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Can knives. How to choose a can opener. The subtleties of choosing a can opener

In the event that the lid of a metal tin can is not equipped with a special key, you can only get to its contents with a can opener.

In principle, a tin can can be opened with an ordinary one, but this process is associated with significant physical effort, and getting hurt while performing such manipulations is as easy as shelling pears. A can opener is a completely different matter. He knows his job. How to choose it correctly?

Manual can opener

This simple and uncomplicated kitchen tool is familiar to more than one generation of readers.

It consists of a loop-shaped stop, on one side of which is attached a blade for opening cans, and on the other - a hook for bottles with metal lids and glass jars with conservation.

This whole structure is fixed in a wooden (less often - metal or plastic) handle. It would seem, what is there to choose?

The quality of the metal from which the metal part is made cannot be determined in the shop environment, therefore, limit yourself to visual inspection of the tool and check the quality of the sharpening of the cutting edge of the blade.

Check how tight the can opener is in the wooden handle. Do not ignore the handle itself: its surface must be carefully polished, smooth, without chips and notches.

Mechanical can opener

The design of a mechanical knife is much more complicated, but it also copes with opening cans easier and faster than its manual counterpart. Regardless of design and modification, the required parts of such tools are the gear wheel, cutter wheel and rotating arm.

To open a can, it is enough to make a hole in its lid, fix the knife on the side and, turning the lever, make a circular cut along the edge of the can along its entire perimeter.

When using a mechanical knife, special physical efforts are not required, the manipulations performed by it do not pose a danger, and the cut line is smooth, without chipping.

When choosing, give preference to a tool with comfortable ergonomic handles, the handles of which are rubberized or covered with a layer of non-slip plastic. The gear wheel must have fine teeth, and all metal parts of the can opener must be made of of stainless steel.

Electric can opener

There are models of "openers" that use both the energy of a household electrical network and run on batteries.

To open a tin can with an electric knife, you need to install it, fix it in the device, and then start the knife in work.

A completely different procedure for opening a can with a battery-powered automatic can opener. The device is fixed on the can lid with a magnet, after which the automatic cutter is powered on.

Due to the fact that the tool cuts the can from the inside, the cut edges are smooth and smooth, and the locking magnet allows you to remove the lid from the opened can without getting your hands dirty.

These devices also owe their popularity to their compact size, which eliminates the need to find a place for their location on the kitchen table.

Let all the products you extract from the cans be of high quality, healthy and tasty!

Enjoy your meal!

An amazing fact is that such a necessary war time a tool like a can opener for opening cans was created almost 50 years after the release of these canned food.

The reason for the appearance of the can opener

In 1795, before Napoleon's campaign in Europe in order to conquer it, the French government was faced with the task of finding a rational way to preserve food. long time... For a worthy offer, a reward of 12,000 francs was promised. The prize went to the chef François Apper, who proved that finished product, for example, such as fried meat, which is in an airtight container and at the same time boiled in water, can be stored unopened for at least a year. They were offered glass jars as containers. And in 1809, they began to produce the first products in the form of conservation.

Due to their fragility, glass jars were replaced by tin containers a year later. The patent for the use of tin was obtained by the Englishman Peter Durand. Although there were iron cans more reliable, but due to the thickness of the sheet in 5 mm, they weighed more than the product contained in them. In addition, it took a lot of effort to open the canned food. A hammer and a chisel were needed for the autopsy.

The invention of the can opener

For 48 years, they got to the contents of canned food by all available means, until Ezr Warner came up with the idea of ​​creating a product with which one could easily open a tin can lid. The patented can opener had two blades, one needed to pierce the can, and the other to rest the knife against its side. The invention, like canned food, gained popularity only during the Civil War, when soldiers were given canned food, and Warner's knife was attached to it.

Later appeared broad interest to create a product that is simpler and easier to use. J. Osterhud in 1866 received a patent for a tin can, on the lid of which there was a key. With each turn, its lid twisted, more and more opening access to the contents.

The wheeled can opener was invented in 1878 by William Lyman. The knife resembled a drawing compass with a wheel-shaped knife on one part. The principle of opening a can is also similar to the work of a compass. One pointed leg stuck into the center round lid, and another leg with a wheel moved along its circumference, which opened the can.

