Canned food has become a part of our lives. And now it’s hard to imagine your existence without this. Neat tin cans are very easy to use. They allow you to store the desired product for a long time without requiring special conditions. Many special devices have been invented to open such containers. But sometimes situations arise when these necessary items are simply not at hand. What to do in this case? How to open a tin can without an opener? It turns out that there are several interesting ways to do this. As an example, we can consider some of them.

With a knife

People do not always use some items for their intended purpose. Their ingenuity allows them to use the simplest things for the right purposes in a difficult situation. For example, there is a tin can of stew, but there is no way to open it. What to do in this case? How to open a tin can without an opener? This is where an ordinary kitchen or

You just need to follow a few simple steps:

  1. First, the jar itself needs to be placed on your knees or held tightly between your legs. Otherwise, it may jump to the side, and the person risks getting hurt.
  2. After this, the tip of the knife should be placed at the very edge of the jar, positioning it vertically to the surface.
  3. Holding the handle with one hand, you need to strike it with a strong blow from above with the other. In this case, part of the tip will be inside the container.
  4. Then, using forward movements, you should carefully cut the lid, moving the knife strictly along the diameter of the circle.
  5. Pry the cut edge with the tip and lift it up.

This is one of the most popular options for how to open a can without an opener. Most men use it. As you know, many of them constantly carry a knife with them. And having a certain physical strength, it will not be difficult for any of them to perform simple actions.

With bare hands

Sometimes, by the will of fate, people find themselves in situations where they have nothing in their hands that could help solve such a problem. In this case, they have to rely only on themselves, deciding how to open a tin can without an opener. There is a method that only a strong and physically developed person can use. To do this, he will only need his own hands. The whole process consists of three stages:

  • Holding the jar between your palms in a horizontal position, use the fingers of both hands to make a dent on the side surface exactly in the middle. After this, press the edges again so that the container bends even more in this place.
  • Repeat the same steps on the opposite side.
  • Firmly grasping both bottoms with your hands, make counter forward movements. As a result, the deflection points will crack and the can can be divided into two equal parts.

True, this method is applicable only if there is not a large amount of liquid inside the container. Although even this circumstance will not stop a hungry person.

Subtleties of design

But the use of force is not the only way out of such a situation. Yes, and the knife may not be at hand. How then to extract its contents from a tin container? Don't throw it away in this case. Sometimes the clue lies in the technical side of the issue. Understanding the technology of sealing food in tin containers, you can figure out how to open a tin can without an opener and a knife.

As you know, in industrial enterprises the process of rolling a tin container is that the edges of the lid are bent around the cylindrical base of the container using a press. To remove it, you need to remove the protruding layer of metal. This is very easy to do:

  1. You need to take the jar in your hand so that its bottom lies in your palm.
  2. Turn it upside down.
  3. Pressing the jar onto a hard, rough surface (concrete, stone), make circular movements. Literally in 2-3 minutes the “side” will be erased. After this, all you have to do is lightly press the container from the sides, and the lid will bounce off to the side.

This method can be useful for those who find themselves far from civilization and do not take care of everything they need in time.

Non-standard use of cutlery

People always try to stock up on all sorts of clever gadgets to make their lives easier. But sometimes the situation gets out of control, and it becomes necessary to look for a non-standard way out of the situation. For example, you need to decide how to open a tin can without an opener at home. To do this, you can use the simplest tablespoon.

The whole process will, of course, take some time. But this problem is fading into the background. To open a regular tin can:

  • Hold the container tightly with one hand. It can be placed on a table or held on your lap.
  • Take a spoon in your other hand and rub it with its edge along the lid in the place where it comes into close contact with the “side”. Tin is a relatively soft material, so after just a few minutes a gap will form in that very place. It is advisable to do this around the entire perimeter.
  • After this, you can use strong pressure to expand the resulting hole as much as possible. And then, using the spoon as a lever, lift and remove the lid.

It is better to do this work with cutlery made from more durable material. Therefore, an aluminum spoon will not work for this.

