I am embarrassed to even ask this question but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to open the stitched grain bags by just pulling the threads!!!
Can someone help a brother out??
So, you grab the loose string from the end and pull it across the bag… then it fails and you get a knife. I just start with the knife. I’ve never been able to get it to work. Enlighten me as well!
This link is for Weyermann bags but other maltsters’ bags are similar.
https://www.weyermann.de/downloads/pdf/Weyermann_Bag_Opening_Instructions_english_March_2012.pdf
Thanks! I couldn’t find anything on their website. Will try!!
I use scissors. I have a pair on a dummy cord hanging on the brewery wall to open grain bags, hop packs, yeast packs, etc.
If you have the older style stitched bags, find the short tail of the stitching string at the top of the bag and cut it. You should then be able to grab both ends of the string (one on either side of the top of the bag) and pull them to unravel the stitching. .Do not do this from the end of the bag that has the longer tail as you will never get the bag open and will probably invent new cuss words in the process! 
The newer stitched bags will have a thin white tape under the stitching. Just pull on the tape and the bag will open.
I was a farm kid and had to open the older style bags all the time. I learned how to do it pretty quickly.
Well geez… I thought it was supposed to be like a bag of briquettes [emoji28] I apparently was not even close.
Unless you plan to repurpose the bag, if it won’t pull open easily a pair of scissors will make quick work of it.
A Stanley knife works well for me. I’m going to dump it all into a Vittles Vault and don’t save the bags so why waste time trying to pick out the right string to pull.
Ohhh I have gone the scissors route, utility knife route and whatever else route that worked. I just get tired of the mess of the bag threads you get from cutting the bag. They’re on the floor or in the grain while milling. Its the little things that drive me mad at times!!
Hey peeps, thanks for the responses!!
I use the nemonic “single is right”! If you place the bag so the side with the single thread is facing you, then you free it up by pulling thread on the right side. The back side will be double threaded.
What I always do is just grab the longest end of the string hanging off the bad, cut and small corner off the bag and across the strings, find the correct string and pull. Every manufacture’s bag opens differently which is frustrating. I give it two or three tries and if it doesn’t open I just get frustrated and cut open the bag with scissors.
Sorry to change the subject. But, can someone help me with this bag. I keep twisting the tie to my right, but the tie appears to be getting tighter.
Hahahahaha! No kidding I struggle with zip ties some times and just cut them as well. PITA to unlock em.