In 1921, Lyman's can opener was slightly improved. On the outside of it, where the cutting wheel was located, a guide gear was installed. The rim of the canned food was located between the wheels, which did not allow the knife to slip.

Modern can openers

In 1942, the P-38, the easiest can opener to use, was invented by the Chicago Life Support Laboratory. In order to open the can, it was necessary to press and lift the key 38 times, while developing tremendous pressure on the lid. The key was stamped literally in seconds and consisted of two folding parts. A knife was attached to the army ration. After use, the can opener should be rinsed in boiling water to get rid of any remaining contents of the can.

Later, electric knives were invented, opening canned food in seconds. Moreover, the bank is held between the knife and the gear and does not fall.

Opening technique

The most affordable can opener today has a metal or wood handle and an iron plate with two horns. different sizes... With its help, you can open not only canned food, but also beer bottles, pates, stew and grandmother's marinades. The process is not complicated, and nevertheless there are those who are wondering how to use a can opener. The first step is to install a long horn at the edge of the can and hit with your hand, applying force, on the handle, punching the tin. The horn should plunge into the jar, after which you need to move the knife around the circumference, swinging it up and down, but not pulling it out.

To open a bottle of beer, place the edge of the cap between the horns, and place a long one on top, and pull the knife up, while slightly pressing the bottle opener with the bottle opener.

Can opener care

A can opener can provoke food poisoning... If it is not washed, numerous food debris from all kinds of food accumulates on the blade. You can imagine how poisonous an unwashed instrument is. Scrapings taken from can openers in the study showed the presence of various pathogens and infections. To avoid contamination, it is necessary to rinse the blade with boiling water every time after opening the can. Cleaning the can opener is easy. Can be hand washed or put in dishwasher... Aged dirt can be removed well with a toothbrush.

Life modern man very dynamic, especially in conditions big city... People are constantly in a hurry to get somewhere, so sometimes there is no way to have a full meal, and in this case canned food comes to the rescue. Since the appearance of the tin can, the process of opening it caused a lot of difficulties, since, not having special device it is very difficult to do this. Of course, you can open a tin can with an ordinary knife, but this process is dangerous, lengthy and very inconvenient.

Constantly facing difficulties in the process of opening cans, the person began to think about how to simplify this process. Some began to open cans, grinding their edges against stones, this is not as dangerous as in the case of a knife, but for a very long time. And there were times when, with such an opening, the contents of the canned food simply fell to the floor.

After going through many difficulties and trying many ways to open a can, a person nevertheless found a device that made this process simple and convenient, such a device was called can-opener.

The history of the can opener

In order to study the history of the can opener, you first need to understand when it was needed. In 1810, the Frenchman Upperm first discovered a method of canning for mankind. After the invention of such a method of storing food, it became necessary to invent a container for such a process. The tin can was invented in the same year as the canning method itself by the Englishman Peter Durand, and he immediately received a patent for his invention.

The first cans were made of sheet iron, the thickness of which was 5 millimeters. Naturally, such jars often weighed more than the products that were stored in them, and it was very difficult to open them. On the first cans, there were even inscriptions that the cans should be opened with a hammer and chisel, cutting through the lid around the perimeter with these objects. You can imagine how much time and effort this procedure took.

Thin cans appeared only after they began to produce thin steel products, this happened approximately in the middle of the 19th century. Then the number of cans produced increased significantly, since more than 60 units could be made per day. Over time, cans began to be produced by stamping, of course, this further accelerated the process of their production. In view of the growing popularity of cans, the question of inventing a device for their quick opening has become acute.

First can-opener appeared in 1858, the patent for this invention was received by the American Ezra Warner. Such a knife had a very simple form and consisted of two blades, one blade had to be cut into the lid of the can, and the other played the role of a knife lock on the boot of the can. Outwardly such can openers resembled something in between a sickle and a bayonet. Since the use of can openers was new to people, not everyone could use it correctly, so not everyone in the house had such a device. That is why in many shops where canned food was sold, the clerk opened the cans on his own and gave them to the customers that were already open.

