I remember those. We had the same things in our Canadian version.
If you’re going to use only some of what’s in the can and put the rest in the fridge for later, the net gain is less than zero. If the sharp edges were on the lid, you’d have safely disposed of it and left a safe can in the fridge.
Is the can open? Then I’m using it the right way.
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I switched to cutting the entire off years ago, the big advantages are: it’s easier on the hands (I suffer a bit from tendinitis), you don’t need as much hand strength, you also don’t get all the way around and find you didn’t make it all the way through in some spot or two, and finally you end up with the lid being gripped by the can opener so you can carry it away and dump it somewhere (rather than having it fall into the can)
Came here to say exactly this!
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That’s the Tupperware one I have. It just pops the lid off.
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Previously:
Originally used on ships. The cans were rectangular. Opened with a cold chisel.
I have a nice collection of P-38s scavenged from T-rat kits. Those were the kits meant to feed 18-24 soldiers. It took so long to open the can that you could feel the can go from hot, to cold, to ice-cold as you sawed through it.
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Fair point, but that hasn’t ever been an issue for me. Maybe I am just lucky?
The downside of using old school can openers to cut along the side like that, and the new fangled openers which were designed to do this job (and don’t leave as sharp an edge) is that the human wrist must torque at an odd uncomfortable angle.
I wanted to post a video here of W.C. Fields opening a can, at a picnic (sort of) with an ax. Couldn’t find it, but it’s hilarious. He gets covered with the can’s content and just shrugs it off. Sorry ya’ll.
Off topic: my favorite of these “you’re doing it wrong” things was the way chimps open bananas
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Another disadvantage. Using a standard crank can opener in the standard position leaves the folded over portion of the can sticking up an eighth inch or quarter inch above the liquids or contents of the can. Using a standard crank opener to cut around the sides of the can not only leaves a sharp rim, it also spills easily or starts spilling as you cut, because it cuts right at the level of the contents of the can.
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Stop just short of completely removing the lid, leaving a hinge. Then it won’t drop into the can. I thought everyone did this.
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You still need to flip the lid up, and the whole thing is one sharp edge. It’s not some Herculean task but it is a nuisance.
I’ve never cut myself on a can or had trouble with the lid, but then again that’s not to discount other people who for whatever reason might not have a steady hand or good grip strength. Whatever makes it easier for other people to accomplish something as normal as opening a can i’d love for them to have something to help them. I think some people look at these alternative gadgets with disdain without thinking how it might actually help some.
I was having this terrible sense of deja vu. Turns out I’ve just seen this article before:
I tried this for a while, but it’s much worse for things like soup, which tends to run all down the sides insead of being nicely contained by the rim.
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