Comments on: An excellent, and simultaneously terrible, tool http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/ the blog that is not dansdata.com Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:33:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Alex Whiteside http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-3060 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:21:56 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-3060 The crappy electric can opener in our apartment broke down the other day, so we got a $0.99 "butterfly"-style opener, the kind where you use the handles to trap a metal point in the edge of the tin and grind the whole tin around with a sharp gear connected to the "butterfly" handle. I recalled disliking those openers, and preferring the kind with a rotating blade connected to the can-turning wheel, but those were $20 out here for no readily appreciable reason, so I was stuck. It was an unbelievable world of pain. I imagine that anyone who prefers the P-38 does so because their experience with a rotary opener is the awful butterfly type. The crappy electric can opener in our apartment broke down the other day, so we got a $0.99 "butterfly"-style opener, the kind where you use the handles to trap a metal point in the edge of the tin and grind the whole tin around with a sharp gear connected to the "butterfly" handle. I recalled disliking those openers, and preferring the kind with a rotating blade connected to the can-turning wheel, but those were $20 out here for no readily appreciable reason, so I was stuck. It was an unbelievable world of pain. I imagine that anyone who prefers the P-38 does so because their experience with a rotary opener is the awful butterfly type.

]]> by: Ian http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2968 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:12:32 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2968 Regarding stabbing yourself in the... er... everything, I've just played around with one of my P-38's (Curse you Dan's Data, ebay, and poor impulse control) and an old HDD magnet, and I've managed to magnetise the body such that the blade sticks to it nicely, without overly magnetising the blade at the same time. Not a superbly robust solution, but it might work for pocket/lanyard/keychain duties. Regarding stabbing yourself in the... er... everything, I've just played around with one of my P-38's (Curse you Dan's Data, ebay, and poor impulse control) and an old HDD magnet, and I've managed to magnetise the body such that the blade sticks to it nicely, without overly magnetising the blade at the same time.

Not a superbly robust solution, but it might work for pocket/lanyard/keychain duties.

]]> by: nonreality1 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2962 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:55:24 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2962 I sold these for years as a manager for an Army Navy Store in the US for .25 cents each. That was 15 years ago but day in and day out they sold. Once you get used to them they work very well and as on post has said they are not meant for a kitchen replacement can opener. But they do work, especially if they are an original and not a cheap copy. Plus in a pinch they can do many other things. Quite a deal actually. I sold these for years as a manager for an Army Navy Store in the US for .25 cents each. That was 15 years ago but day in and day out they sold. Once you get used to them they work very well and as on post has said they are not meant for a kitchen replacement can opener. But they do work, especially if they are an original and not a cheap copy. Plus in a pinch they can do many other things. Quite a deal actually.

]]> by: Manne http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2956 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:40:52 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2956 At home (in Finland) we use a <a href="http://www.fiskars.com/pimages/EX/134075_838055.jpg" rel="nofollow">Fiskars can opener</a>, which is like a P-38 but with a handle. Courtesy of our present landlady (a German woman), we also have a rotary-style can opener that hasn't been used after some first attempts. Probably in this case the reason is just a combination of habit and the low quality of the (probably from IKEA) rotary opener. Back home I once attended a presentation at the University of Industrial Arts of Helsinki, where the presenter made fun of all fancy can openers when all you really need is a piece of sharpened and bent metal. "It's a quite sufficient can opener as long as you are opening less than five cans a day." or something to that effect. At home (in Finland) we use a Fiskars can opener, which is like a P-38 but with a handle. Courtesy of our present landlady (a German woman), we also have a rotary-style can opener that hasn't been used after some first attempts. Probably in this case the reason is just a combination of habit and the low quality of the (probably from IKEA) rotary opener.

Back home I once attended a presentation at the University of Industrial Arts of Helsinki, where the presenter made fun of all fancy can openers when all you really need is a piece of sharpened and bent metal. "It's a quite sufficient can opener as long as you are opening less than five cans a day." or something to that effect.

]]> by: frasera http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2955 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:10:03 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2955 interesting, it does seem like a pain, probably similar to the types on swiss army knives. i prefer side cut can openers. they slice the solder joint or something. leaving the can without sharp edges, the top just lifts off in one piece like a perfect lid and is even reclosable to toss in the fridge:) the one i have is the good cook bradshaw. looks odd but works good interesting, it does seem like a pain, probably similar to the types on swiss army knives.

i prefer side cut can openers. they slice the solder joint or something. leaving the can without sharp edges, the top just lifts off in one piece like a perfect lid and is even reclosable to toss in the fridge:) the one i have is the good cook bradshaw. looks odd but works good

]]> by: derrida derider http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2953 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:05:47 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2953 I can tell you bastards are all well co-ordinated right handers. Bloody things - just try using one of these Tools of Satan left handed when you're pretty clumsy to begin with. I can tell you bastards are all well co-ordinated right handers. Bloody things - just try using one of these Tools of Satan left handed when you're pretty clumsy to begin with.

]]> by: OCT http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2952 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:01:12 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2952 If you'll excuse the awful picture quality, <a href="http://i38.tinypic.com/2edsc37.jpg" rel="nofollow">here's</a> my standard issue ADF FRED compared to what I believe is it's American counterpart. The Australian one is on the bottom, and measures almost exactly 9cm in length. I can see why commenter #20 managed to sell the Aussie ones off for $5 each. If you'll excuse the awful picture quality, here's my standard issue ADF FRED compared to what I believe is it's American counterpart.
The Australian one is on the bottom, and measures almost exactly 9cm in length.

