I have some 17" and 24" Tuftex balloons blown up laying on the floor around me. I take my needle-nosed pliers and pinch the valve on my balloons and tug roughly. I use the cutter and I make small holes in the latex near the valve. I squeeze my balloons as the air escapes and I continue to tug at the valve with the pliers. Some of my balloons I until they are completely deflated while others I pop with the pliers before they lose all of their air.