You don’t really think about how you take something as simple as a can opener for granted until it’s suddenly gone. And of course, it’s when you need it the absolute most. Maybe you’re camping, or maybe the lights go out for some reason, or you’re just stuck picking through your kitchen drawer. And it dawns on you that your opener is either missing in action (MIA) or broken. This is the kind of thing that you don’t realize until the can opener is the one thing between you and actual food.
This is why that little survival hack like this is oddly satisfying to have in your back pocket. You’re probably not stuck in the woods every other weekend. But knowing how to manipulate and open a can without a can opener is a life skill. Whether you are on an outdoor adventure, or maybe an emergency situation, or maybe you’re just fighting with a kitchen drawer that refuses to give up your normal tools—this tip could easily be the difference between dinner or no dinner.
Here’s the good news—you can open a can without a can opener. And no, I don’t mean smashing it with a rock or stabbing it with a knife like some sort of zombie movie. It’s way more controlled and a lot less dangerous than it sounds—but you still want to be careful. I have to give a big shout out to DaveHax on YouTube. He showed how you can do it in a way that is easy to understand, clever. And let’s face it, a little bit fun to watch.
What you’ll need: a metal spoon. That’s it. A simple sturdy spoon. The trick is to pry through the top of the can with the tip or edge of the spoon.
To start, you want to keep a decent grip on the can. Best case, resting flat on your table or whatever you have, so you aren’t trying to wrangle it and hold it in midair. You want the edge of the spoon pressed against the inner rim of the lid. You don’t want to jab it or smash it. I think you want a bit more of a repeated pressure/scraping action. It might take a bit of time and patience, but you’ll eventually wear down the metal and create that first small hole. That is totally the toughest part.
Once you have that first hole in the top, you can continue around the rim, scraping with the edge of the spoon, using that first hole as leverage. Basically, you’re scraping your way around the lid – slow and steady. It’s not pretty, but it works.
Next, one big caution – the edges of the metal you’re cutting through? Dangerously sharp. Like you could honestly get hurt the moment you touch them (without gloves). If you have some kind of protective gloves, put them on. If not, just go slow and try to keep your fingers away from the edge. No one wants a side of tetanus with their canned beans.
It is pretty surprising how well this method works when you master it. Yes, it’s slower and messier than using an actual opener, but if you’re in a bind? It’s nice to know that it exists, and you’ll feel kind of accomplished the moment the lid pops off, like you found some secret survival badge you didn’t know that you needed.
And it’s another one of those silly life-hacks that everyone enjoys to watch. If you want to use this process exactly, you can click on the video. It’s really nice to see someone actually do the motions of the process. Especially when you’re not really sure of how much pressure to put on or where to hold the spoon handle.
Use it or don’t use it, it’s just good to know. Because let’s face it, life doesn’t let you have it’s way all the time in that sometimes it doesn’t give you a can opener when you want to use one.
