Is this really a can opener??

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll pass it on to the German forum. I wonder if there are any statistics available on the number of major injuries caused by this can opener design.

I forgot to ask another question: The new owner of the knife assumes it was made around 1930-36. Any opinions on that?

Thanks again
Sam
 
Sounds about right, all of the pics I have seen with similar can openers are from around that period. I am no expert, there are plenty here who are.

The way you work that is to open that blade fully - your thumb goes in the notch. The blade is pushed down into the can lid as you lift up on the knife handle, levering it on the edge of the can against the end of the knife, and with your other hand holding the can, you rotate the can away from you after each downstroke. Assumes a right handed hold on the knife, left hand holding the can, the blade being used on the left edge of the top sof the can.
 
The notch goes over the rim of the can. The sharp edge of the opener faces up, when in use. You do NOT stab it into the can, when starting!!!!
Common old style can opener.
Not sure if there were any serious injuries from that style can opener.

There are experts over on the Levine sub-forum that can give you an accurate date range of when this knife was made.
 
Thanks for the replies. The Germans at messerforum.net also assume that the sharp edge of the opener faces up, slicing open the top of the can inch by inch from the inside. They say it was no wonder that this design was never patented in Germany. The P-38 opener (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_can_opener) was a major improvement.
 
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