A vintage kitchen tool recently sparked a lively online debate after being shared on Reddit, where users tried to identify its purpose. The metal device, sharp and weapon-like in design, was found while cleaning out a grandmother’s house, leading to guesses ranging from an old can opener to a multipurpose camping tool, with some joking it could double as a weapon.
The mystery was solved when older users recalled the tool as an early can opener—an invention from a time when opening canned food was challenging and even dangerous.
Commenters shared stories of scars caused by the jagged edges and the risky method of punching the tool into a can and levering it step-by-step to cut the top, a process that required care and strength. The history of can openers began in the early 19th century, long after canned food itself was invented, when brute force like hammers and chisels were used.
In 1858, Ezra Warner created the first dedicated can opener—a lever with a sharp, curved blade used mainly by the U.S. military during the Civil War—but it was neither safe nor easy to use. The major advancement came in 1870 when William Lyman invented a can opener with a rotating cutting wheel, making the task safer and simpler, though still requiring effort.
Later innovations such as electric can openers in the 1930s and ergonomic handheld models in the 1950s shaped the modern can opener. Despite safer designs, some people still favor the vintage tool for its effectiveness, even if it’s dangerous. One user noted it’s hard to find these old models today. This vintage can opener serves as a reminder of past ingenuity and hazards, holding a unique place in kitchen history with stories of battle scars and nostalgia alike.