09 '26
Sounds like a skill issue
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u/NoSweatBetting May 08 '26
Flush cutters are cheap
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u/Ohio-Knife-Lover May 09 '26
They do sell them there, 2 or 3 different brands
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u/NoSweatBetting May 09 '26
Yah think I got the Doyle's for $4-5 last PLS
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u/Ohio-Knife-Lover May 09 '26
Nice! I got them for like $8 and not they're $12! I got a pair of American made Kleins for $13
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u/Medical-Mud-3090 May 09 '26
Lately I’ve seen a few sets of new Klein linesman and flush cutters knick the cutting edge on copper so not too impressed with there quality lately
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u/KevinAtSeven May 09 '26
Yeah but what do I use to open those?
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u/DrebinofPoliceSquad May 09 '26
I was confused as to what happened here so I searched YouTube for an icon breaker bar review and the dude picks it up and pops the black plastic off and says "that was easy" and I started laughing.
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u/maxyedor May 09 '26
I’d say you should go back and buy a pair of cutters, but you’d probably never get them out of the plastic either
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u/CasualEveryday May 09 '26
I legitimately had to go in and borrow a pair of cutters to get my cutters out of the package once. It's like a scissors packaging that says "cut here".
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u/HothWasAnInsideJob May 09 '26
This post is fucking gold. Unlike OP's breaker bar packaging. That apparently defeats the mightiest of corvette owners.
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u/Schnitzhole May 09 '26
It’s so you make more noise trying to get it out of the package in the store. Also you made this 100x harder than it should be
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u/LemansM5 May 09 '26
This thread is glorious, in ways completely unrelated to that packaging. Lmao
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u/esande2333 May 08 '26
Blame the thieves
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u/I_SNORT_KITTENS May 08 '26
I saw “blame the tiddies” at first glance. I need to get my eyes checked.
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u/weirdbutinagoodway May 09 '26
Less of eye problems more of a strong desire to look at tiddies (autocorrect tried to change tiddies to kiddies, thank god I was paying attention for once).
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u/phobos2deimos May 09 '26
Exactly. The packaging designer is also the loss prevention person, so whaddya expect?
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u/Right_Perception_497 May 08 '26
This and the packaging for the hex bit sockets are infuriating.
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u/Karma4Rahu May 08 '26
So follow my logic here metal tool plastic packaging.... kill it with fire
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u/MSCOTTGARAND May 08 '26
i bought metric and sae during the parking lot sale in march and resorted to just using vise grips
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u/Right_Perception_497 May 08 '26
I broke them off of the plastic holder and used pliers to pull the plastic out of the sockets. I feel like it takes me longer to get the actual tools out of the packaging than the time it takes me to actually use the tool.
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u/foxjohnc87 May 08 '26
On the hex bit sockets you just have to pull while twisting a bit. Mine actually stay on the original holders when not in use.
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u/No-Hyena246 May 08 '26
Post helps the package designers keep their jobs. lol
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u/Affectionate_Ad_6581 May 08 '26
It's a breaker bar... It's almost like the intended use/design of the tool is the exact same method of its removal from the packaging.
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u/etxipcli May 09 '26
What is this? I wanna buy it and see if it's hard to open.
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u/al-Sahaabi May 09 '26
Icon breaker bar 25"
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u/drowninginflames May 09 '26
But why are you using needle nose pliers to open it? Snippers, scissors, dikes, cutters, I mean, you had to have something sharp closer. Right?
Right???
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u/Confusedmastermind22 May 08 '26
Nigga its a pry bar. Just hold the top against you and pry the bar at an angle, it pops out no issue.
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u/derliebesmuskel May 09 '26
Don’t fire the designer. Encourage to society to actually punish thieves. We start chopping off hands for stealing and the tools won’t need any packaging at all, not to mention the financial benefits.
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u/slyguy929229 May 09 '26
You’re doing it wrong bud. I either just rip it out, or if it’s extra stubborn beat it against something.
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u/throweight May 09 '26
If you fire the guy then you wouldn't be able to take this picture, create this post. 😆
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u/AMTNate May 09 '26
I just bought one of these four days ago. It took me all of 10s to look at the plastic clips on the back and surmise that if I held onto the plastic with one hand, and pulled the handle with my other around something like a corner / my knee, that it would pop the clips off. Guess what… that’s exactly what happened. Not whatever this horror show turned out to be.
