How to pit cherries efficiently without a cherry pitter?

I'm with Pierino on this! Just buy a cherry pitter...I've been using the same on for 30+ years.

Use the square end of a chopstick or any similarly shaped item. Put the cherry over the top of a beer bottle (drink the beer first) and use the stick to push the pit into the bottle, leaving the cherry still sitting on top.

No answer to pitting w/o a pitter; but why not check into buying from OXO? Inexpensive and you will always love having it around, be it for cherries or olives.

All of the above are interesting methods, but truth be told cherry stoners are inexpensive. And they also multitask if you have big fat olives that you need to stone.

Take apart a pen and wash the casing. Once you have cleaned the casing, use the narrow end to push through the top (were the stem was connected) and push out the pit from the bottom. It's simple and easy. Source: www.traversebayfarms.com

My grandmother used a hair pin or "bobby pin". Insert the loop end in and pull the seed out. I still use this method

Also depends what you are going to do with them---if they don't need to look good, you can freeze them. Then defrost, and they will shmush easily and give you nice juice as well.

A chopstick also works (the wide end)

Use a straw. As in plastic drinking straw.

I usually use a tiny melon baller or a teaspoon. Not a regular teaspoon, but those small ones you get at a tea place. Or, if you have long nails, you can just coax it out, but then you'll get red hands.

Cake frosting tips with starred ends work wonderfully. Saves space over a cherry pitter and makes you feel good about multitasking implements :-)

Paper clip, opened up.

I asked this question and got some amazing responses - the one that I am trying next is to use a frosting tip. Here is the link - http://food52.com/hotline/6440-easiest-way-to-pit-cherries

My husband...he is so helpful.