For a long time, people could not appreciate such an invention as can openers, so they became widespread only 10 years after the invention. But even at that time, such knives became popular not because people began to actively buy them, but because canned food manufacturers began to attach this device to every can, it was thanks to this that people realized that can openers are really very convenient. Since that period, can openers began to rapidly gain popularity, naturally, that there were many analogues of the first can opener and more improved versions of this device.

The can opener nowadays

Today it is difficult to imagine a person's life without a can opener, since a lot of food products are now produced in cans. Such devices are found not only in every home, but also in offices, restaurants, and so on. Naturally, now can openers can be very diverse, but the simplest of them are very similar to the first versions of such a device. All knives of this type can be roughly divided into household and professional knives, professional knives include an army can opener.

Army knife was first developed in 1942, and it is this version of it that is still used today. The advantage of such a knife is that, despite its simplicity, it allows you to quickly and conveniently open a can. The army can opener is completely made of metal, it consists of a metal plate on which there is a recess for fixing the knife on the side of the can and, accordingly, from the blade that opens the can. The army knife is very small in size, so it can be easily placed in a backpack and will not affect total weight luggage. According to the standard, the length of such a knife is about 38 millimeters, and the total weight does not exceed 5 grams, an army stainless steel can opener is made.

As for household can openers, they are very diverse and more functional. The existing household can openers can be divided into several categories:

  • manual;
  • mechanical;
  • automatic;
  • electrical.

Types of can openers are very diverse, they differ in shape, size, material of manufacture and principle of operation. The simplest and most primitive is the manual can opener; it has much in common with the first knives of this type. It consists of a handle, which can be made of metal, wood or plastic, as well as two knives. There is a jumper between the knives, which is the stop, with which the knife is fixed on the bank. This can opener has two purposes, since it can be used to open both cans and cans with twists.

The mechanical can opener has a more complex design, but it can be used to open the can in just a few seconds. Such knives are made of metal, only the handles can be made of rubber, plastic or other materials. Having pierced the lid of a can with a knife, it must be fixed on the side and gradually open the can by turning the valve. The advantage of such a knife is that it is absolutely safe for humans and does not leave sharp notches on the edges of the can and lid, which can cause injury.

Automatic and electric can openers

Automatic knives are considered the most practical and convenient today, since they have a number of advantages. Firstly, automatic knives are convenient to use, a person does not need to make any effort to open a can, since the knife opens it on its own. In order to open a tin can with such a knife, you just need to put it on the lid and start the mechanism. Such a knife is also considered the safest, since it leaves after opening smooth edges that do not cut as well as after a regular can opener. The safety of this knife also lies in the fact that it opens the can from the inside, that is, the edges are slightly smoothed.

The automatic can opener operates on batteries, it has a specially installed magnet, which not only fixes the knife on the can, but also allows you to remove the lid after opening without getting your hands dirty. Of all types of can openers, this type of device is most often used at home, since it does not take up much space, but at the same time it is quite convenient for regular use... The blades of such a knife are made of durable stainless steel, while the body can be made of simple plastic, since it does not bear heavy loads.

As for electric can openers, they, like automatic ones, have many advantages. They are comfortable, safe, practical, and so on. But the disadvantage of such knives is that they are quite bulky, and therefore take up a lot of space in the kitchen. Such knives work from electricity, so if the lights are turned off in the house, it will be impossible to open the can with their help. It is very convenient to open canned food with such a knife, it is enough to place the can in a specially established place and fix it. After that, you need to start the knife and it will open the canned food on its own, while even after the lid is removed, the jar remains in its place, you just need to remove it from the latches. As in the case with mechanical knives, the automatic fixtures have a plastic body and a metal mechanism.

Scope of can openers

Opening knives canned food is now used very widely in all spheres of human life. But each type of can opener is used in a different way, due to this functional features devices. Hand-held can openers can be found in almost every home, as they are the most common and familiar. The main advantage of such devices is that they are compact in size and light weight... That is why it is these knives that they take with them on a picnic, on hiking trips, and so on. Despite the fact that such devices can hardly be called the most convenient and practical, in a field kitchen they will become simply irreplaceable.