I can see why commenter #20 managed to sell the Aussie ones off for $5 each.

]]> by: Daniel Rutter http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2951 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:55:59 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2951 Anne, who's spent some time in Finland and became a dab hand with their larger one-piece P-38-type openers, has confirmed that although using one speedily is like riding a bike, using the P-38 is still bloody awful. It's just not big enough. If you made it through Boot Camp without breaking a sweat then you'll wonder what the problem is, but normal human hand strength is insufficient, especially if you're opening a large tin. Clearly, this means I now need to buy some P-51s (done!) and FREDs (eBay sniping software set!) and conduct further research. Anne, who's spent some time in Finland and became a dab hand with their larger one-piece P-38-type openers, has confirmed that although using one speedily is like riding a bike, using the P-38 is still bloody awful. It's just not big enough. If you made it through Boot Camp without breaking a sweat then you'll wonder what the problem is, but normal human hand strength is insufficient, especially if you're opening a large tin.

Clearly, this means I now need to buy some P-51s (done!) and FREDs (eBay sniping software set!) and conduct further research.

]]> by: Stark http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2948 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:55:09 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2948 I love my P-38. It goes with me everywhere on my keychain and has saved my bacon more times than I care to count. I've used it for everything from it's designed purpose to opening a wound up so I could clean and suture it to minor engine repairs and building an emergency shelter. Heck, I've even fixed it to a stick to make a spear for fishing before and caught my dinner with it (that little blade makes a passable barb when lashed to a spear)... which I then cleaned with it as well. Best salmon I ever ate. Damned thing is worth many times it's weight in gold to me. However, while it will open any can you have a need to open, it is a poor substitute in the kitchen for any modern rotary opener. If you need a can opener that can double in for many other small tools in a pinch that costs nearly nothing, weighs even less, and can be kept in a handy location on your person at almost all times.... well, frankly it's unbeatable. I love my P-38. It goes with me everywhere on my keychain and has saved my bacon more times than I care to count. I've used it for everything from it's designed purpose to opening a wound up so I could clean and suture it to minor engine repairs and building an emergency shelter. Heck, I've even fixed it to a stick to make a spear for fishing before and caught my dinner with it (that little blade makes a passable barb when lashed to a spear)... which I then cleaned with it as well. Best salmon I ever ate.

Damned thing is worth many times it's weight in gold to me.

However, while it will open any can you have a need to open, it is a poor substitute in the kitchen for any modern rotary opener.

If you need a can opener that can double in for many other small tools in a pinch that costs nearly nothing, weighs even less, and can be kept in a handy location on your person at almost all times.... well, frankly it's unbeatable.

]]> by: jmguazzo http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2947 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:49:34 +0100 http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2008/08/26/an-excellent-and-simultaneously-terrible-tool/#comment-2947 It was available in Belgium. I don't know if it's still today. When I was a kid (around the 80's), my father used to eat those sardines can where you had one of those opener provided with it. I even tried to open cans with my little hands at that time and quickly said to my father that he was so "yesterday" when there were already "Electric Can Opener". I even remember my father throwing trough the window a "swing a way" that failed to open a can and go fetch a P-38. He then opened his can proudly. (There was a river behind the window and he had to buy a new swing-a-way for my mom...) Years later, when I was old(or crazy?) enough to go to music festival with camping, I had one of those with me. And when it's raining and that you've lost some of your dexterity (Belgium is well known for it's beer...or else for those living close to The Netherlands...), it's the easiest to use... but definitely not the quickest. It can even be used on today's cans with a <a href="http://www.labelsforeducation.com/images/easyopen_howto_alt.jpg" rel="nofollow">tab</a> when you've broken the tab while trying to open that f***ing can ! (Based on a real story) Btw, In French, the name of a can opener is "Ouvre-boîtes" ( = "box opener") and it seems that those like P-38 are called <a href="http://www.ouvres-boites.com/index.php/gallery/pockets/lame-mobile" rel="nofollow">pocket</a> by <a href="http://www.ouvres-boites.com/" rel="nofollow">can opener collectors.</a> And in French, the official name for a "can opener collector" is Appertophiliste. This comes from Nicolas Appert called on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Fran%C3%A7ois_Appert" rel="nofollow">wikipedia</a> the "father of canning". Dan, are you an becoming Appertophiliste ? It was available in Belgium. I don't know if it's still today.

When I was a kid (around the 80's), my father used to eat those sardines can where you had one of those opener provided with it. I even tried to open cans with my little hands at that time and quickly said to my father that he was so "yesterday" when there were already "Electric Can Opener".

I even remember my father throwing trough the window a "swing a way" that failed to open a can and go fetch a P-38. He then opened his can proudly.
(There was a river behind the window and he had to buy a new swing-a-way for my mom...)

Years later, when I was old(or crazy?) enough to go to music festival with camping, I had one of those with me.
And when it's raining and that you've lost some of your dexterity (Belgium is well known for it's beer...or else for those living close to The Netherlands...),
it's the easiest to use... but definitely not the quickest.

It can even be used on today's cans with a tab when you've broken the tab while trying to open that f***ing can ! (Based on a real story)

Btw, In French, the name of a can opener is "Ouvre-boîtes" ( = "box opener") and it seems that those like P-38 are called pocket by can opener collectors.
And in French, the official name for a "can opener collector" is Appertophiliste. This comes from Nicolas Appert called on wikipedia the "father of canning".

Dan, are you an becoming Appertophiliste ?

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