Anyone still carry a P38 can opener?

I do. I use it when I am too lazy to look for my can opener. I actually like it better than the can opener on my Vic.
 
Nope, there is almost no point. MRE's need a small knife to open, civilian rations come in pop top, admin rats for me were the same. The very few times I might have used one I had a Swiss Army knife that gave me a lot of other useful tools along with the can opener.

Since I carried it on my dog tags I removed it and put on a small blue LED light, which was a lot more useful tying my boot laces, finding the latrine, etc. And I no longer woke up in the night with stab marks on my sternum, either. :D
 
The only reason I thought of taking it off was the minor foot long gashes I got when putting my pants on. Taping it shut makes a mess and doesn't hold to well. No one makes a kydex or leather sheath for it either.
 
LOL, I was just thinking of this 3 minutes ago and then the first thread I hit on bladeforums tonight asks the question.

My only can opener in the house is a P 38 and has been for 30 years.

Minutes ago I was just thinking should I start carrying one on my key chain again, or would my new, plain edge Spyderco Ladybug do the job, my decision was that since I'm not the chow hound I was when I was younger, I just never need to open a can quickly anymore, when I'm away from the house.

While the P38 is a beautiful device, the wear and tear on the pocket is not worth it any more.
 
GarageBoy said:
The only reason I thought of taking it off was the minor foot long gashes I got when putting my pants on. Taping it shut makes a mess and doesn't hold to well. No one makes a kydex or leather sheath for it either.
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What about making a little mold, and then using shrink tubing on it to form a very light weight sheath (discarding the mold)for the P38?
 
A guy where I work owns several and carries one, we call him Otto and he owns a monkey that smokes.. :)

WOOK
 
Yes I carry a P-38 (US Shelby co.) on my keychain. I put a ranger band on it because the blade kept opening and jabbing me in the thigh. Carries well now.

http://www.georgia-outfitters.com/page52.shtml

I also have 3 Taiwan copies of the British version of the P-51. They work pretty well too, not too badly made actually. I have them in my BOB.
 
I used to carry one (actually a clone, I've never seen a real one in Mexico) in my keyring along with a small magnet that kept it shut, but truth is I put it aside long ago.

Luis
 
I do and never notice it. It has folded out rarely and I have used it about 2-3 times a year and appreciated that I did.

For instance, bought some canned fish and clams on a spur of the moment picnic and thought they had a key attaced inside the paper wrapping. They didn't and it came in handy and was faster and neater than my folder.

So yes, I see nothing detrimental in carrying one and only positives. After all, it's there for emergencies or just in case. Isn't that why we're all preparing for stuff like emergencies. Not because they will happen, but in case they will happen.
 
I've been carrying one for about 35yrs now.I have 3 that were my dad's and he got them in the Corp in the 60's.
 
Nimick said:
Damn, they look handy, anybody know where I can get one?
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The link I posted has real ones, like mine, from US Shelby co., both the p-38 and it's bigger brother the p-51.

note: I never did business with that guy so I don't know about that. All I know is that he says he always has new ones available for sale.

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Emanuel said:
The link I posted has real ones, like mine, from US Shelby co., both the p-38 and it's bigger brother the p-51.

note: I never did business with that guy so I don't know about that. All I know is that he says he always has new ones available for sale.
Click to expand...

didn't catch the link at first, thanks :)
 
I've got five of them, one from my father's Army days, one from mine, two new ones, and a cheap knock-off. The originals are stamped US, often with a maker's name such as Speaker or Greene. I suppose one could make a collection of these.

Besides the can-opener, the butt end also can be used for a stubby screw driver.

You can find them occasionally in mil-surp or hardware stores.

I haven't carried one for years, but this thread reminds me that maybe I should put one back on my key chain ;)
 
The P-38 is small but useful, easy to carry on a key ring or in your billfold, and made of very good steel. I am never without my Swiss Army Knife (made by Victorinox), but some redundency is not a bad idea. The P-38 is good for two other things: (1) it works very well for striking sparks from ferrocerium fire starter rods, and (2) I always filed the aft end of mine down a little on each side to make a flat point screwdriver out of it. That did not interfere with its intended purpose. You can also use a P-38 to slit the tape on packages. I've got several P-51s that seem to be like the P-38s, only better because they are bigger and easier to hold onto. I've always bought both from the Sportsman's Guide catalogs. They are dirt cheap, too. Get a SAK to go with it (the Farmer, Pioneer, or Soldier models with the alox handles) and you will be all set. I buy my SAKs from Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Their catalogs offer 75% trash and 25% good knives. It's up to you to sort them out.
 
Got a Speaker my pop gave me sometime in the 60's. Don't know how many times i've changed keys and keyrings since, but the P-38 always stays. Damned handy thing for screw driving, minor prying jobs, and oh, opening cans.

--Mike L.
 
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