The Curve Nutcracker is a minimal nutcracker designed to crack walnuts with ease. It's threaded design takes minimal effort and contains the mess associated with cracking nuts for easy, clean, simple cracking.

I explored different forms through exploration sketching, and then moved to CAD to model, print and test these ideas.

I stayed with a consistent curved shape through my prototypes, but varied the different methods in which you release the cracked walnut from the body. I explored a screw top, a sliding base, a sliding tray and finally decided on a simple screw base.

There was a lot of trial and error with the 3D printed prototypes, and sanding was required for the initial prototypes to get the top and the base to screw together easily.

Once I had a working 3D printed works-like model, I went on to carve a looks-like model out of ash on a wood lathe.

My original plan was to carve my model out of walnut, but I came to the conclusion that the wood was too hard and kept chipping because it was laminated against the grain of the wood, so I opted for ash in the end.

Some sketches of the final design, it's cycle of use and it's construction.

The final looks-like and works-like models.

The final nutcracker design is 5 inches in height, and fits nicely in the hand. The top has a grip large enough to exert enough forced to turn the threads and crush the walnut within.