opening cans with a traditional folder

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I used to think my Buck 309, while a good knife, was lacking compared to an SAK because it could not open cans in case of an emergency.

Then I saw a video of someone opening a can with a spoon. He just kept scoring the lid until it gave way. I guess you can improvise a can opener out of many metallic objects (heck, maybe even a sharpened stick). Also, having a multi-bladed knife, I could sacrifice the pen blade to open cans while still keeping the main blade sharp for cutting. It requires more care than a dedicated can opener, but I no longer worry about this deficiency. The spey blade on a stockman would work well for opening cans, I think.

Does anyone have any can opening stories with a traditional folder?
 
I've done it. It ain't always pretty, but it's amazing the things you can do if you're hungry enough.
 
This past weekend I went on a Cub Scout camping trip with my son. I took a couple of left over Mountain House meals for us to eat. He wanted to try some real camping food. I also took a can of Spaghetti O's as a backup for him. He didn't like the Mountain House and requested his Spaghetti O's. Of course I forgot a can opener but what I did have was my 2011 Bladeforums knife. Now had the secondary blade on this knife been a pen blade I'd never of tried it but I though I'd give the screwdriver a try. Without too much effort I managed to open up that can of Spagetti O's and prevent a minor melt down. Not the best bottle opener or can opener but works in a pinch!
 
I am so jealous of the fact that you scored one of the 2011 Bladeforums knives!

They look stellar!
 
I used a slipjoint to open some cans on one trip a couple years ago. I found it was easy to just cut a big "X" in the top and peel back the petals. A Spey might work, but I used the pen on my canoe, the pointy tip helped a lot to pierce the top. The metal cut pretty easy, the pen took it just fine.
 
I've done it. I just start a slit like you would with a SA knife, and rock the blade back and forth while going around the top of the can. Kinda rough on a good edge, but it works. Just be careful that the blade doesn't fold up on you when you make the initial cut.
 
I've done this too, but there are a number of ways it can go very wrong. Once, on a backpacking trip, I met two guys hiking out. One of them was bleeding through an impressive number of layers of bandage. He had tried to open a can with a slipjoint. Consider that armies that issue perfectly good bayonets still provide can openers. If you're stuck without one, be really careful.
 
I've never done it, but I've seen it done. Sometimes it went well, sometimes not so well.

I guess I was lucky growing up. As a kid, we had our scout knives, and they worked fine on cans. Later, in the army, it was the era of C rations, and every case of them had some P-38's in them. Just about everyone had a P-38 on their dog tag chain or keychain. Now, so many years later, there's still a dark patined U.S. Speaker brand P-38 in the zipper part of my wallet.

The thought of opening a can with my peanut sends shivers down my spine. Both for the knife and my fingers!:eek:

My dear departed daddy always said, right tool for the job.:D

Carl.
 
If it was an absolute survival situation, I might try it. However, in a dire survival situation, I'm probably not going to have the luxury of eating food from a can...

Just because it can be done, doesn't mean that its a good idea. I'm probably just paranoid, but I would be leary of getting small metal shavings in the food somehow.

As Carl said, Right tool for the job.
 
I never use my knife for opening a can. I can always find a flat rock (outdoors) or concrete (urban areas) to open a can on.[video=youtube;sbxKbI9Ik4o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbxKbI9Ik4o&feature=related[/video]
 
i never have any trouble opening cans with my EDC
marineissue.jpg

the third non-deployed blade is of course, a can opener that works (i have sharpened it). the last time i had to use it was on a cheap portugese sardine tin, one of those recatangular cans, the sides cut easily, those d@mmed corners were a btch tho.
3460418-sardine-tin.jpg


most cans come with pop-top lids so i rarely need to manually open cans, when i do i normally use a cheap (£1) manual can opener that cuts thru the side of the can rather than inside the rim. easier, and the can can be re-closed with the removed portion.
tesco-value-plastic-can-opener.jpg


p.s. - i bought it after the last go-around with a wily sardine tin that bit me, can't blame it tho as i WAS knifing it. the side cutter works on sardine tins.
 
Opening a can with a traditional folder? Man, I'm afraid that if I tried that, my Grandad would boom down from heaven, "Boy, quit playin' with that knife like it's a toy!"

I'd feel about six years old, and three inches tall. :o

-- Mark
 
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Never really done it, nor seen it done.
As a sidenote, I have to say that (from what I've seen) cans are not as common here as in the US :D
Hope I will never be forced to do that with my knife. I present that the odds could be very much against me.

Fausto
:cool:
 
I have opened cans of tuna with my Case 6375 dozens of times. Just push the sheepsfoot blade in and cut your way around the can. The edge is a little bit dull but doesn't seem to chip at all.
 
I've done it, mostly with a stockmans clip blade. Before pull tabs on sodas and there were Oil Cans, a Church Key cut on one side of the top, pushing/bending down on the triangle cut, then punching a vent hole on the other side of the top of the can.

When camping, I have done the X cut to get food out of a can, but usually trying to cut around the top of the can, using the can as a cooking container/pot. Puncture a hole with the knife along the edge on the top of the can, then using the knife as a level with back of the knife blade against the rim of the can rocking the knife back, repositioning the blade forward taking a bite at a time.

Your can should open much like when you used one of these back in the day.

stock-photo-3642367-old-can-opener-on-white.jpg
 
mnblade said:
Man, I'm afraid that if I tried that, my Grandad would boom down from heaven, "Boy, quit playin' with that knife like it's a toy!"

I'd feel about six years old, and three inches tall.
Click to expand...
Been there, done that. My grandpa shouted to quit *inflammatory language removed* with that knife, you're gonna kill something.
I shouted back "Sorry, Grandpa!" and closed my knife. BTW- I was digging. I ended up using a sharpened stick.
 
I have no problem opening a can with my traditional folder, since my traditional folder is a Victorinox SAK. :D
 
As mentioned, you can cut an "X" in the top and peel back two opposing "petals". Curl them under and you can even run two sticks through them to hold the can over coals. I tested this to see if it would work in an emergency. It works well, and didn't really damage my CV Peanut. A few seconds on a diamond and it was good to go. It's nice to know cutlery steel holds up so well in a pinch.
 
RobbW said:
As mentioned, you can cut an "X" in the top and peel back two opposing "petals". Curl them under and you can even run two sticks through them to hold the can over coals. I tested this to see if it would work in an emergency. It works well, and didn't really damage my CV Peanut. A few seconds on a diamond and it was good to go. It's nice to know cutlery steel holds up so well in a pinch.
Click to expand...

Oh man, I'm gonna have nightmares tonight. A little peanut voice going " Oh noooooo!" :eek:

Carl.
 
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