Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Open a can without a can opener
• Method 2 of 3: Using a can opener
• Method 3 of 3: Open a can with your bare hands
• Tips
• Warnings

Shelves full of tins but no can opener at hand? Fortunately, that does not have to be a problem. You can even think of it as a challenge, and one that you can overcome quite easily with the help of a spoon or a piece of flat concrete. With a can opener it is of course even easier, you just have to know how the different models work. And if that is still too complicated for you, throw out all your frustration with packaging methods by breaking the can in two with your bare hands.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Open a can without a can opener

1. Rub the can upside down on stone or concrete. Find a flat but rough piece of stone, rock, or concrete. Turn the can upside down and rub the raised edge over the hard, rough surface, while pushing the can lightly downwards.
   • If the contents of the can are liquid, hold the can upright and hold the raised edge of the can with one hand while rubbing a small portion of the outer groove with the end of a spoon with the other hand.
2. Continue until moisture appears. Eventually, the curved edge of the can will peel off, allowing moisture to leak through the opening you just made. Stand the can upright as soon as you see this.
3. Press the sides of the can together. Hold the can upright on a flat surface and press the sides together with both hands. Do this carefully at first and gradually press harder. If you squeeze out the lid too abruptly, you can cut yourself in your fingers.
   • You can also hit something hard with the side of the can. This method is more messy, but safer on your fingers.
   • Another option is to find the hole and open it with a spoon, screwdriver, or other tool. Don't do this with a knife. With a knife, the chances are quite high that you will slip out and cut yourself in your hands.

Method 2 of 3: Using a can opener

1. Place the cogwheel of the can opener on the can. Place the wheel of the can opener on the outer rim at the top of the can. In some can openers, the gear is designed to fit snugly into the slot next to the top edge of the can. With other can openers you have to place the gear on the outside of the can, while a flat piece of metal will be placed on the slot at the top.
   • For the use of can openers without a wheel, see the tip at the end of this article.
   • With some electric can openers you first have to lift the flap that is over the gear wheel for protection.
2. Squeeze the handles of the can opener together. If using a manual can opener, squeeze the handles as close to each other as possible. You should hear a hissing or clicking sound as soon as the gear pierces the metal.
   • With an electric can opener, all you have to do is press the On button. There are even can openers that detect the can itself and then open it automatically.
3. Now turn the wing of the can opener. Hold the handles of the can opener firmly with one hand and twist the wing on the side of the can opener with the other hand. This should move the can opener all the way around the edge of the can, with the gear cutting through the metal.
   • You may find it easier to empty the can to leave a small piece of the rim of the lid attached to the can. You do not have to fish the loose lid out of the contents of the can and you can instead lift the loose part of the lid with a fork and push it backwards.

Method 3 of 3: Open a can with your bare hands

1. First, look for the ridges on the center of the side of a large can. Modern metal cans have a number of ridges or slots that form a ring around the center of the can. These spots are a bit softer and you can use them to rip the can in half. Tear off the label if necessary to get a better look.
   • This method will not work on small cans without ridges or slots.
2. Make a dent in the can by pressing the ribbed part. If you have strong hands, you can grab the can at both ends and press on the ribbed part with your fingers. If that doesn't work, put the can on the ground and push the mouse of your hand down against the ridges. Try to make the dent as wide as possible by pushing on the corners of the dent. Do not proceed to the next step until the dent is as wide or nearly as wide as the entire width of the can when viewed from above.
3. Make a dent on the other side of the can as well. Rotate the can 180 degrees so that the first dent is now at the bottom of the can. Make a dent in the other side of the can, in the same way as described above, by pressing it as hard as you can again. There should now be two dents in the tin on both sides, exactly opposite each other.
4. Make the dents even deeper by continuing to press on them. Hold the can horizontally and place the mice of your hands each against one of the flat, rounded ends of the can. Do not place the mice of your hands in the middle, but close to the edges of the flat parts.Cross your fingers over the ridged surface and press the two ends together by pushing your hands together. Repeat for the other dent.
   • If this doesn't work, place one of the flat parts of the can on the floor and push down against the other flat part with your hand or knee.
5. Pull the can apart. You should now have a tin with a big dent on both sides; practically in the shape of an hourglass. Hold the can on either side of the dents and pull the two halves apart by moving them back and forth. As soon as the metal starts to break, you should hear a hissing sound and the can will fall apart shortly afterwards.
6. Remove the metal particles. Since you literally tore the center of the can to pieces, small pieces of metal may have gotten into the contents of the can. Therefore, check the contents of the can carefully and remove all metal particles before eating, or throw away the part of the contents around the outer edge of the can. It is best to scoop the contents of the can with a spoon into another container or into a plate or pan.

Tips

• Old-fashioned can openers usually don't have a spinning gear or a wing that you have to turn. The more old-fashioned models instead feature a sharp blade that cuts into the top of the can along the outer edge. To open the can, move the can opener up and down the edge of the can while rotating the can. As you cut the can open, rest the can opener against the raised edge using the notched metal part above the blade.

Warnings

• An electric can opener usually cuts off the entire top and lifts it off the can with the help of a magnet. If you don't hold the can then, once the lid is completely cut off, it will fall to the floor.