Online users went on a digital hunt to identify a mysterious metal tool found in a kitchen drawer. A Redditor shared a photo, saying: \u201c[What is this thing?] Found it while cleaning out grandma\u2019s house\u2026 we assume it\u2019s a can opener multitool but have no idea how it works.\u201d<\/p>\n
Comments flooded in\u2014some guessed a 19th-century can opener, others thought it was for camping or fishing, and a few joked it could be a weapon. Many shared stories of injuries: \u201cStill have a scar where it slipped and embedded in my arm,\u201d wrote one. The tool was indeed a vintage lever-type can opener, notorious for leaving cuts on unskilled users.<\/p>\n
Canned food predates easy-open tools. Ezra Warner created the first lever opener in 1858 for military use, followed by William Lyman\u2019s safer rotary design in 1870. Later innovations included keyed cans, electric openers, and ergonomic models.<\/p>\n
Though modern can openers are safer, some still swear by the old design: \u201cDangerous bugger if not used properly, but still the best!\u201d<\/p>\n