I bought a gallon unit of your mold rubber and almost broke my fingers trying to get the lids off. Is there a better way to get these containers open?

Article courtesy of Smooth-On, Inc.

Our containers are securely sealed at our factory for maximum shelf life and to hopefully stand up to the rigors of shipping across USA and across the world.

Opening One Gallon Buckets

Using a razor knife, carefully cut each notch or “cut slot” around the perimeter of the lid (be careful when using sharp cutting tools).

Once each notch is cut, you can carefully pry the lid off.

Make sure you replace the lids immediately after dispensing product; especially on the Part A (yellow) bucket.

Opening Five Gallon Buckets

Around the lid, you will find a notch-strip. Using a razor knife, carefully cut this strip as indicated on the lid and pull around the perimeter of the lid and remove completely. When finished, you will be holding a thin plastic strip about 24” (40 cm) long.

You can now carefully pry the lid off.

Make sure you firmly replace the lids immediately after dispensing product- especially on the Part A (yellow) bucket.

Using an aluminum pail opener will make opening 1 and 5 gallon pails easier by eliminating the need to cut the notches at the top:

 

Disclaimer

This FAQ article is offered as a guideline and offers possible solutions to problems encountered during mold making and casting. No warranty is implied and it is up to the end user to determine suitability for any specific application. Always refer to the provided Technical Bulletins (TB) & Safety Data Sheets (SDS) before using any material. A small scale test is suggested to determine suitability of any recommendation before trying on a larger scale for any application.

Due to inclement weather, Reynolds-Orlando will be closed 10/9/2024 and 10/10/2024.