How to Open a Can without a Can Opener?

Imagine you arrived home late after finishing a busy day's schedule. Tired and hungry. Having found nothing in your fridge to munch, you start wondering if it would be a good idea to order something online or rush to a near takeaway shop and get something to eat. However, you changed your mind and decided to cook something fast after you found a bottle of Canned Beans in your pantry. With the Canned Beans in your hand, you entered the kitchen, only to realize that you have misplaced the Can Opener! What would you do in such a case? Or, what if you are camping and realized that you forgot to pack the Can Opener! Thankfully, there are quite a few common household items that you can use to open a Can.

In this tutorial, we will show you three simple ways to open a Can without a Can Opener.

Method 1: Use a Spoon to Open the Lid

The lid of most Cans is usually made of a thin sheet of metal, which means you can pretty much use any sharp object available in your kitchen to open the lid. However, if you need to avoid sharp objects for the fear of cuts and wounds, then your best option is to use a sturdy stainless steel spoon. It is the safest method but you may be a little more time-consuming than other methods as you would have to work with a blunt instrument and exert a bit more force.

Step 1 − Place the Can on a solid surface and hold it firmly on the ground with one hand. Hold the spoon tight at its neck with your other hand.

Step 2 − The head of the spoon should touch the surface of the lid. Now, move the spoon back and forth over the lid at its edges, just inside the rim (not at the center).

Step 3 − Repeat the process until you make a hole in the lid of the metal. With the spoon's blunt edge, it will take some time, but the lid will eventually break after 10 to 15 back-and-forth movement of the spoon.

Step 4 − Now, it' easy to open the lid completely. Once you have a slit, all that you need to do is to move the spoon around the rim to tear the rest of the lid.

Step 5 − Finally, use the handle of the spoon to lift the cut-out lid up and detach it carefully from the Can. Don't be casual at this step because the edges of the lid are surprisingly sharp enough to cut the fingers.

Using a spoon is the best option in terms of safety and another reason to use a spoon is that you don't have to search too hard for a sturdy piece of spoon. You can use a fork in the similar fashion to puncture the lid but it will most possibly damage the tines and points of the fork.

Method 2: Use a Chef's Knife

You can use the heel of a chef's knife to open a Can. Avoid using the tip of the knife as it is sharp and may slip accidentally to cause injury

Step 1 − Hold the handle of the knife upright and position its heel on top of the lid near the edge of the rim.

Step 2 − Push the heel of the knife gently to puncture the lid. To get started, firmly grip the handle and position the back corner of the blade (the heel) upright along the inside edge of the can's rim.

Step 3 − Gently press the heel of the knife into the lid to create a slit. Do not apply too much pressure or try to strike the lid with the knife.

Step 4 − Now, lift the knife up and place it again on the lid, just a few centimeters to the left and right. Repeat Step 3 and create another slit.

Step 5 − Repeat the steps 3 and 4 until you have perforated slits around the rim of the Can. Try to perforate holes evenly at uniform distance around the rim.

Step 6 − Insert the tip of the knife inside one of the slits and lift the lid up gently. The lid will be weak by now and can be easily lifted open.

If you don't have a chef's knife, then you can use a small pocket knife or kitchen knife too. Use the tip of the knife to puncture holes around the rim and then gently insert the tip of the knife in one of the holes and lift the lid up.

Method 3: Use a Plier to Open the Can

If you have a plier, then it is quite easy to open a Can.

Step 1 − Hold the Can firmly with one hand, and pinch the plier along the edge of the Can with your other hand.

Step 2 − Move the plier around the top of the Can, pinching its edges around the rim.

Step 3 − Finally, pull the lid up with the plier.

Before using the plier, clean it properly to make sure the food items inside the Can do not get contaminated.

Method 4: Use a Rough Surface

Use this method only when you don't have a knife or spoon at your disposal. This process is time-consuming and you would probably try it when you are camping outside.

For this method to work, you would require a flat rock or a concrete slab with a rough surface.

Step 1 − Place the top of the Can face down on the rough surface and then rub the Can back-and-forth against the surface.

Step 2 − The ridge of the Can will become weak due to the friction. Keep rubbing the Can until you see traces of moisture on the rough surface, which is a sign that the lid has broken.

Step 3 − Now, press the sides of the Can gently and the lid will open up. Or, you can use a knife at this stage to lift the lid up.

Before opening the lid up, make sure that you use a cloth to clean the dust off the lid, to prevent the tin dust getting into your food.

Method 5: Use a Box Cutter or Tin Cutter

You can use a box cutter or a pocket knife to open a Tin Can −

Step 1 − Place the Can on a flat surface and hold it firmly.

Step 2 − Use the Tin Cutter to cut the top of the ridge at its corners.

Step 3 − Repeat the process around the edge of the Can until you're able to open its lid.

Use this method when you don't have other tools like a spoon or a kitchen knife.

Method 6: Use a Flat Screwdriver and Hammer

If you don't find a Tin Cutter, then a flat screwdriver and a hammer may do the trick.

Step 1 − Hold the screwdriver in your hand and place its head over the lid, inside the rim of the Can.

Step 2 − Now, you can use the flat screwdriver just the way you would use a spoon to open a Can. Or, you can use a hammer to gently tap the handle of the screwdriver such that it pierces a hole in the lid.

Step 3 − Repeat Step 2 and create a few more holes around the edge of the rim. Next, insert the head of the screwdriver inside one of the holes and gently lift the lid up.

Before using the flat screwdriver, clean it properly because you don't want to spoil the food item inside the Can.

Conclusion

Most of the time, you would not find it necessary to use these methods, as many such Cans these days come with a pull tab that you can use to rip the lid open. However, you may find these tricks handy in an emergency.