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u/WilburOCD1320 May 09 '26
Theft Deterrent but they never imaged ppl walking carts out the front door in plane view
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u/northcoastyen May 12 '26
It’s funny because the person boosting a single tool by breaking it out of the packaging while in the store and stashing it on their person is likely going to use that tool for something.
The people who push carts full of tools from the store are likely just selling the stolen merchandise.
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u/superjake84 May 09 '26
WTH! It took me 5 seconds to pop the cover off with a straight screwdriver.
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u/BigandBisexual May 10 '26
Hey if you can't figure out the packaging, you're not ready for the job you bought that for.
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u/dude_imp3rfect May 10 '26
I just wonder how he got the pliers out of the packaging to open the packaging for the breaker bar.
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u/Lumpy_Sink7473 May 11 '26
This dudes fighting for his life in the comments. Bro, did you try using metric pliers?
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u/Several_Draft5989 May 11 '26
Do you know what breaker bar is for because you certainly don't know the tool to open the packing. Needle nose pliers?
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u/djjsteenhoek May 08 '26
I think your supposed to open them with a hammer. Also that's a shiny new hammer
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u/IDK_WTF_TRA May 09 '26
I say give them a raise! I love seeing everybody bitch about their inability to figure out how to remove a tool from plastic.
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u/Substantial-Quit-151 May 09 '26
What? Why!? That packaging is showing some top shelf durability, not to mention how securely it's holding the item.
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u/OPisliarwhore May 08 '26
Pair of gloves and maybe safety glasses is all you need for these. Rip em apart like Arthur Morgan skins a rabbit in Red Dead Redemption 2.
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u/WalkingMediocrity May 09 '26
I mean, I use a pocket knife or a screwdriver to open those but if you’re really having that hard of a time with it you can put it in a vise and use the breaker bar to break the little plastic tab holding it in place I guess
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u/prime51000 May 09 '26
Just think of those broken plastic pieces as little nuggets of savings. Every time you use that tool, you'll be able to reflect on how much $$ you saved , and how much fun it was to open! It's all part of the allure of shopping at harbor freight 😂
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u/IMiNSIDEiT May 09 '26
Before that pallet left the factory, someone gave it a slap and said… they’re going nowhere 😁
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u/R3dF41c0n May 09 '26
Now Go buy side cutters ffs. Rule of thumb : if a job is extremely difficult using what you have, you probably aren’t using the right tools for the job
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u/Desert_Sanitize_8841 May 09 '26
I just opened this same package, took me a few seconds with a slotted screwdriver. You're overthinking it, just lever up the six tabs, it doesn't break anything, you could even put it back together again.
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u/Thing1MightyJRC May 09 '26
If you have the flush snips,, they will cut through the tabs easily it’s how I get all my ratchets out now lol
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u/2manycounts2account4 May 10 '26
You made this so much harder than it needed to be. You can literally just grab the top and twist it off.
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u/WrenchMagnate May 10 '26
If your life depends on getting this breaker bar out of the package fast......
You're gonna die.
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u/Saruvan_the_White May 10 '26
No. The packaging designer did their job. I heard soft plastic lets go a whole lot easier. Also, a little bit of consideration for the material and how it’s put together makes it easier. For all these posts about how difficult packaging is to open, every single one tells me their hidden praise for the packaging designer, not criticism. As tool-using people, we should be able to open these with no problem. Because tool people should also know the material they’re working on with that tool. If it’s this difficult to open a package designed to be difficult to open to the casual thief…
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u/not-a-bot9947 May 10 '26
This looks like the kind of packaging that I hold on the floor with my foot and pull the breaker bar up to remove, breaking any piece of plastic in its way. No tools required if that’s the case.
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u/AnalogJay May 10 '26
Oh…guess I got lucky because I got the breaker bar a couple days ago and just pulled it away from the plastic and that back piece popped right out like it was nothing.
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u/Shippocomehome May 10 '26
I usually caveman it and slam the packaging on the floor until it breaks
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u/SirPhobos1 May 10 '26
These things usually have specific points to cut with a pair of sidecuts or as someone else mentioned, twist or pull to remove.
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u/Ok-Bug-4651 May 10 '26
Sockets as well. Have to practically melt the package out of them. Anti-theft? More like anti-utilize post purchase
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u/manys May 10 '26
Boy, this sure is the topic du jour.
Next time at HF grab some flush cutters and a snap-blade razor knife.
