"Walman" Professional Manual Nutcracker

Walman Professional Manual Nut Cracking Machine – Junior & Standard | Made in Germany

The Walman by Feucht-Obsttechnik is a heavy-duty, hand-operated nut cracking machine made in Germany. Designed for home orchards, homesteads, small farms, nut growers and small-scale professional processing, it makes cracking larger quantities of suitable nuts easier and more efficient – without electricity.

Whether you harvest nuts in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa, Europe or Asia, the Walman offers a practical solution for processing suitable nuts from your own harvest. Choose the compact Walman Junior (up to 15 kg / 33 lb per hour) or the larger Walman Standard (up to 30 kg / 66 lb per hour).

Why Choose the Walman?

• Made in Germany: Robust construction for long-lasting use.
• No electricity required: Ideal for farms, orchards, workshops and off-grid locations.
• Two machine sizes: Junior for up to 15 kg / 33 lb per hour; Standard for up to 30 kg / 66 lb per hour.
• Nut size range: Approximately 10–50 mm / 0.4–2.0 inches, depending on the nut type.
• Adjustable cracking mechanism: Adapt the machine to different nut sizes.
• Optional outlet chute: Choose your machine with or without a discharge chute.
• Solid steel construction: Welded housing with approximately 4–5 mm thick steel plates.

Which Nuts Can the Walman Crack?

The Walman is designed for suitable nuts measuring approximately 10–50 mm (0.4–2.0 inches). The manufacturer specifically lists the following nut types:

• Walnuts – suitable for processing home-grown and harvested walnuts.
• Hazelnuts – for smaller nut harvests and regular processing.
• Pecans – particularly relevant for growers and orchard owners in North America and other pecan-growing regions.
• Acorns – for suitable acorn varieties within the machine's operating range.
• Chestnuts – for suitable varieties and applications.

Other regional nuts may also be suitable. However, nut size alone does not guarantee compatibility. Shell hardness, shape and the desired cracking result are also important.

Nut Varieties Around the World – From North America to Australia, Africa and Asia

Nut growers around the world work with many different varieties. In addition to the nut types already listed by the manufacturer, customers may wish to process the following regional nuts and hard-shelled seeds.

USA & Canada – North America

• American Black Walnuts (Juglans nigra): Approximately 25–50 mm; round, deeply ridged nuts with exceptionally hard shells.
• Hickory Nuts: Shagbark, Shellbark/Kingnut and Mockernut varieties; commonly around 20–50 mm, sometimes larger, with thick, hard shells.
• Butternuts (Juglans cinerea): Approximately 30–60 mm long; elongated nuts with deeply ridged, hard shells.
• Heartnuts: Approximately 25–40 mm; distinctive heart-shaped nuts with a pronounced shell seam.

Australia & New Zealand – Oceania

• Macadamia Nuts: Approximately 19–35 mm; nearly round nuts with extremely hard shells.
• Bunya Nuts: Large, elongated seeds, often several centimeters long, with a firm outer covering.
• Quandong Stones: Approximately 15–25 mm; round, very hard fruit stones.

South Africa & Southern Africa

• Macadamia Nuts: Round, exceptionally hard-shelled nuts grown commercially in parts of southern Africa.
• Marula Stones: Approximately 20–40 mm; hard, rounded to oval, multi-chambered fruit stones containing edible kernels.

Middle East, North Africa & Turkey

• Hard-Shell Almonds: Approximately 20–40 mm; elongated nuts with shell thickness and hardness varying considerably by variety.
• Closed-Shell Pistachios: Approximately 15–25 mm; small, oval nuts whose shells have not opened naturally.

Brazil & South America

• Baru Nuts: Edible kernels enclosed in very hard, woody fruit stones.
• Macadamia Nuts: Round nuts with extremely hard shells.
• Hard-Shell Almonds: Elongated nuts with different shell thicknesses depending on the variety.

Who Is the Walman Designed For?

The Walman is particularly useful for people who regularly process more nuts than would be practical with an ordinary household nutcracker, but do not require a large industrial cracking system.

• Home orchard owners: Process walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans and other suitable nuts from your own trees.
• Homesteaders and self-sufficient households: Make practical use of your seasonal harvest without electricity.
• Small farms and nut growers: Crack larger quantities manually with a sturdy, adjustable machine.
• Farm shops and direct sellers: Prepare harvested nuts for further processing or sale.
• Small-scale food producers: Process suitable nuts for use in homemade or commercially produced foods.
• Remote farms and off-grid locations: Operate the machine independently of electrical power.

Walman Junior or Standard – Which Model Should You Choose?

Walman Junior – Compact and Practical

The Walman Junior is the smaller model, ideal for moderate harvest quantities, home orchards and users who prefer a compact machine. It processes up to approximately 15 kg / 33 lb of nuts per hour.

Walman Standard – Higher Capacity and Less Hand Force

The Walman Standard is designed for users processing larger quantities of nuts. It handles up to approximately 30 kg / 66 lb per hour and requires around 20% less hand force than the Junior. An adjustment scale makes it easier to set the machine for different nut sizes.

Technical Specifications – Junior vs. Standard

Optional Outlet Chute – Choose With or Without

Both the Walman Junior and Standard are available with or without the optional outlet chute. The chute guides cracked nuts and shells into a container placed beneath the machine. This makes collection easier, helps keep the work area tidy and is particularly useful when processing larger quantities.

Simply select your preferred Walman model and choose With Outlet Chute or Without Outlet Chute when ordering.

Please note: The outlet chute does not separate kernels from shells. Shell separation requires an additional processing step.

How Does the Walman Work?

The Walman uses a robust, adjustable cracking mechanism with strong steel plates. The machine is operated manually, allowing suitable nuts to be cracked without a motor or electrical connection. Its adjustment system helps accommodate different nut sizes.

For more consistent results, we recommend sorting nuts into approximately three size groups before cracking and adjusting the machine accordingly.

Construction Features

• Strong welded steel housing.
• Solid steel plates approximately 4–5 mm thick.
• Plain bearing / ball bearing construction, depending on model.
• Adjustable mechanism for different nut sizes.
• Stable, freestanding tabletop design.
• Manual operation without electricity.
• Optional outlet chute for easier collection.

Cracking Performance and Kernel Quality

Cracking performance depends on the nut variety, size, dryness, shell quality and machine adjustment. According to the existing product specifications, the following results are possible:

• Cracking rate: Approximately 90% of nuts are cracked during operation.
• Walnut halves: Typically around 10–20% of kernels remain as complete halves.
• High-quality walnuts: The proportion of complete halves may reach approximately 50% under favorable conditions.
• Hazelnuts: The proportion of whole kernels may reach approximately 80%.

These figures are approximate and are not guaranteed for every harvest or nut variety. No specific performance figures are available for the additional regional nut types listed above.

Recommended Accessories and Nut Preparation

For best results, nuts should be sorted by size before cracking. Optional accessories such as walnut calibrators, hazelnut sieves, walnut sieves, outlet chutes and shell separators can help improve the workflow.

A separate shell blower can be used to separate lightweight shell fragments from kernels after cracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Made in Germany – Manual Nut Processing for Growers Worldwide

Whether you are cracking pecans in the United States, walnuts in Canada, hazelnuts in New Zealand or suitable nuts from your own harvest elsewhere in the world, the Walman Junior and Standard offer a durable, electricity-free solution for small-scale nut processing.

Have a special nut variety or an unusually hard shell? Please contact us before ordering. We will be happy to help you check whether the Walman is suitable for your nuts.