How To Open A Can With A Can Opener

There are different types of can opener, but they all serve the same purpose. Opening a can doesn’t need to be complicated. We provided an easy step by step process on how to open a can with a can opener for your convenience.

Step 1: Widen the arms of the can opener. This is needed for the cutting edge of the can opener’s mouth to perfectly fit onto the can. To do so, carefully use both hands and grab one arm of the can opener and gently pull them apart. When they are already in the desired position, they’ll just lock in place.

• The can opener’s hand should only be open when you try to fit the mouth onto the can, rather than open it while still in use.
• You can work by either holding it in the air or working on a clutter-free flat surface in opening the can.

Step 2: Place the can opener’s mouth and fit it right into the top of the lid. While aligning the can opener’s mouth onto the lid, keep the can opener at an open position. Now, press the can opener’s mouth onto the can’s lid and ensure that the mouth is gripping through the lid. 

Once done, secure the rotating handle on top of the can to have a better grasp at turning the handle of the can opener with ease when cutting through the can’s lid.

• When rotating the opener in the lid, ensure your hands are on top of the can. This minimizes the possibility of getting cut as you are dealing with sharp objects.
• The can opener’s mouth has a jagged wheel, which serves as the thing that holds the can opener and the lid of the can together while cutting. 

Step 3: Gently close the can opener’s arms and slowly puncture the lid of the can with the use of the can opener’s mouth as described earlier. When the mouth is pushed onto the lid, it pierces the can. Listen to the puncturing sound, as this prompts you that you have successfully done the step. 

Step 4: Once you’ve successfully punctured the lid of the can, you can now rotate the can opener’s hand and slowly cut through the lid with the can opener’s mouth. The rotating motion allows the serrated wheel to roll around the lid’s edge and puncture through the can. Twist the can opener until you are sure that the can opener has separated the top portion of the can and the lid.

• When rotating the handle when cutting through, apply enough pressure to cut your way through the lid quickly. Not applying enough pressure means you might have a more challenging time rolling through the lid and cutting them through.
• You can either cut the entire lid all the way through or stop until your desired cut is done. If not, reattach the can opener’s mouth at the last point of your lid when it was cut.

Step 5: Carefully lift the lid and separate it from the can. Once you are almost complete at cutting the lid from the can, stretch the arms out of the can opener and slowly tug it away from the can.

• If the can’s lid has sunken into the insides of the can, use a knife or any sharp utensils to pull it out.
• Always take extra precautionary measures when dealing with razor-sharp objects; if you want to pull out the lid, use a spatula or a knife. If you’re going to be extra cautious, use thick hand gloves for added safety.

Finally, carefully dispose of the lid, and that’s how to open a can with a can opener, pretty easy.

You might be wondering if you can open a can with a can opener only. Aside from learning how to open a can with a can opener, there are many alternatives to open a can. You can use sharp objects such as swiss army knives. Also, with traditional knives, and basically any sharp tools that can easily puncture through the can. Another method of opening a can without a can opener is with the use of a spoon.

In doing so, just place the spoon’s tip onto the edge of the lid and apply a considerable amount of pressure to puncture through the lid. Once you’ve punctured the can, you can pry the spoon upwards, just like how you would typically do with a can opener, and cut your way through until the top part is separated. This method can also be done with any other sharp objects.

When opening a can without a can opener, always ensure that your equipment is sturdy and sharp enough to puncture through the lid’s surface; if not, you’d better have a screwdriver and puncture a hole, then let the spoon or knife pry through the edge until they come out. Here’s how to learn more about can openers.