Re: Opening cans on campaign
I'm not aware of any can openers being available before the late 1860s - have looked for evidence but have found none. If anyone has good evidence of a commercially produced opener from before 1865 I would love to see it. (And just because something is patented, does not mean it was ever made or put into production.)
One of the earliest openers I have seen (sadly not dated) was clearly manufactured and looks like a pair of tinsnips/scissors with a triangle/wedge at one end of a handle to force through the top to start the hole. It was in the collection of Old Sturbridge Village. If the opener needs to be pried against the edge of the can like a church-key or rotary opener it definitely is not a period opener as the style of end fastening that provides a good ridge that the opener is braced against post dates "our period" by many years.
Any early dug can or un-dug opened can that I have seen or own looks to me as if it has been opened with a knife (not a bayonet - I have not seen evidence of a bayonet being used for opening a can - it would leave a distintive tear with a "V" configuration. Typically (as mentioned) the cans were opened leaving an attached portion where the now-mangled center of the lid was peeled back. WARNING! This is a really good formula for sliced fingers!:cry_smile
I'm not aware of any can openers being available before the late 1860s - have looked for evidence but have found none. If anyone has good evidence of a commercially produced opener from before 1865 I would love to see it. (And just because something is patented, does not mean it was ever made or put into production.)
One of the earliest openers I have seen (sadly not dated) was clearly manufactured and looks like a pair of tinsnips/scissors with a triangle/wedge at one end of a handle to force through the top to start the hole. It was in the collection of Old Sturbridge Village. If the opener needs to be pried against the edge of the can like a church-key or rotary opener it definitely is not a period opener as the style of end fastening that provides a good ridge that the opener is braced against post dates "our period" by many years.
Any early dug can or un-dug opened can that I have seen or own looks to me as if it has been opened with a knife (not a bayonet - I have not seen evidence of a bayonet being used for opening a can - it would leave a distintive tear with a "V" configuration. Typically (as mentioned) the cans were opened leaving an attached portion where the now-mangled center of the lid was peeled back. WARNING! This is a really good formula for sliced fingers!:cry_smile
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