Internet Users Stumped Over What This
Mystery Tool Sparks Online Debate
A vintage kitchen tool shared on Reddit confused many users due to its sharp, weapon-like design.
Found in a grandmother’s house, it sparked guesses from a “19th-century can opener” to a “multipurpose camping gadget.”
Some joked it could “double as a weapon.”
An Early, Dangerous Can Opener
Older users identified it as an early can opener.
One said, “This thing was a hazard.
I’ve still got a scar from when it slipped while I was opening a can as a kid.
” Another explained, “You had to punch it into the can and lever it forward step by step to cut the top off.”
The Evolution of Can Openers
Canned food existed long before safe openers. Ezra Warner’s 1858 design, used in the Civil War, was sharp but unsafe.
William Lyman’s 1870 rotating cutting wheel was safer and easier.
Later innovations led to today’s modern designs.
A Risky but Beloved Tool
Despite risks, some still use vintage openers. One user said, “I still have one and use it occasionally.
It’s a dangerous little thing, but it gets the job done.”
Another noted, “Tried to buy one recently—you can’t find them anymore!”
This tool reminds us of kitchen history’s mix of “ingenuity—and occasional hazards.”