For home use, mechanical and automatic can openers are best suited for these purposes. They are slightly larger than hand-held gadgets, but are easy enough to hide in a kitchen drawer. These tools are suitable for regular use, and they are so simple that even children can handle them, especially with automatic can openers.

Electric can openers are often used in applications where cans need to be opened very often, such as restaurants, canteens, pastry shops, and so on. At home, such knives are also used quite often, but due to large sizes such devices, most often people prefer other types of knives.

How to choose the right can opener

V specialized stores, as well as in the online store now you can find very big choice can openers. That is why people can face difficulties in the process of choosing the right device. In order to choose the right knife for this purpose, you need to pay attention to the following indicators:

  • principle of operation;
  • functionality;
  • ease of use;
  • shape and size.

With regard to can openers, in principle, there are no clearly established standards in form and principle. But it is very important that such knives are of high quality, reliable and comfortable. When choosing a can opener, you need to pay attention to the material for making the blades; stainless steel blades are considered the most optimal. This is due to the fact that such knives do not corrode, therefore they will last longer. It is also worth noting that the body and handle of the can openers must also be made of reliable and durable material, so you need to pay attention to this as well.

When choosing a knife for this purpose, a person should pay attention to the principle of its operation, since the convenience of using the device depends on it. The choice of a can opener should be based on the purpose of its use and how often the knife will be used. In most cases, can openers are equipped with additional items such as a bottle opener or corkscrew. Availability additional elements should also play a role in the selection of the fixture. As for the shape and size of the can opener, then again, a person must take into account their preferences. It is very important that a person, when choosing a knife, be guided by their goals and wishes, since the device should be convenient specifically for him.

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It was called Kuhn Rikon Auto Safety Lid Lifter Can Opener, and it looked very unusual - at first glance, there were no knives that would cut the lid of the can. Indeed, open banks, and the lids looked without the slightest sharp edge (for comparison, on the left, the can was opened with an ordinary ikea opener, and on the right - Kuhn Rikon):

As they say - even now under the ashtray! Moreover, this opener also left the lid without sharp edges, and with a special side, which later allows you to close the jar so that it does not look like this:

Do you remember what jars of lemon wedges in sugar look like from our distant childhood?

And only one misfortune gnawed at me: this opener cost 1,100 rubles, and this - not including the cost of shipping! You could, of course, look for a similar Tefal comfort opener:

But it also cost about 1,300 rubles, and in fact it was absent everywhere!

Of course, it just couldn't be that our chinese friends didn't copy anything like that. And with this thought, I again went to Aliexpress.

Indeed, as it turned out - with a similar mechanism, the Chinese offer a completely wide range of openers for every taste and wallet - from 190 to 900 rubles! I decided to stick with the cheapest one I found:

while choosing a bottle opener Red... It cost me only 194 rubles (three dollars and 20 cents), and even the delivery is free:

The track was untraceable, but after a month and a half, I finally received a notice that my package was in my post office. It turned out to be a fairly broad package:

Why so - I do not know, however, what's the difference? We reveal. Inside, wrapped in a polypropylene wrap, is our opener:

and even tied to some type of instruction:

We get it out. Here she is, beauty, from the face:

And from the inside out:

Although the devil is it you will understand where is her face and where is her back. The molding is neat, the seams are good, there is practically no flash. In terms of size, the seller promises us this:

Well, yes, clearly. If you turn the handle, then, of course, the length will be even more reduced:

Excuse me, I will not measure the weight this time.

Before proceeding directly to the tests, I will tell you a little about its mechanism. So, the essence of this opener is that it does not cut the lid from above, but lid rim on the side, then - rolling it. Let's take a closer look at the mechanism in the photo:

The bottom line is that the cutting knife (roller on the right) approaches the can from the side, in such a way that the large roller hits the lid from above, and the cutting knife - on the rim of the lid from the side. It looks like this:

After the opener is installed on the can, you need to turn the handle a little, about a quarter of a turn. The rotation of the cutting roller - while not yet happening, but the roller installed on the lid - attracts the side of the can to the cutting knife, which is left outside. Those. the rotating roller runs on the axis of the opener towards and away from it. The easiest way to show this is in the video:

And only with further twisting of the handle - the roller begins to rotate in the already drawn state. This is how a rotating roller looks like in real life:

And cutter roller with roller:

The metal arc, as I understand it, holds the entire structure together, there is no need to rely on it on the can.