Despite the variety of food packaging and their constant evolution, the tin can remains one of the most reliable. Everything about it is good: the products are tightly packed and stored for a long time. The only problem is that it's not that easy to open.

Photo by Shutterstock

Can openers

The easiest way to open canned food is a can opener, or, as it is also called, a can opener or can opener. Can openers come in different varieties. A simple knife has two blades, straight and rounded. Using a straight blade, the lid is pierced, and then, resting on the rounded blade and moving clockwise, you need to cut the entire lid.

A manual can opener is somewhat similar in design to scissors. Its legs need to be spread apart, the wheel should be placed on the edge of the jar and the legs should be squeezed to pierce the lid. Then, turning the key and moving clockwise, you need to cut the lid.

Automatic knives are very convenient. They operate on mains or batteries. All you have to do is pierce the edge of the jar with a knife and hold it by the bottom, and the knife, having made a circle around the jar, will cut off the lid completely and without nicks.

Be extremely careful: you can easily cut yourself on the sharp jagged edges. Do not bend the lid with your fingers, use a spoon or knife

With a knife

If you need to open a can and you don’t have an opener at hand, but you do have a sharp knife, you can solve the problem with it. First, you need to pierce the lid with a knife - place the tip on the edge of the lid and hit it from above. Next, many people try to cut the lid along the edge, just as is done with a bottle opener, but this way you can damage the knife and cut yourself badly. Therefore, it is better to cut the lid with a knife so that you get “petals” - you can bend them and take out the contents of the jar. The easiest way to go through this procedure is cans of condensed milk.

Outdoors

But suppose you don’t have a knife at hand, and you find yourself in nature. To open the can, you will need a rock, concrete or stone surface, or some large metal structure. You need to press the jar against this surface and rub it for a while. If you have a stone in your hands, just move it along the edges of the jar for a long time - the lid will fall out by itself. This happens because the cans are sealed at the factory using a normal folding process. Therefore, by erasing the folded edges, you can remove the cover.

Make sure that metal chips and dust do not get into the canned food, constantly blow them off the surface, and pry the lid with a spoon or fork to avoid cutting yourself

I want to eat always and everywhere. True, attempts to fill the stomach sometimes bring suffering no less than the most tender feeling. Especially when the food languishes imprisoned in a tin can and there is no opener at hand. Stay hungry or fight the system? We choose the second. Moreover, there is at least four effective ways to open a tin can without an opener.

These life hacks will come in very handy both on a hike and at home. And knowing how to open canned food or sweet condensed milk using improvised means is truly priceless. Don't have a bottle opener? Try opening the can...

1. With a knife


Place the blade strictly vertically near the very edge of the lid.


Hold the handle with one palm, and with the other, begin to gently pat the first, as if “driving” a knife into the base of the can. Just don't use too much force, as you risk the blade slipping. Repeat until you punch a hole.


Make a few more holes in diameter.


Now it’s enough to pry the blade off, slightly cutting the tin, and open the can.


2. Spoon


A method for the most stubborn and the most desperate. Or for those who are terrified of knives. You will need a metal spoon and considerable physical effort.
Place the spoon vertically (position as in the knife method) near the edge of the lid and begin to rub. Back and forth until the tin wears thin. A little effort and you will make a hole in the lid.


Now use a spoon like a knife and cut open the perimeter of the jar.




3. Chef's knife


Probably the easiest way. Simply pierce the tin lid with the “wing” of the knife (the angle between the blade and the handle).




4. Stone or asphalt


A real survival hack in case of a long hike or a zombie apocalypse. Take a large stone or go to the asphalt. Turn the jar over and begin to actively rub its lid (specifically, its edge, as always) on a hard surface.


Rub until you see a small amount of liquid on the stone. This will be a signal that your efforts have resulted in a hole in the tin. The main thing is to turn the jar back in time before all your dinner ends up on the tool.


Bon appetit!

And a true master of survival in extreme party conditions simply needs to know...