Victorian era can openers

'Monterrey' Jack Brass · May 05, 2009, 08:51:36 PM

All,

Can openers definitely rank high in the category of edged tools and were important everyday items of the era. As such they deserve some attention and this is a great place to post some info. Since we make efforts to represent history to some degree it's helpful to know about them. The point of this post is to enable you to easily recognize a few types of can openers available during the era and procure one or more orginals for your living historical impression/s if you require such a device.

Before delving into can opening tools it might be good to start out with some primary documentation on the understood history of canned goods. Here is an extract of what Artemis Ward, author of the Grocer's Hand-book and Directory for 1886, had to say in his book on pages 32 & 33: "During the Mexican war, it (hermetically sealing foodstuffs) received its first start as a business in the U.S., and during the rebellion it rapidly developed into a leading industry. Today the list of articles preserved by canning are almost countless, and includes fish, meats, poultry, chowders, plum puddings, sauces, etc. Custom has done away with most of the prejudice arising from the fear of poisoning but there is great care in the canning of acid fruits or vegetables. Some goods are now packed in tin cans coated with paraffine wax, and the custom of soldering on the outside only, is very general."

Now comes the fun part – how were such cans opened? The earliest reference I have in my library for can openers, called "knives for opening preserved meat cases", is from the c1845 The Victorian Catalogue of Tools For Trades & Crafts reprinted by Studio Editions Books (1994). Two illustrations in this reprinted tool catalog resemble the R. Yeates 1855 patented can opener, see web link a bit farther down. On to some original can opener examples.

Below I've listed a photo of a few can openers and a reference from a period hardware catalog. Most of those pictured from my collection are of one patented type though it's worth seeing the small variations between them. Also listed below are web links that will take you to select pictures of can openers with accompanying patent data. These web links are from the can opener collector's website: http://www.the-canopener.com. This site seems to encompass just about every kind of can opener made since cans were invented. It's worth a look even if it's just to disqualify types that don't fall into your impression/s timeframe. Though there is a lot of helpful info there not every question you might have will be answered. I've only taken examples fom the website with names/patent info/dates associated and I'm sure I missed a few appropriate to the old west era.

Pictured immediately below are a few of my can openers, the top four are the Sergent & Co. 'Sprague' can opener patent 153391, 1874 and the bottom is Seymour's patent 85957, 1867

Details regarding can openers for sale on page 168 of the Vajen & New Hardware Company (1884)

Kentuckian · May 06, 2009, 05:31:11 PM

From the Erwin & Russell Hardware Catalogue 1865:

'Monterrey' Jack Brass · May 06, 2009, 06:46:01 PM

K - Excellent early era reference, thanks much for the post...! I hope more such info can be made available here if others have it to share. If so this could be truly be the one-stop shop for can opener references of the era.

YMH&OS,

Brass

viper_stwk · February 20, 2010, 03:39:00 AM

Hi,

My name is Marcel and i host the website from The Canopener mentioned above on my server. I've seen you've deeplinked to several photo's (which is fine by the way). The links are bad at this time because of a system crash earlier this year. When you remove the part "portal/" from each link then they wil work again.
EG:
1855: Yeates patent - http://www.the-canopener.com/photo/showimg.php?file=/Category%20Line/15_DW/15_DW_41.jpg

Gr.,
Marcel
Webmaster The Canopener

River City John · February 20, 2010, 10:01:25 AM

This Peerless patented 2/11/1890.

Roscoe Coles · February 20, 2010, 11:00:26 AM

Nice post. Let me talk a bit from the other end of this. As an historical archaeologist, I have examined cans from a large number of sites associated with post war westward expansion. The overwhelming number of them were opened with a knife, not a can opener. Two knife opened styles are common: the "T" cut, where two cuts forming a T are cut in the top and then the points formed near the cross are folded back creating a kind of "V" opening, and the "X" cut, where two cuts are made to form an X and the points are folded back, creating a square opening. You do also see cans cut all around the top which can either be done with a knife or a can opener. You can tell because of the direction the edge is bent, knife down, can opener up. Cans containing fluid, like condensed milk or fruit juice are typically just punched with two holes, some times with ice picks or a knife.

