How to open a can

imported
#1

I’m very much mindful of how little my gear weighs. But I have to ask - when you buy canned food (tuna fish, for example) and if it isn’t a pull-tab top, you obviously have to break into the can. Somehow.

So do you bring a can opener with you the whole way? It doesn’t pop up at all on most hikers gear lists, but at every single lean-to, you see the opened cans hanging on strings - so they had to get open somehow. So how?

And here’s another - I hear that toenails fall off, so no need (not right away) to worry about clipping them, but what about fingernails? Bite them off?

Kineo Kid

#2

Get one of the GI type can openers. Weights a fraction of an ounce. Actually, now that tuna comes in the pouches, I probably don’t carry cans anymore.

Use scissors to trim fingernails and toenails. That’s one of the reasons why I carry a Leatherman Micra (1.75 ounces)

Peaks

#3

I carry a swiss army with a can opener. I think it’s called a Recruit. It waas the lightest knife with a can opener and the all important bottle opener.

Darth Packman

#4

You can open a can with a knife (that is a good knife, not a cheap flimsy on). Set can on hard and solid surface. Tap blade into edge of can at top, rotate and do it again, and then rotate and do it again, etc, etc. Not the easiest and fastest way, but it can be done this way. Be careful when doing this as you can cut yourself if not careful. Good knives these day have super hard and sharp steel and almost never get dull, and opening a can with them, won’t hurt them.

Best way to open a can is with one of those GI can openers, Peaks refers to. I’ve used them. They require some work to open a can, but they are good and safe to use. Peaks, do you know where we can buy these? I’d like to get one myself.

The Swiss army knife with a can opener is also a great way to go and it gives you lots of other little gadget with it too, which will come in handy time after time on the trail.

I’d carry some fingernail clippers. Toenails and fingernails do not fall off unless you really damage them badly and a new toenail or fingernail forms underneath them. Hope this helps. :slight_smile:

Maintain

#5

First, just buy tuna in the bag. But if you must have a can, get the military opener, P-38(John Wayne),or just take a knife, punture the top of the rim and saw around the top (with down strokes) until the can is open. Just watch your fingers!!

Virginian

#6

Just as Virginian said the knife will do it all. The only problem I have with the swiss army knife is you can’t put an edge on it that will stay. We carried a two bladed Old Timer (non-stainless steel). Only had to sharpen it a couple of times and you could almost shave with it. Opened cans (section hiker), cut moleskin (for section hiker) and cut my nails. And I did a lot of whittling when I got the chance. My granddaddy said you only get hurt with dull knife. I carried a 1 inch square of wet dry sandpaper 600 grit to sharpen my knife blades. I ended up sharpening a bunch of knives when someone found out I had something to sharpen them with!

Papa Smurf

#7

Have had the same P-38 (AKA John Wayne or more recently Clint Eastwood) on my keychain for 30+ years. Though small in size, I have used it hundreds of times to open cans, as a screw driver, as a knife, and as a prybar. They can be found cheaply at any Army/Navy surplus store.

gypsyruff

#8

A P38 works. Most outfitters carry it. I also carried small nail clippers and the Micra. Using the scissors of the Micra doesn’t cut my nails as short as I would like. The clippers can also help to dig out a splinter. You will get a couple most likely. The only knife I had was on my Micra. It was hard for me to give up my little Old Timer for the hike.

Two Scoops

#9

You guys are all wrong! The best thing to use for opening cans is a big ol’ Rambo knife. HA, HA, just kidding. Go to the store, Wal-mart is best. Find the isle with can openers and look for the one that is about half the size and length os a regular one. I’ve carried one from the AT to the PCT to the CDT and all points between and never had a problem. If you want to bother with using your knfe and dulling it at the same time, by all means. If you want to use those tiny, time consuming GI openers be my guest. But I believe you"ll be happiest with the one I’ve suggested.

different socks

#10

Use your teeth!!:lol

Bucky

#11

Just a quick note, there is a slightly larger version of the P-38. It is the P-52. It’s about 1/2 size bigger than the P-38 but alot easier and quicker to use. I just bought one for $1 at am army/navy surplus store.

Pete

#12

I use the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Climber Delux. It is a little heavior that some like but it has both a can opener and scissors that I use for nail cutting and repairs. As far as toe nails falling off. If your footwear fits you won’t have that problem. However, after hiking the AT in '98 with no toenail problems, I hiked the Grand Canyon in '99 using the same boot and sock arrangement and lost both big toe and little toe nails on both feet. Too much down hill.

Farther