A surgical instrument, comprising: a first jaw; a second jaw coupled to said first jaw for selective pivotal travel relative thereto between a fully open position and a fully closed position; and a closure member configured to apply closure motions to said second jaw as said closure member is axially movable in a distal direction from a starting position corresponding to said fully open position of said second jaw to an ending position corresponding to said fully closed position of said second jaw, said closure member configured to move distally from said starting position an initial predetermined axial closure distance before applying said closure motion to said second jaw, wherein said closure member is configured to distally move through a final predetermined axial closure distance after said second jaw has been moved to said fully closed position; wherein said closure member further comprises means for applying opening motions to said second jaw when said closure member axially moves in a proximal direction from said ending position to said starting position, characterised in that said means for applying opening motions comprises: a first jaw opening feature on said closure member and configured to apply a first amount of jaw opening motion to said second jaw as said closure member is axially moved from said ending position to an intermediate axial position between said ending position and said starting position; and a second jaw opening feature on said closure member axially spaced from said first jaw opening feature and configured to apply a second amount of jaw opening motion to said second jaw as said closure member is axially moved from said intermediate position to said starting position. a first jaw; a second jaw coupled to said first jaw for selective pivotal travel relative thereto between a fully open position and a fully closed position; and a closure member configured to apply closure motions to said second jaw as said closure member is axially movable in a distal direction from a starting position corresponding to said fully open position of said second jaw to an ending position corresponding to said fully closed position of said second jaw, said closure member configured to move distally from said starting position an initial predetermined axial closure distance before applying said closure motion to said second jaw, wherein said closure member is configured to distally move through a final predetermined axial closure distance after said second jaw has been moved to said fully closed position; wherein said closure member further comprises means for applying opening motions to said second jaw when said closure member axially moves in a proximal direction from said ending position to said starting position, characterised in that said means for applying opening motions comprises: a first jaw opening feature on said closure member and configured to apply a first amount of jaw opening motion to said second jaw as said closure member is axially moved from said ending position to an intermediate axial position between said ending position and said starting position; and a second jaw opening feature on said closure member axially spaced from said first jaw opening feature and configured to apply a second amount of jaw opening motion to said second jaw as said closure member is axially moved from said intermediate position to said starting position. a first jaw opening feature on said closure member and configured to apply a first amount of jaw opening motion to said second jaw as said closure member is axially moved from said ending position to an intermediate axial position between said ending position and said starting position; and a second jaw opening feature on said closure member axially spaced from said first jaw opening feature and configured to apply a second amount of jaw opening motion to said second jaw as said closure member is axially moved from said intermediate position to said starting position.