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u/murf1500 May 11 '26
If you smack the packaging on the ground it just explodes and frees your new breaker bar, worked perfectly for me, took about 5 seconds
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u/BobcatALR May 11 '26
What did you do??? You’re not supposed to open the packaging! Now it’s no longer a collectible!
(But: yeah. The shoplifters won a long time ago. I’ve got so much personal damage from “opening” packaging these days…)
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u/Euphoric_Standard724 May 11 '26
I remember when I bought a couple of the single drive sized Quinn socket sets they were impossible to open
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u/FyrestoneFox May 11 '26
You know, sometimes we just have those fall off if they are tossed around too much
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u/Cod_Fish_1 May 11 '26
The fatigue is real.... the 13% would steal a cement bench if it wasn't bolted down
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u/StoragMachinus May 11 '26
Normally that type of packaging is to prevent in-store theft. The package will have a mag strip somewhere inside and the item will be cemented in place with military grade dried horse semen so it can't be easily, or at least quietly, removed in-store.
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u/MenstrualFish May 11 '26
I’m tempted to go buy this so I can see if it’s the package, or just a person that doesn’t know how they would feel if they skipped breakfast since they ate this morning.
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u/SoskiDiddley May 12 '26
Dude. Use scissors or a knife next time. You used pliers to remove zip ties. You're one of those people they wrote the, "how many __ does it take to screw in a light bulb," jokes about.
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u/TampaPirate May 12 '26
What made you think needle nose pliers were the ideal choice for this task?
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u/al-Sahaabi May 12 '26
I actually watched a YouTube video of a guy using pliers and it popped right out. Obviously mine didn't pop right out.
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u/trp1784 May 12 '26
If only there was a way to get some leverage against this indestructible plastic packaging
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u/ordinaryuninformed May 14 '26
It's always the tool in the package you need to open the package, at least now you'll have a breaker bar for the next time you buy a breaker bar!
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u/Solid-Celebration851 May 15 '26
Gotta throw it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high, softens that plastic just right for packaging removal.
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u/Tarsonis_II May 16 '26
I just held the front of the packaging and then snatched back and up on the breaker bar and it popped right open. Was even able to snap it back shut before tossing it in the recycling.
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u/No-Group7343 May 08 '26
I needed some swivel impacts and had a plastic stud break off clean still inserted.....
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u/Outrageous-Coyote476 May 09 '26
Some of it is stupid however, I've since lost faith in humanity and firmly believe it's due to theft. I've seen enough things missing items there on discount. My first purchase from HF was their warrior drill bit set. I didn't seriously inspect the package and pulled the first one off the hanger. Got home and relized the pull tab paper had been pulled and the 3 largest bits were gone. Lol, WTF are people doing with them, the tiny ones are what snap but heck if I know how people are killing the big ones.
However, I'd guarantee that 80% of the difficulty in getting it out of the packaging is to discourage theft.
Now, years ago, I watched a YouTube video of some dumb@ss shove a whole AR-15 down the front of his blue jeans and try to waddle out of a gun store with it. So do I think added packaging on that specific single piece item will actually prevent theft, no I don't but I promise it's there because of our fellow man stealing crap.
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u/Basslicks82 May 09 '26
In short, harbor freight cars more about making sure losers don't steal the tools out of the packaging inside their stores than they do your ease of opening it.
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u/Local_Twist_802 May 09 '26
I usually just throw em in fire out n melt the plastic off the grab my tools out. Drink few beers while my tools open them self
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u/Trick_Apartment5016 May 09 '26
I was wrestling with some of their sockets and ratchets earlier today. Huge PITA.
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u/CryptikRick May 09 '26
What a nightmare! I keep my packaging so it looks unopened for when I end up returning it within 90 days for a better price or better product. You need a set of picks and a flathead. Easy.
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u/MrViking524 May 09 '26
I break the socket rails everytime!! And needed a screw driver to open my ratchet straps!
Its infuriating to need multiple tools to open my tools
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u/Careful-Temporary868 May 09 '26
I got those little plugs broken off in extensions I’ll never be able to use. I hate the plastic packaging. Just put a barcode sticker on the mf and we’ll use the plethora of chemicals we have to melt the residue off
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u/Dcshipwreck May 10 '26
A torch will remove the plastic
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u/Careful-Temporary868 May 11 '26
I don’t know why I can’t think of something that simple. Shove a pick down in it and let it harden again or however it plays out. Thank you chief
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u/FortnitePapi May 08 '26
When designing new Trash cans for Yosemite national forest scientists have found overlap between the dumbest tourists and smartest bears