For the love of God, Buy yourself a can opener!!! NOW

reply to post by rle4lunch


You are uneducated in my situation and regional issue (lack of jobs)

The tiny P-38 can openers are sold in most outdoor stores that sell backpacking gear. That's where I got mine over 20 years ago. They are more for on the go than for being at home. For home it's a plain old can opener because it's alot quicker than using the P-38's. I got 3 or 4 laying around the house. For the people who own only electric can openers, I would suggest purchasing a manual one because otherwise you will be paying high dollars to purchase one from a trader. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by SheopleNation


a SHTF scenario has no electricity lol

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
reply to post by nenothtu

 

I have a kabar.

I LOVE that knife and its the best knife I have ever owned.

Me too. I have actually opened a can with my KA-BAR a few times when I forgot my can opener while camping. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by Jordan River


I once opened a can with a piece of rock and a nail. it was a pain in the ass, but it worked. an opener is not that important. Especially, if you don't plan on evacuating with a carton of cans. And I would absolutely not rely on one in a fight. you would probably need a knife much more. a crossbow ain't bad either. It helps you eat the fauna, and down other survivors. strictly for eating purposes(just kidding. cannibalism is not recommended for disposing evidence)

Originally posted by Jordan River
reply to post by SheopleNation

 

a SHTF scenario has no electricity lol

That's my point. If and when the SHTF, Somebody could make alot of profit from selling regualr can openers to all the fools with electric ones. ~$heopleNation

reply to post by Narcissous

I have a intermediate master of Sais 4.bp.blogspot.com...
should i just use that instead

i am talking about civilians, of course they will bring knives

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
reply to post by nenothtu

 

I have a kabar.

I LOVE that knife and its the best knife I have ever owned.

I have a Ka-Bar and a genuine Sheffield Fairbairn-Sykes, both of which I've had since 1979, and neither has ever let me down. The Fairbairn, however, is for specific fighting use, and would probably snap like a shard of glass opening a can. The Ka-bar doesn't have that problem. I can clamp it in a vise and STAND on the handle, and it just says "Meh. Ya got any serious test?"

The other knives I mentioned, the Spec Plus series, are nearly as tough as the Ka-Bar. I've got 3 or them. I've not had them more than a few years, but they're up to the jobs they were bought for, and then some. The only real gripe I have with them is that the epoxy blade finish wears off and scratches up faster than the parkerizing on the Ka-Bar. After 33 years, the Ka-Bar is sort of shiny, but still has the original parkerizing over most of the blade - it's just smoother than it was new.

Originally posted by daskakik
reply to post by nenothtu

 

Yeah kitchen knives are flexible but part of the reason is the thin blades but bend a bit to far and they will snap. Temper shouldn't make a difference because your not using the knife as a prying tool, your using it to stab and slice through a thin sheet of soft metal.

But you just KNOW someone is going to have to pry or twist (the twisting is what gaps the edges) in his hurry...

As others have said you should have a multi-tool pocket knife which should have a can opener. If you don't have that then you probably didn't bring a kitchen can opener either.

You know, I used to have a Victorinox Commander, and everything on it worked just as advertised and expected. I used to cut lumber to length with the saw blade when I was in a hurry, and it would eat right through it, no problem. I've not tried that with the multitools.

Hell, I've bit the side out of beer cans with only my teeth - that doesn't mean I recommend it, though!

But did you break any teeth? I'm pretty sure you didn't because the metal is pretty soft and thin. This is the same reason why a steel can probably won't hurt your hunting knife either, unless you try prying the edge with it.

Nope, no broken teeth, but it scared the bejesus out of a newbie! That was in the early 80's after they had started thinning out the metal in drink cans. Food cans are a bit heavier, and I wouldn't try one with my teeth any more. In a pinch, I'd use a bayonet, but never my primary work knife. Bayonets also double as fair tent-pegs, in a pinch!

And I'm pretty sure that if that is all you had and you found a case full of canned food you wouldn't think twice about it.

No, I'd hesitate. I'd use a rock to pop the bead around the lid rim before I'd use my primary work knife. I can replace a rock a lot easier.

The ones that cost a bit more, with the handles that open a full 180, could easily be used as impromptu nunchaku.
I know for a fact you can create enough psi to blast a hole in the kitchen wall oops, my bad, it slipped, no really.

While on the subject of can openers, I would suggest stocking up on many cans of Lima beans because they are very, very high in protein. Lima beans are a superfood. If you got some canned ham to add to them then you will be very fortunate. Protein intake folks, it's all about the protein intake. ~$heopleNation

Hell yeah, I love can openers!

I dont why people are giving the OP a hard time. This is actually very good advice and though to most of us this kind of goes without saying, there are others who do read these threads who are not even registered to ATS and this may be something they never considered.

One thing to remember about using knives to open a can is you will dull the blade. If you intend to use a knife, be sure you can sharpen it up.

I actually have like 4 can openers and a couple multitools hanging around my house.

reply to post by Jordan River


You do know that a can opener is not crucial to opening a can of food, do you not? Are you so naïve to think that people cannot open a can of food without one?

reply to post by brukernavn


They sure make it easier to open cans.

I have two!

A nice Swing-A-Way deal and a lever type can opener. Very handy!

I do not like electric openers.

reply to post by MrWendal


I think the army doods and miltia men are mad that a noob brought it up



so they have to act all manly and wrestle with cans to impress women while beating their chest and running for their guns to protect their offspring like wild animal. get the gizmo to impress and leave the small objects in their trousers for hte rest

DP

Originally posted by nenothtu
But you just KNOW someone is going to have to pry or twist (the twisting is what gaps the edges) in his hurry...

That would be that person's problem. It is also a good reason to share the info on how to do it right.

You know, I used to have a Victorinox Commander, and everything on it worked just as advertised and expected. I used to cut lumber to length with the saw blade when I was in a hurry, and it would eat right through it, no problem. I've not tried that with the multitools.

I had a Victorinox and used the can opener on it more than a couple of times and it worked just fine. That tool had a tempering of 56 which just happens to be the tempering of a ka-bar (56-58).

No, I'd hesitate. I'd use a rock to pop the bead around the lid rim before I'd use my primary work knife. I can replace a rock a lot easier.

Just to prove to myself that it could be done, this afternoon, I opened a can with a utility knife (rockwell 60-62) that has the score lines to break off worn tips. It worked and nothing chipped. Of course I was extra careful but if you're primary work knife is more delicate than that then maybe you should try finding a tougher one.

Originally posted by MrWendal
I dont why people are giving the OP a hard time.

I think it was the idea that you would starve without a can opener.

It is good advise but so is knowing other ways to skin a cat or can.