A pantry full of cans and tin cans without a can opener doesn't have to depress you. It can be a challenge in reverse, which you can overcome without too much effort with nothing more than a flat piece of concrete or a teaspoon. Of course, a can opener is even simpler, and there are just a couple of basic ideas to understand. However, if all this seems too complicated to you, take out your anger on food supplies by practicing by ripping a jar in half with your bare hands.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Open a Tin Can without Can Opener
Step 1. Rub the box upside down on rock or concrete
Find a flat, rough rock or piece of concrete. Turn the box over and rub the raised edge against the hard, rough surface, pressing down lightly.
If the jar contains only liquids, you can hold it upright and use the tip of a teaspoon to scrub only a small portion of the outermost groove instead, touching the raised edge of the top of the jar
Step 2. Continue until you notice humidity
Eventually, the corrugated edge of the box should begin to unravel, losing moisture through the hole you made. When you notice this happening, turn it over to the right side again.
Step 3. Squeeze the sides of the box
Hold the can vertically on a flat surface, and press on the sides with both hands. Do it gently at the beginning, pressing progressively harder and harder, as by blowing off the lid too vigorously you could cut yourself.
- Alternatively, hit the side of the box against a hard object. It's more complicated, but it can save your fingers.
- Another option is to find the hole and pry it open with a teaspoon, a screwdriver or other tool, working around the edge. Don't use a knife, it could easily slip off and hurt your hands.
Method 2 of 3: Use a Can Opener
Step 1. Place the toothed wheel of the can opener on the lid of the box
Place the can opener wheel on the outer edge of the can lid. In some can openers, the wheel is designed to stay on top of the can, in the groove alongside the rim. In others, it will remain on the outside, while a flat piece of metal will instead be on the groove at the top.
- If the can opener does not have a toothed wheel, read the advice below.
- In some electric can openers, you will need to flip up a protective tab before you uncover the wheel.
Step 2. Tighten the handles tightly
If you are using a manual can opener, squeeze the handles together tightly. You should hear a hiss or the sound of a puncture as the sprocket penetrates the metal.
For electric can openers, simply press the power button instead. Some models may even recognize the presence of the jar and start opening it automatically
Step 3. Turn the crank
Keep one hand on the handles of the can opener, holding them tightly. With the other, rotate the bar or the handle handle outside the can opener. This operation should make the can opener move around the edge of the can, cutting the metal of the lid with the toothed wheel as it moves.
It may be easier to handle the food inside if you leave a small part of the edge of the lid uncut. It will allow you to use a fork to lift the open end and fold it back, instead of having to try to take out the lid that has fallen into the food
Method 3 of 3: Open the Box with Bare Hands
Step 1. Locate the grooves in the center of a large jar
Today's jars have a series of ridges and grooves that form a ring around the center of the box. These are weak spots that can be used to tear the jar apart at that spot. Remove the label if necessary, to see better.
This method will not work for small boxes without grooves
Step 2. Press on the grooves to form a dent
If you have strong hands, you can grab the jar at both ends and squeeze your fingers into the grooves. Otherwise, place it on the ground and press down on the furrowed part using the carpus of the hand. Continue to press on the corners of the dent, until it is as wide as possible. When the dent covers, completely or almost, the entire width of the jar seen from above, go to the next step.
Step 3. Make a dent on the opposite side as well
Rotate the jar 180 ° so that the previous dent is facing down. Repeat the same process described above to dent the opposite side as well, again pressing as hard as you can. You should now have two dents, on opposite sides of the can barrel.
Step 4. Squeeze the dents deeper
Holding the box horizontally, press the carpus on both flat and circular lids. Position the jar so that the carpus is on top of the flat part near the edge, not in the center. Close your fingers together on the dented surface and then squeeze the two ends of the jar together by pressing with your hands. Repeat the same process for the other dent.
If that doesn't work, try putting the flat surface of the jar on the ground and squeezing it down with your hand or knee
Step 5. Slowly tear the jar apart
You should now have a jar with a major dent on each side, shaped like an hourglass. Grab it on both sides of the dents and press the two sides by moving them back and forth. You should hear a hiss when the seal breaks, the jar should come apart shortly after.
Step 6. Remove the metal fragments
Since you have probably torn the center of the jar literally to pieces to open it, small pieces of metal could have ended up in the food contained inside. Look for them carefully to remove them before eating the contents, or discard the contents around the outer rim of the jar. It is highly recommended to transfer the food to another container without a jagged metal edge.
