the inventions relate generally to manual devices operable to grasp and open shelled foods such as nuts , some of which particularly relate to a tool or utensil with tips configured to be inserted into the crack of a nut , and through hand pressure open a nut through separation of the inserted tips by way of pivoting arms , whereby the tool is biased so the tips are brought substantially together for insertion in the absence of manual pressure . certain exemplary tools include grasping surfaces , cracking jaws and pull - tab openers , as well as biasing devices such as springs in combination with pins , or flexible hinges . tips may be chisel - pointed , round - pointed , molded from plastic or fashioned in metal . detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the detailed description below , and the inventions are defined by the appended claims .