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Can Openers


Subdeacon Joe

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After 50 years I still have a P-38 on the key ring in my pocket. Unfortunately, i believe its the last one in my stash.  The opener that anchored in the middle and rotated did look interesting.   But my question is WHAT are making for dinner,, the contents of the cans has me stumped.       GW

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12 minutes ago, G W Wade said:

But my question is WHAT are making for dinner,, the contents of the cans has me stumped

 

I think he just grabbed random cans from survival stuff.

 

I think all of those openers were pre-1880.  P-38 was, I think, 1942.  

 

 

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Out of those openers #3 looks like a winner, though I prefer my Victorinox can opener blades on my knives. They’re handy and I am pretty good with them. 
 

Those 2 toward the end almost looked like they were made for cans like sardine tins. Not sure. I would have to get one in my hands.

 

Also, I think he was operating #1 backwards. 

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P38’s are fine until it’s below freezing out and you’re trying to hold onto that little tab. Exhaling lots of warm air while cussing helps…a little. 

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14 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

P38’s are fine until it’s below freezing out and you’re trying to hold onto that little tab. Exhaling lots of warm air while cussing helps…a little. 

 

Or you have a dozen #10 cans.

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i still have a P38 in my survival gear - but i also have a pocket knife with the can opener blade that works really well , i also have a church key with both bottle and can openers as well as a cork  screw , you need to be prepared 

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2 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Or you have a dozen #10 cans.

 

I've done it, but singles.  And I will confess to saying a few bad words by the time I was done.  :lol:

 

I'm still handing P-38's to old timers wearing "Veteran" caps when I encounter 'em while out shopping.  Last weekend, two at Costco, one at Home Depot, and two others at two different supermarkets.  Never fails to bring a smile.  ^_^

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4 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

 

I've done it, but singles.  And I will confess to saying a few bad words by the time I was done.  :lol:

 

I'm still handing P-38's to old timers wearing "Veteran" caps when I encounter 'em while out shopping.  Last weekend, two at Costco, one at Home Depot, and two others at two different supermarkets.  Never fails to bring a smile.  ^_^

That is a great idea, Hardpan. Wonderful gesture. Thank you for doing that. :)

 

 

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Supposed to use a p51 on no 10 cannot. Or the crank opener mounted to the prep table.

 

No opener? Flip the can over and rub the rolled edge on rough stone or concrete until abrasion wears through the top layer of metal and you see juices coming out. Now it's easy to pry the lid off

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7 hours ago, G W Wade said:

After 50 years I still have a P-38 on the key ring in my pocket. Unfortunately, i believe its the last one in my stash.  The opener that anchored in the middle and rotated did look interesting.   But my question is WHAT are making for dinner,, the contents of the cans has me stumped.       GW

Check the military surplus stores in your area.  If there's  none left, check Ranger Joe's online.  I bought a 6 pack of them at their brick and mortar location several years ago.

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Howdy,

In move from apt to house I was so so so so tired.

I wanted just tuna sandwich and sleep.

I couldnt find my excellent heavy duty crank opener.

I did find one my mom left in the drawer but for the life of me I could NOT

figgure how to get the darn thing to work.

It was pampered chef and they usually have good stuff...sorta but not this.

/Finally I used sak little opener.  Worked ok.

The next day of course I find my crank opener and have used it since.

Bought it in college still use it .......can it be that long??????

Best

CR

 

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1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Until today I did not realize the difference in a P38 can opener versus the P51 can opener. 
 

https://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kit/p38-p51-can-opener/

 

the P51 is larger.  

If you look up p38 on Amazon, you will see p38 and p51. Pricey, in my opinion.

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One time at work, swing shift, a guy hadn't bought dinner. I pulled a can of stew or chili out of my truck and gave it to him.   No can opener in the lunch room.  No problem, took the P38 off my keys and handed it to him.  He just stared at it.  Couldn't figure out how to use it.  I tried telling him.  I tried showing him by getting it started and going a couple of cuts with it.  Nope.  He just plain couldn't figure it out.

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1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

I've always found this type of opener to be particularly useless.

 

I know that if you got a metal detector and went to Holcomb Valley Campground in the San Bernardino National Forest and concentrated your efforts on the central area  north side of the campground ground about 50’ beyond the fence you may find one of those. 
 

It slipped off the can just one too many times and I launched it…it might be more like 100’ beyond the fence. 

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8 hours ago, Smuteye John SASS#24774 said:

Check the military surplus stores in your area.  If there's  none left, check Ranger Joe's online.  I bought a 6 pack of them at their brick and mortar location several years ago.

 

5 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

If you look up p38 on Amazon, you will see p38 and p51. Pricey, in my opinion.

 

Actually, they're pretty inexpensive in bulk.  They're not individually wrapped like the ones that came with K- and C-rations, but they're the same thing.  And still bring smiles.  I also hand 'em out to Boy Scouts as "spot awards."

 

20-pack  $12.75  (64¢ each)

 

50-pack  $39.90  (80¢ each)  

 

500-pack  $200   (40¢ each)

 

I just buy multiple 20-packs.  :)

 

 

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My last job, guy that worked up in the office brought a can of tuna fish to work every day. And when we all had our 9:00 coffee break, he would open that can of tuna and have it for breakfast.

 

He had one of these. An ecko brand.

5bb73bb20dd9760780378927305193fc.jpg

 

 

 

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And then one day when his tuna was about a third of the way open, that piece of junk broke in two.

 

I took out my Leatherman and pulled out the can opener and handed it to him. He had no idea how it worked. He was quite impressed when I took his can of tuna and finished opening it.

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5 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

 

 

Actually, they're pretty inexpensive in bulk.  They're not individually wrapped like the ones that came with K- and C-rations, but they're the same thing.  And still bring smiles.  I also hand 'em out to Boy Scouts as "spot awards."

 

20-pack  $12.75  (64¢ each)

 

50-pack  $39.90  (80¢ each)  

 

500-pack  $200   (40¢ each)

 

I just buy multiple 20-packs.  :)

 

 

There's 1 in each of the vehicles' ash trays, 1 in every tackle box and 1 on a blaze orange dummy cord that stays in the top left pocket of the hunting coat.

 

If you need a can opener, then you need a can opener and they are small enough and cheap enough to keep around as insurance.

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i knew the difference i just never was given a P51 , i only grew to "appreciate" these later in life when my FIL gave me a P38 that i still have in my gear , i had lost all that my father had given me when i was younger , it has a lot of potential uses other than opening cans too 

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On 1/20/2023 at 1:07 AM, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Did P51s exist back in the time of C-rats?

 

I did a lot of searching but cannot find a reliable date when they were first used by the military

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