We do run into cans opened with can openers (The Alaskan military sites I am working on now have a large percentage of cans opened with a center hole can opener like the Star opener shown in the original post), but can openers don't seem to have been all that common on the frontier sites I have excavated. Remember, period tin cans were much thinner than modern sanitary cans and were easily cut with a knife. On the other hand, it would have been easy to slip and cut yourself when opening a can with a knife, which probably lead to the demand for the can openers.

So, they are period and I appreciate the article and the great information it contains, but for a frontier impression, I would not buy a can opener. Besides, the modern sanitary cans take a different type.

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · February 20, 2010, 08:02:06 PM

Thanks Viper; I tried deleting "portal/" and the links work fine.

viper_stwk · February 21, 2010, 04:08:04 PM

Perhaps TS or a mod can remove the same from the original links?

Gr.,
Marcel.

'Monterrey' Jack Brass · February 22, 2010, 06:20:00 PM

All – Per Marcel's advice I modified the links in my original post so they're all working again. Thanks to Marcel for his update on how to repair the links.

Marcel – That website is excellent to say the least, lots of great info. Also impressive is the volume of information and effort it took to assemble and document it all. And if you know where I can get a good deal on a Poole patent can opener I'd appreciate it – those are hard to find...!

Roscoe – Your investigation regarding archeological evidence for opening cans in past camp situations (town too?) is very much appreciated. Definitely will help us here with impression-specific ways to equip ourselves properly regarding can opening in an historic setting. Now if we could just get good (and more importantly 'safe') period correct canned goods in proper cans, perhaps a bridge too far?

The devil is in the details and this the sort of info shared on this thread is great to see. Geeky? Yep, and proud of it. Having said that I won't even go into my collection of 19th century Dover egg beaters....

Thanks again all,

Brass

Delmonico · February 22, 2010, 06:28:32 PM

Quote from: Roscoe Coles on February 20, 2010, 11:00:26 AM
Nice post. Let me talk a bit from the other end of this. As an historical archaeologist, I have examined cans from a large number of sites associated with post war westward expansion. The overwhelming number of them were opened with a knife, not a can opener. Two knife opened styles are common: the "T" cut, where two cuts forming a T are cut in the top and then the points formed near the cross are folded back creating a kind of "V" opening, and the "X" cut, where two cuts are made to form an X and the points are folded back, creating a square opening. You do also see cans cut all around the top which can either be done with a knife or a can opener. You can tell because of the direction the edge is bent, knife down, can opener up. Cans containing fluid, like condensed milk or fruit juice are typically just punched with two holes, some times with ice picks or a knife.

We do run into cans opened with can openers (The Alaskan military sites I am working on now have a large percentage of cans opened with a center hole can opener like the Star opener shown in the original post), but can openers don't seem to have been all that common on the frontier sites I have excavated. Remember, period tin cans were much thinner than modern sanitary cans and were easily cut with a knife. On the other hand, it would have been easy to slip and cut yourself when opening a can with a knife, which probably lead to the demand for the can openers.

So, they are period and I appreciate the article and the great information it contains, but for a frontier impression, I would not buy a can opener. Besides, the modern sanitary cans take a different type.

Well that maybe so, but one I've seen folks cut the heck out of themselves on either the knife slipping or the ragged edge of the can. Besides, I ain't gonna ruin a good knife and the can oper is sure a lot easier, with the amount of cans I sometimes open on a weekend, sometimes easier is simpler.

So like my non-PC hand sanitizer, I ain't gonna give up my can openers, falls into what I call sensible ren-acting/living history. But to each his own.

Roscoe Coles · February 22, 2010, 09:47:57 PM

Quote from: Delmonico on February 22, 2010, 06:28:32 PM
Well that maybe so, but one I've seen folks cut the heck out of themselves on either the knife slipping or the ragged edge of the can. Besides, I ain't gonna ruin a good knife and the can oper is sure a lot easier, with the amount of cans I sometimes open on a weekend, sometimes easier is simpler.

So like my non-PC hand sanitizer, I ain't gonna give up my can openers, falls into what I call sensible ren-acting/living history. But to each his own.

I should point out that the old can openers are not designed to work on modern sanitary cans and I am not arguing that you should use a knife to open sanitary cans. They are much thicker and tougher than the old hole in cap design and you are quite correct that you could badly cut yourself trying to open a modern can with a knife. My post was historical in nature and not really designed as guidelines for reenacting.

