# Force Required to Crack a Walnut **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213 "2011-08-02T20:07:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ryacko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@ryacko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryacko)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/1 "2011-08-02T20:07:40Z")
How much force is required to crack a walnut? Supposedly some people could crack a walnut with their barehands, is that possible? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/2 "2011-08-02T20:09:08Z")
> [@ryacko](#): > > How much force is required to crack a walnut? Supposedly some people could crack a walnut with their barehands, is that possible? If you give me two that I can hold in my hand next to each other, it’s very possible. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/3 "2011-08-02T20:31:10Z")
As **enipla** suggests, the force required is somewhat dependent on how you distribute it over the surface of the walnut. If you squeeze a single walnut between your two palms, you’ll have to squeeze it _really_ hard to break it. If you concentrate the force over a very small area on the surface of the walnut - e.g. by squeezing it against another walnut - much less force is required. Like **enipla,** I’m pretty sure I could crack a walnut in my hands, provided I have a second walnut (or other hard object) to use in the task. ---
**Author:** ![ryacko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@ryacko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryacko)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/4 "2011-08-02T20:46:17Z")
Interesting, but it didn’t quite answer my question. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/5 "2011-08-02T20:56:15Z")
> [@ryacko](#): > > How much force is required to crack a walnut? Supposedly some people could crack a walnut with their barehands, is that possible? We have a big bowl at home. We use a rolling pin to crack most of them. I’ve been able to crack a couple of them with my bare hands, but it’s not without some pain. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/6 "2011-08-02T21:01:08Z")
It is also possible to crack a walnut simply by squeezing it between the thumb and index finger. I was able to do it in the past, although I have not tried it in several years. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/7 "2011-08-02T22:15:42Z")
I’m not entirely sure I’m looking at this right, but according to this article (M. A. Koyuncu, K. Ekinci, and E. Savran. “Cracking Characteristics of Walnut.” Biosystems Engineering 87.3 (March 2004): 305–311.), the force required to crack your average dry walnut is 325 newtons if you try to crack it longitudinally, 532 newtons if you crack it width-wise, and 377 newtons if you try to crack the suture. These numbers seem a little high to me in that they seem to imply that a six-year old might be able to stand on a walnut without it cracking, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/8 "2011-08-02T22:28:16Z")
> [@ryacko](#): > > Interesting, but it didn’t quite answer my question. It did, actually, just your _second_ question, not your first. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/9 "2011-08-02T23:04:06Z")
Henry Fonda’s character in _The Cheyenne Social Club_ would crack walnuts with his bare hands. Pretty much every time, all conversation would stop… ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/10 "2011-08-02T23:26:54Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > These numbers seem a little high to me in that they seem to imply that a six-year old might be able to stand on a walnut without it cracking, but there you go. It depends on he walnut. Almost anyone can stand on a freshly fallen black walnut without any chance of it cracking. It takes serious work with a mallet to crack one. An large, old, dried walnut sitting in a bowl for years can be cracked with your hands if you are strong and focus the pressure in the right place. It is all about pressure points. Remember that most adults can’t crack an egg with their hands if they wrap their fingers evenly around it and squeeze as hard as they can. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/11 "2011-08-02T23:36:51Z")
Mmm…, you seek figures. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/12 "2011-08-02T23:45:58Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Remember that most adults can’t crack an egg with their hands if they wrap their fingers evenly around it and squeeze as hard as they can. Really? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/13 "2011-08-02T23:55:01Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Really? Yes! Quick, go give it a try. Shhhhhh. It might work this time. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/14 "2011-08-03T00:17:53Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Really? Really but I said MOST adults so try it outside. I don’t know how strong you are or what kinds of eggs you keep on hand. It is really true for most eggs and most people however. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/15 "2011-08-03T00:18:18Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Really? Yes, it’s true, although the current eggs in the supermarket have much thinner shells than my free-range chickens did. I could crush a supermarket egg with some effort, but not one of my chicken’s eggs. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/16 "2011-08-03T01:09:35Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > and 377 newtons if you try to crack the suture. Indeed, if you want to crack a walnut with your hands, you must put the suture against your palms (or against your thumb, if you use both thumbs and fingers to crack it. The suture against whatever is applying pressure. Same thing with a nut cracker, in fact). I often do it, and I’m not strong. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/17 "2011-08-03T01:10:49Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > and 377 newtons if you try to crack the suture. Indeed, if you want to crack a walnut with your hands, you must put the suture against your palms (or against your thumb, if you use both thumbs and fingers to crack it. The suture against whatever is applying pressure. Same thing with a nut cracker, in fact). I often did it, and I’m not strong. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/18 "2011-08-03T06:34:46Z")
Some years back my friend gave me a bushel basket of black walnuts. I made the grievous error of leaving them outside by the garage. I got up early the next morning to see not only a slew of shells all over the yard, but about a dozen squirrels in my drive way eating the nuts, cracking them open with their little jaws/teeth. Fuggin Sonsabitches!:mad::mad::mad::mad: So I’m thinking there are some men who could crack them with their hands. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Saxon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f17d59/32.png) [@Frank\_Saxon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_Saxon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/19 "2011-08-03T07:08:35Z")
I’ve been cracking walnuts by hand for as long as I can remember. Started after we broke our nutcracker. It doesn’t take a lot of physical strength, there is some technique to it. Also, the trick is not to crack (and pulverize) the nut, but to separate the halves neatly. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213/20 "2011-08-03T07:13:38Z")
Also depends on whether they’re ‘wet’ walnuts or stored ones. Wet walnuts are those that are fully ripe and have fallen out of their husks, but are sold immediately after harvesting - these can be cracked singly in the hand quite easily. After they’ve been in dry storage for a couple of months (i.e. the ones sold at Christmas time), the shells will have hardened and toughened considerably. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/force-required-to-crack-a-walnut/591213.md?page=2)