A recent post on Reddit started a spirited discussion among internet users as they tried to figure out what a strange metal object with a pointed, weapon-like shape was. People had different ideas about the item they found at their grandmother’s house. Some thought it was a can opener from the 1800s, while others thought it was a camping equipment that could do many things. Some people even joked that it could be used as a weapon.
As others expressed their ideas, elderly people added recollections and wounds they had from using this antiquated tool. It was an early form of the can opener, a tool that made opening canned food much harder back in the day.
Ezra Warner made the first can opener with a specific design in 1858. The history of the can opener goes back to the early 1800s. But it wasn’t until 1870, when William Lyman created a can opener with a cutting wheel that turned, that the operation got safer and easier. Over time, new ideas like electric can openers and handheld variants that are easy to hold have made it easy to open cans.
Even if things have become better, some people still like the old designs. One person on Facebook said they still use an old can opener from time to time, even though they know it’s dangerous. They like how well it works. Another person said that it’s rare to find these antique openers these days.
The old-fashioned can opener is a reminder of how clever and sometimes dangerous things used to be. It’s evident that this old-fashioned appliance has a distinct position in kitchen history, from battle wounds to happy memories [1].
