Humble can opener
The story of the can opener starts with canned food. Canned food was invented long before anyone considered how to open it conveniently.
Early cans needed a lot of brute force to be opened. It wasn’t until 1858 that American inventor Ezra Warner came up with a tool designed to puncture the lids of cans. Resembling a lever with a curved blade, this opener was rather clumsy yet effective. It was widely utilized by the U.S. military during the Civil War, but it wasn’t suitable for household use.
In 1870, William Lyman transformed the can opener with a rotating cutting wheel. This design made opening cans much simpler and safer. Lyman’s invention laid the foundation for modern can openers, although it still demanded some skill and strength to operate.
Can openers through history
- Lever-Type opener (1858): This was the original design by Ezra Warner and was mainly used by the military.
- Rotary opener (1870): William Lyman’s design, which had a cutting wheel as its notable feature.
- Keyed cans (1900s): These had built-in keys for rolling back lids, like the old sardine cans we often see.
- Electric openers (1930s): A bulky yet innovative step towards automation.
- Ergonomic handheld openers (1950s): They were user-friendly and efficient.
