Did this ever happen to you? You’re in a bizarre Airbnb, getting ready to open an empty can (maybe you’re cooking some of the canned tuna recipes), and you realize there’s no kitchen can opener. And no one has thought of the Swiss Army knife. What do you do? You could give up and look into local take-out alternatives. But, come on. You’re no quitter. If you’re desperate to open that can, and visiting the store to purchase an opener for your can isn’t an option, what do you do?
Luckily, there are many ways to open a can using everyday household objects. It is important to note that the cover of the can is, in fact, a thin piece of steel and is designed to open. Most kitchen utensils (knives, spoons, forks, and even forks) are more durable and robust and require only a slightly stronger object to penetrate the lid.
However, let’s suppose you don’t have any tools: Maybe you’re cooking the perfect campfire recipe, and you’ve left out everything but the basic and essential cooking equipment. In this case, the flat surface of a boulder is a great option.
Make use of a Spoon
A popular and secure method to open canned goods without the aid of a can opener is using a solid spoon, like one constructed from stainless steel. Welsh recommends holding the spoon’s handle where it touches the bowl (the base of the spoon). Utilizing firm pressure, push the spoon around within one inch of the lid and just to the edge. The motion will weaken the material until it gives. “It takes a bit of persistence to push the spoon’s blunt edge through the lid, but the metal is thin and soft and will eventually yield,” Welsh describes. Once you’ve cut an opening at the inside edge of the spoon, use it as a lever to take out the rest of the lid.
Make use of a flat-head screwdriver.
Go to the toolbox and use a hammer and flat-head screwdriver to break open the can. With the screwdriver in your hands, place it on that lid on the container close to the edge. Grab the hammer using your hands and gently push the screwdriver to make a hole in the top of the can successfully.
How to open a can using the help of a Pocketknife
If the scenario is direr when you’re on a wilderness trip without a steel spoon but your pocket knife, don’t worry; you’ll be able to enjoy the soup can you packed. Even though this method is riskier than opening a container with a spoon made of metal, circumstances call for extreme measures. Keep the can in your hands on a flat, smooth surface. Poke the point of the knife across its top. Continue to poke holes along the edge of the top until you’re in a position to remove the top of the can off.
Method for Chef’s Knife
If you’re looking to open the can a bit quicker and feel pretty confident in your knife-handling skills, you could try opening the container using the edge of a chef’s knife.
For the first step, securely hold the handle in your hands and place the rear corner of the blade (the heel) upright to the inside of the side. Please keep your fingers free of the edge, pull the heel’s corner downwards, and perforate your lid by digging into it at an angle. This is more than a traditional open-top can opener made of levers. Repeat this procedure around the edge of the container until you’ve damaged the lid enough to allow the can to be opened.
If you have an ordinary pocket knife or a smaller paring knife, place your can onto a flat, solid surface and attempt to puncture the can using the blade’s tip. Be careful! The knife will easily slide off if the container or knife is not controlled correctly. Make sure to make holes evenly across the edges of the can, and eventually, the lid will fall off.
How to open a can with a rough surface
Are opener, metal spoon, or pocket knife all out of the question? Although it might seem like you’ll be surviving on the granola bars you packed for the duration of your camping excursion, you’re not entirely in a bind. There’s another way to open a jar that doesn’t require a can opener. It will require a great deal of force and perseverance.
Find a rough surface like a boulder or a slab made of concrete. Use the area to sand down the ridge on the can until it cracks the seal that is on top. Make sure you turn the can around, so you’re not sanding unevenly on the top. It would help if you also had an extra sweatshirt or t-shirt cloth ready to capture and wipe off the top once it is popped. Squeezing your can’s sides often will help to create pressure on the seal on the top. If you notice moisture on your homemade Sander, you’ve hit (liquid) gold, and the seal on the can is now open.
Are you in need of an opener for your can?
Although it’s great to know that you can open a can with the aid of a can opener, you’ll have to utilize your time and effort to accomplish the task if you don’t have an opener for your can in the present or have an older model think about buying a brand new one to spare you the trouble.
CONCLUSION
The canned food you can buy is undoubtedly doubted one of the most significant resources you find in your survival equipment.
Yet without a straightforward tool, most people would be in a crisis.
Understanding alternate strategies and being resilient in a crisis is vital.
I’m committed to sharing the best efficient methods I have learned.