When Dan and I got married, he still had his military issue P-38 can opener.
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| Source: Wikimedia Commons |
I used it ever since, until recently the tip broke off so that it would no longer puncture the can lid. We reckoned his old P-38 was over 40 years old.
Many cans come with pull-ring lids nowadays, but I still needed a can opener, so I bought a cheap squeeze handle rotary wheel job.
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| Source: Wikimedia Commons |
One day I needed an inexpensive item to make up the difference for free shipping on Amazon. So I took a look at can openers. Some of the newest designs were odd interesting, but many did not look at all practical. Or made for longevity. I think sometimes people have innovative ideas that can't muster practical reality.
Electric can openers were out, especially the battery powered ones. But I do have an amusing memory of my mother calling her cat by running the electric opener. Said cat always came running, even if no cat food was being opened.
In reading product reviews, I discovered others had the same problem I did with their squeeze handle can opener. The gears just weren't up to more than a couple months of usage. Then I found new P-38s for sale, but wondered about the quality of the steel. Building materials have been cheapened so much over the years that I'm cautious about buying things without seeing them first hand.
Then I saw the Ganji Kankiri
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| Source: Amazon |
This is a Japanese can opener (kankiri) which basically works the same as the P-38. Except the blade is larger and heavier, and I loved the hefty sized handle. It wasn't expensive, either.
It felt a little awkward at first but it's easy to use and does an excellent job of opening cans. Some reviewers complained that it cut a somewhat jagged edge, but once I got used to it, I thought it cut a smoother edge than the P-38. I anticipate not needing to buy another can opener for a long, long time.
I never dreamed I'd ever be excited over a can opener, but I do love me some good manual tools.
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