The seam on the can looks like this:

The cutting roller, pulled from the side to the rim, starts simultaneously cutting it from the side, and immediately rolls it up. By the way, you know that not only for canned food, but also for yourself cans there are corresponding GOSTs (one and two, three) that regulate everything from the size of the cans to the radius of the seaming seams?

Well, now let's go to the tests. To do this, we will use a standard 76-mm can (discarding the innuendo about the transformation of canned food factories into corresponding factories for the production of shells), with solid porridge, as well as usually used for stewed meat and so on (it turned out a little smaller in diameter, but in GOST fits):

and a can of canned fish 103 mm in diameter (the actual diameter was also smaller):

It is good because a) a can of small height and b) canned food in liquid form, and we will be able to see if they spill when opening the can (by the way, these canned food turned out to be downright disgusting - solid skin and bones).

We start to open. First - a stew can - put a knife on top, a quarter of a turn of the rotating handle to pull the cutter to the can, and then rotate:

Unfortunately, the moment of a quarter of a turn that attracts the knife to the can was not shown on the video, and as you understand, there was only one take 🙂 And at the end, when the can was already open, at first I did not understand this moment, and continued to turn the handle of the can opener so that the can was in place and the lid was already twisting. Okay, let's see what we got in the end. Here, in fact, the resulting seam and cut itself:

Raise the lid a little to make it easier to see:

Now we start to open 🙂

We look at the edge of the can:

Very good, the seam is absolutely stupid, even if you want to, you won't get cut off! And on the lid:

Not worse. Eat half, photograph from above:

In general, everything is fine, the same lid can be closed again. In general, as in the video that I posted above when I just opened it. Then it will look again like in the first photo:

Of course, the closure is not airtight, not like a plastic lid glass jar... But in any case - several times better than a lid opened with an ordinary can opener.

Now let's start opening the silver carp in tomato sauce. Since the height of the can is much less, plus the presence of liquid inside, the process is not even complicated twice. Well, if you consider that I also stood uncomfortably so as not to obstruct the camera with my own hands ... But even in spite of all these difficulties, the can opener coped with the task perfectly! By the way, here - I have not forgotten to record the initial movement, when by a quarter of a turn of the handle, the can opener is attracted to the can, but the can does not rotate yet, and begins to rotate after this quarter of a turn. Yes, and also - since after the end of the cut - the cutter wheel is still pulled towards the can, you must turn the handle in the opposite direction for the same quarter of a turn. In general, we watch the video:

During opening, the liquid did not spill, and even such a small height of the can was enough for the rotating handle to rotate more or less normally, only hitting the table a couple of times. Well, let's see what we got. Unfortunately, since everything was quickly eaten, the photos of the already empty can:

Only in one place - apparently where my hand slipped off - got a small burr on the lid:

Here it is, enlarged:

But otherwise, practically around the entire circumference - the cut and seam are very good:

Here's a macro view:

What else to say? Probably - just make a short summary.

Pros:

Relatively fast delivery
+ Free Shipping
+ Excellent design, ergonomics
+ Good quality both materials and workmanship
+ Ability to choose colors
+ Gives a safe, blunt cut on both the can and the lid
+ Extremely easy to move, even fragile women can handle
+ Then you can close the jar relatively tightly with the lid
+ It is not the can or the lid itself that is cut, but the seam, which is then rolled up
+ Even if you open a can of liquid - nothing spills
+ Cans can be used afterwards for anything without fear of cutting yourself
+ Price

Minuses:

Once there was a small burr on the lid
- It takes some getting used to placing the can opener on the can - it's still a little different from the standard one.

Summary.

This can opener leaves just a WOW effect. For what I am an unimpressive comrade, but in in this case I was absolutely delighted. I have never seen anyone invent a bicycle that is so superior in its characteristics to its progenitor! Everything is impressive: convenience; how it works; the result that is obtained. And the seller did not disappoint: his delivery is fast and free, and he didn’t mess with the color. In general, this is a product from the series must have, and I can safely recommend this opener for purchase - it will be useful both for myself and for gifts to relatives on March 8th.