The invention of the can opener - 48 years after the can came the can opener

How were cans opened before then?
In the period between the invention of the can and the can opener, people used rather crude methods to get at the contents of the can:

• With strong knives such as the bayonet
• With hammer and chisel
• Even with an axe

The cans of the time were very thick-walled, so a lot of force was required. Nevertheless, the improvised opening methods were laborious and not without danger.

The modern can opener with a cutting wheel
The can opener with a cutting wheel, which is still in use today, was invented by the American William Lyman in 1870. The key to its success was the fact that thinner sheet metal was now being used for food cans.

Opening beverage cans
Beverage cans, as we know them today, have a tear-off closure or tab with which they can be easily opened. This innovation was introduced in the 1960s. Before that, however, there were beverage cans that did not have an integrated opening mechanism.

Here are some of the ways these beverage cans were opened:

• Can puncher or Church Key: A specialized tool often referred to as a “can pricker” or “church key”. It is a small metal tool with a pointed end that was pressed into the top of the can to create a hole. Sometimes two holes were made to make pouring easier.
• Can opener: Some people also used conventional can openers to remove the top of the beverage can.
• Improvised methods: When a suitable tool was not at hand, improvised methods were sometimes used, such as using a pocket knife or other sharp object to punch a hole in the can.

However, these methods were often cumbersome and not always secure, which is why the integrated tear-off closure was a significant improvement.

The tear-off closure for beverage cans was not introduced until the 1960s. Before that, there were beverage cans that did not have an integrated opening mechanism.