Can opening test anyone?

[NaturoEric]

I am right in the middle of my exams, and I am itching to get them over with so I can leave on a short camping trip, where I can see how the CS Bushman holds up as an all-around "I won't cry if I make it ugly" camp knife.

But until then, I am still itching to pre-test it, so I opened up my staple food of tuna and bread with the knife. Very surprising to me is that no damage was done to the tip... it didn't break or bend.

Anyone else tried to use their knives, folders particularly, when they thought the can opener on the other counter was too far away?

 

[sevenedges]

Yeah, I've done it with by basic #5. Of course no damage. I've even dropped her from a couple dozen feet on the tip with no problem. Later, Jeff

 

[stjames]

Even a SAK blade will work to open cans. Not much of a test for tip strength or anything else, just a basic job that any decent knife should handle with ease.

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James Segura
San Francisco, CA

 

[Stryver]

I did encounter some edge dings, not chips, just dents, on a Bushman I used to hack at some frozen turkey legs to make them fit a pot of mine. But, it sharpened right up. Since it's designed as a beater knife, I didn't take the time to get all the nicks completely out, but it sure sharpened up fast afterwards.


Stryver

 

[Walt Welch]

"It didn't break or bend." ???? SURELY you didn't use the tip to twist or pry with! Don't you know the difference between an I beam and an H beam? Were you trying to ruin your knife by abusing it? Did you discuss the can opening use with the maker before you tried it?

I am shocked that one of our members would flirt with disaster so foolishly; surely I misinterperted your post.

Walt

 

[David Rock]

I once opened a can of peaches with a Spyderco Moran Featherweight. I knew I could do it. Mostly I wanted to see how much trouble it would be with the relatively wide blade and upswept tip. When I got done, just for the heck of it, I used the same knife to cut the can in half sideways. That was a lot more trouble than it was worth, but the knife was able to do it with some major rolling of the edge, but no chipping.

Good peaches, considering I only ate them so I'd have an excuse to cut open the can.

You know you're a knife nut when . . .

David Rock

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AKTI Member # A000846
Stop when you get to bone.

 

[Velitrius]

I also opened a can of peaches. I wanted to see if the knife would do it. I mean, hey, I often find myself lost with only a knife and a can of peaches and DAMMIT I want to KNOW that I can have those peaches...

Anyway, it was one of those Red River jobs that Cold Steel was pushing a couple years back. Chipped the hell out of the edge, so far back I couldn't sharpen the blade back to any semblance of it's former self.

Funny thing is, I wrote Cold Steel a letter telling of this experience and never got a reply. (not that I wanted one, I was just curious as to what a company that punches holes in car doors would tell me).

Gave the knife to my brother, he loves it.

 

[Gwinnydapooh]

Ah, glad to see there are other college students out there surviving on bread and tuna, although I did splurge and buy a new jar of miracle whip yesterday.

Bushman will indeed open cans but it's pretty soft (something like 52-54 Rc) so I'm not surprised the edge rolls. If you're going to take it camping without other knives, I'd pack a small stone or crock stick to keep the edge straight. You might not need 'em, but you might.

Also, if anyone cares, opening a can with a Bushman is easy but opening it with a khukri is much more fun.

I used a cheap Indian version, so it's OK.