PREP Can Opener Tip

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Publius

TB Fanatic
Ok; In the past the topic of can opener has come up many times and what I'm about to show you with a video could come in real handy!
I think many here have seen a Boy Scout knife and the hundreds of Multi-Tools/knife's that for sale just about everywhere and all these will likely have a can opener that was invented and patented in 1942 and put into production in 1943 as part of the military contract for the U.S. Army and found in a GI pocket knife.
I have shown this little gem to a good number of people over the years and most had no idea what it was or how it is used, a few thought it was a bottle opener and the bottle opener in most pocket knifes looks very similar to the can opener, but the bottle openers usually has a flat tip so the tool doubles as a screwdriver.
Link to Video Run Time 2:05
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHjlA3QL-o8
 
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Publius

TB Fanatic
So keeping a Boy Scout knife knock off around may save your life and the same for just about any multi-tools
Some of these can be had so cheep that $20 will buy a hand full of the boy scout knife's so you can put one in the glove box, one in the kitchen junk draw and I think you get the idea.
 
Meemur

Meemur

Voice on the Prairie / FJB!
I just bought a bunch of fifty-cent (and slightly higher) can openers at estate sales. They are scattered all over: the car, emergency drawer, mounted on the wall in the pantry.

I'm older: I need to use a freakin' can opener, not some substitute that might not work well and end up cutting me.

1670867951848.png
 
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Publius

TB Fanatic
Groucho said:
Despite having manual can openers around, there may be many young people who starve during a prolonged power outage.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC35FAJDFpY
Click to expand...

Some years ago a member here posted a video of a young woman that was given the task of opening a can of something by her mother and just wow it must have taken her 30 min to figure out how to operate the manual can opener and what a struggle for her to do this simple task.
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
I have several manual can openers, never had an electric one. Mine are similiar to the swingline, although the swingline hurts my hands so I've found some that have softer handles and they last for years, I also have some in reserve just in case.

I can remember opening a can with a butcher knife a long time ago.
 
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Publius

TB Fanatic
My self if I can help it prefer to keep dirt and grit out of my food so grinding the lid off on cement is out.
I can do it with a pocket knife or screwdriver, but if the pocket knife has one the can openers shown above in the video I will use it and not hard to do, once you have done it once you can move with it much faster.
I have such tools as part of my camp gear and kept in a chuck box for safe keeping until needed.
 
Blacknarwhal

Blacknarwhal

Let's Go Brandon!
nomifyle said:
Mine are similiar to the swingline, although the swingline hurts my hands so I've found some that have softer handles and they last for years, I also have some in reserve just in case.
Click to expand...

But did you bring your Swingline from home? :D

I've been using the same KitchenAid can opener for at least the last 10 years, and possibly longer. Tried others, and I always keep coming back to
 
nomifyle

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Blacknarwhal said:
But did you bring your Swingline from home? :D

I've been using the same KitchenAid can opener for at least the last 10 years, and possibly longer. Tried others, and I always keep coming back to
Click to expand...
I had a swingline many years ago, it fell by the wayside many years ago. I have several kitchen aid can openers. Everything is at home. I also have several multi tools.
 
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Publius

TB Fanatic
Meemur said:
I just bought a bunch of fifty-cent (and slightly higher) can openers at estate sales. They are scattered all over: the car, emergency drawer, mounted on the wall in the pantry.

I'm older: I need to use a freakin' can opener, not some substitute that might not work well and end up cutting me.

View attachment 383956
Click to expand...


To give a few a laugh Publius is left handed and can openers like the one shown above the design will hold up better than the cheeper variants and it's the way a us left handed people holds and grips it, we end up springing it so they no longer works for anyone. Yes I have destroyed many can opener's in my lifetime.
The can openers made pre-world two would cut the can open in such a way that many ended up cutting themselves on the tin can and lid. The one shown in the video I posted started out being called something like a safety can opener and because of the way it worked it was much safer for GI's to use out in the field and easer to use as well.
 
tnphil

tnphil

Don't screw with an engineer
We have an electric can opener that I would struggle with. It never wanted to fit right and start cutting.
I got one of these and was pleasantly surprised how well it works.
Screenshot_20221212-153528_Firefox.jpg
It does normal-sized cans, 28oz cans and #10 cans, no problem.
And no sharp edges on lids, and no shavings can get in your food.
 
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Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
remember the simple "church key" for cans and capped bottles? - floating around free with beer advertising >>> just checked around to see if I could find some cheap knock offs - what's available is a couple bucks and the old ones are now "antiques" and ridiculous....
 
Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
tnphil said:
We have an electric can opener that I would struggle with. It never wanted to fit right and start cutting.
I got one of these and was pleasantly surprised how well it works.
View attachment 384015
It does normal-sized cans, 28oz cans and #10 cans, no problem.
And no sharp edges on lids, and no shavings can get in your food.
Click to expand...

I need to buy a side cutting can opener like that >>> been finding cans that won't open decently with a regular can opener - cans are basically cheaper these days and the nurled wheel for spinning the can won't grip ....
 
tnphil

tnphil

Don't screw with an engineer
Illini Warrior said:
I need to buy a side cutting can opener like that >>> been finding cans that won't open decently with a regular can opener - cans are basically cheaper these days and the nurled wheel for spinning the can won't grip ....
Click to expand...
Exactly my experience. And the cheap Chinese manual can openers are crap too.
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
Meemur said:
I just bought a bunch of fifty-cent (and slightly higher) can openers at estate sales. They are scattered all over: the car, emergency drawer, mounted on the wall in the pantry.

I'm older: I need to use a freakin' can opener, not some substitute that might not work well and end up cutting me.

View attachment 383956
Click to expand...

Same, and we've been looking for a decent electric can opener. I have this one in the photo, handles are a cobalt blue color.
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
Publius said:
To give a few a laugh Publius is left handed and can openers like the one shown above the design will hold up better than the cheeper variants and it's the way a us left handed people holds and grips it, we end up springing it so they no longer works for anyone. Yes I have destroyed many can opener's in my lifetime.
The can openers made pre-world two would cut the can open in such a way that many ended up cutting themselves on the tin can and lid. The one shown in the video I posted started out being called something like a safety can opener and because of the way it worked it was much safer for GI's to use out in the field and easer to use as well.
Click to expand...

I'm left handed, never had any problems keeping a can opener working condition.
 
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