'Monterrey' Jack Brass · February 23, 2010, 03:32:31 AM

Roscoe & Delmonico –

For what it's worth there is a cross-over of sorts regarding at least some Victorian era can openers, those in my collection function well on modern cans. Thickness of metal notwithstanding they open up modern cans with some rapidity. All that is required is making the initial puncture hole to get the opener's blade or wedge into the metal and start tearing it up either by slicing or puncturing through it.

To wit: The Sprague and Seymour need no lip on a can's edge (in the case of modern cans) to guide them and of course there is nothing on the openers that 'lock-on' to anything, just as the old cans were not designed to be locked-on to. They make their own openings in the can, how large the hole or nice it looks it entirely up to the whims and skill of the user.

All of the can openers I have rely on puncture and or more or less rip open the can. The fastest I've used is the Sprague (see period illustration below), works well no matter the shape or size of the can and the opening it produces is whatever shape you want - circular, square, etc. However, I think the safest type in my collection is the Seymour which relies on the center hole much like the Poole, Lyman, and a few others in concept which all make circular openings though the user decides how large such will be.

All in all opening modern cans with these can openers is interesting and takes but a few tries to get used to. After some practice I've developed the basic skills required to operate each. They are almost as fast and arguably as safe as their modern locked wheel-cutter descendents.

As for knife vs can opener: I would argue it depends on the can opener, and as you saw by the initial post there were a number to choose from. Those detailed above I believe are pretty safe though some can openers of the era are not as much – at least the Ance for instance – and are probably akin to inflicting blunt force trauma on a can.

Happy and safe can-opening to you no matter what scenario you portray, whether with a can opener or a knife.

Brass

Delmonico · February 23, 2010, 04:38:48 PM

Quote from: Roscoe Coles on February 20, 2010, 11:00:26 AM

So, they are period and I appreciate the article and the great information it contains, but for a frontier impression, I would not buy a can opener. Besides, the modern sanitary cans take a different type.

Hmmm, not the way I took it. Anyway RCJ gave me one like the one in his picture and it works fine on modern cans although as a true antique I carry more modern but period looking ones rather that loose a neat piece of history.

River City John · June 12, 2010, 04:46:32 PM

Stopped by the antique mall I seem to have good luck at on the way back from the range today and found these two can openers.
Both were mislabeled as "leather cutting tools", and quite reasonable.
The top one is unusual in that the arm can be screwed in or out to adjust for the tin can width. Drive the point into the soldered hole in the top of the can, and cut around the edge with the wheel cutter down by the end of the handle. There is actually a steel ferule capping the end of the handle that supports the cutting wheel as you push it around, but it has taken on the same color as the wood of the handle.
Also found some old labels and mint-condition cardboard patent medicine boxes without the bottles.
RCJ

Tascosa Joe · June 13, 2010, 12:48:38 PM

RCJ:

Thanks for the reply over on NCOWS. I picked up a Starr type can opener yesterday. I think it may be a little later as it has a sliding ring that rides on the edge of the can. Pretty cool. They had a half dozen others but i am sure they were later period. I wish I had pictures figured out and I would post.

The store had one that was a Bulls Head, it was relatively expensive. And I could not find any historical reference to that can opener.

T-Joe

Delmonico · June 13, 2010, 12:59:44 PM

TJ, if you have a digital camera, then get the pictures in the computor and send me a PM and I'll help you, it's simple, I can do it.

Tascosa Joe · June 13, 2010, 01:02:49 PM

Del:

Thanks, I will see what I can do.

Delmonico · June 13, 2010, 01:09:06 PM

The best thing to do is to open a free account at photobucket.com, size them 640X480 or less and load them in there. When you get them, just copy and paste the bottom link under the picture and paste it in the thread, hollor if you need help.

River City John · June 13, 2010, 08:04:14 PM

The above picture, courtesy of Victor Trading Co., shows the early can construction well. http://www.victortradingco.com/tincan.htm

The basic can was fabricated with a hole left in the top through which you put the contents, then a circle of tin was soldered over to seal, but with a small hole in the center to let steam escape when the cans were placed into a boiling bath for sterilization. When the contents were heated through sufficiently, a dab of solder was placed to seal that vent hole.
The Star, and others of the punch style, worked by driving the awl end through the soldered vent hole and cutting around the rim.

RCJ