I've got one thing that I make so far that requires a pop and I'm wondering what I should bring to pop it? I don't want to use my teeth because I plan on insisting that since even I won't put the balloons in my mouth, neither should they.

I was thinking maybe one of those little milk bag cutters, but I'm not even sure where to find them anymore. What do you guys use?

I use a snipet [sp] I got mine for tymeyer but basically it looks like one those bag splitters, the blade is inside so you can't cut yourself and neither is a child if he happen to grab it from you. Take a little practice to get the feel but you can break a balloon apart with your fingers. I can't describe it though.sorry.

I sometimes use scissors. I sometimes use this tiny little cutting tool that I purchased from a balloon dealer (it has a magnet and clip on it for easy carrying), and sometimes (this is BAD, so prepare yourself) I use my teeth.

I use a letter opener its cheaper than the snip it you can get them at any stationary store like staples
Some times you can get free ones at trade shows

Carry a push pin with you. The other idea I have is a Lancet for checking your blood sugar. You can use the same one about for ever, and because it retracts, no one is going to hurt themself.

I use a letter opener its cheaper than the snip it you can get them at any stationary store like staples
Some times you can get free ones at trade shows


I made my own snip out of a block of wood and a letter opener. Perri, I forgot you guys get milk in a bag up in the great white north.

usually, I use the tear.

When I have to pop a small bubble between ear twists, I just rub the bubble between my thumb and index finger nails. This works great for popping bubbles but it can get loud.

The other idea I have is a Lancet for checking your blood sugar.

I just tried it. It works GREAT!!!

I found a little letter opener thingy at Staples... it's a little bigger than the usual milk bag cutter, but it'll be alright. Thanks for the input... I'll still keep my eyes open at Dollarama for a smaller one though. :D

I try to stay away from things with pop twists because I can never make them stay... but say I need to deflate excess balloon. I use one of my pins that I'm wearing... I take it off pop, put it back on.

The motorcyle that I do has one pop in it, but there are pinch twists on either side and I just twist them like 15 times before I pop it and they stay for quite a while actually. It's really loud though because the balloon is soooo tight after all those twists.

Sounds good 'Noia. I really don't like pop twists, I've had too many problems with them when I was learning so I steer clear of them when I can. But I do carry a pair of scissors for trimming purposes that work when needed. A friend carries a large safety pin for the purpose.

Good idea with the Lancet, Scruff.

I have found over the years that productivity is greatly increased when I don't have to fiddle around trying to find my designated "popper" such as scissors or a pin, then have to put it safely away after use (I have enough trouble remebering which pocket I put my black marker in!)... so I use my teeth. I work so quickly and they've never let me down yet. Never had a single complaint either, so that'll ding dang do fer me!

Scruffy's lancet is probably the best utility-wise. Back when I worked on the ambulance and was learning balloons, and had an almost unlimited supply of lancets hahah, I used them all the time. Of course spending 12 hours a shot on the ambulance (we stayed in the truck for our entire shift, didn't have a station) the ambulance filled up with balloons. So I had a special lancet I nicknamed Dr. Kevorkian or Dr. K for short, for all those balloons that had outlived their usefulness.

I use a pair of sewing scissors of my mom's, they collapse down so that the blades are covered and just the handles are exposed, I dont know where she got it though, you should be able to find them in a sewing or craft and hobby store.

if you want to intentionally pop in a clown act for example, you can use an adhesive remover pen (by scotch) apparently the effect is almost instant, i havent tried it myself tho.

yes they do still make those little milk bag cutters, you get three in a pack, i will find out the supplier and get back to you.

I suppose there is advantage to the loud noise when you pop a tight bubble. It gets more attention! I love making a motorcycle and when I pop the bubble between the handle bars, people look to see where the noise came from. It's a great attention grabber.

True... I can always use it as a chance to show that I'm scared to death, even if I did do it myself ;)

I know this thread is from months ago, but what the hey!

I never do the pop twists either, and when I have to rip off the end of a balloon, I use my thumb. Michael at balloon-animals.com has a video on how to do it - twist off a section, and - this is where I was messing up before I saw the video - dig your thumb into the part near the twist (not ON the twist!) and jerk your hand away - thumb still digging in.

He explains it way better than I do, clearly.

when I have to rip off the end of a balloon, I use my thumb. Michael at balloon-animals.com has a video on how to do it - twist off a section, and - this is where I was messing up before I saw the video - dig your thumb into the part near the twist (not ON the twist!) and jerk your hand away - thumb still digging in.

I just recently learned how to do this too -- also from a video. I couldn't believe how easy it was. The popping sound is usually minimal, and you don't have to worry about half of your balloon flying off into the great unknown. And, of course, there's the added benefit of not having to dig around for your scissors.

I'm using a letter opener right now that works quite well... I keep it on a little retractable cord with my balloons.
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I use one of those letter openers with the razor blade in it to cut the left over parts off and I use the pointy end to deflate the balloon.

I know that this is old to most of you, but here's another thought from a newbie to the site. If you put two small twists between those pop twists instead of one, then when you pop them using any technique, it isn't loud and you have short ends to wrap around the pinch twists to help seal.

what i do is grab the twist on either end and then just do a sharp downward seperation of my hands and it works wonders... and then sometimes ill hand the waste end to a kid and be like can you hold onto this for me and then let go right as they are about to grab it then say something like o i meant hold the balloon not just the air i should have been more specific.. :D it gets a good laugh!

i use my nails and just pinch em.