Opening the 'spam can'

[Jeremy2171]

Funny but I use the issue can opener and have any spam can open in less than a minute. No worries..its a pretty simple thing to use... much faster and safer than a hammer and chisel.

 

[JonB]

If I had the issued can opener I wouldn't need to ask ;-)

 

[goon]

The openers I have used gave up after about getting half way through the can. I have also used the hammer and chisel method with varying degrees of success. After you get it started though you can latch on to it with a pair of vise grips and tear the rest of it free.

 

[fireflyfather]

Hammer and chisel works best when the chisel is cutting in a downward motion (Gravity). Make a single starting cut at one corner with chisel, dremmel, angle grinder, whatever, and then lay the spam can with the edge you want to cut vertical. Insert chisel and hammer it down, careful of your fingers! Thick gloves might be good for this. Not very precise, but a lot easier than doing it horizontally. Then continue along the other edge of the same corner. Once you have one corner cut, any long metal tool or vice grips can be used to pry the corner up and pull out one box at a time. This applies to the box-type spam cans. The rounded "true" spam cans may require more chiseling.

 

[RNB65]

Thermite.

 

[doc2rn]

I agree with RNB65 bust semtex is cheaper, and easier to make.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

cruciform bayonet. dont pry with it, just use it to punch a hole near the edge. use rebar to pry. and watch your fingers. bout split my hand in two opening a can of 7.62x25.

 

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

Hammer and chisel works well. Follow my diagram.

Chisel along roughly where the red lines are to split open the welding gunk. After you have a nice gash in it, chisel along the blue lines so you can peel it back.

 

[kungfuhippie]

33 posts on how to open a can. Only on THR.

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

but I have a feeling that would be a bad idea - probably tear up the can opener.

it sounds like you may have already destroyed the can opener dont feel too bad though, I wrecked a good can opener trying to open my first spam can. best way I have found is to flip it upside down and use a hammer and chisel since the ends are rolled over.

 

[RNB65]

33 posts on how to open a can. Only on THR.

We like to be thorough. Besides, have you ever tried opening those milsurp cans? Some of them, a bank vault would be easier to get into.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

how you were supposed to open these things in combat, i have no idea. although the added adrenaline would help.

 

[Bazooka Joe71]

33 posts on how to open a can. Only on THR.

Hahaha, my thoughts EXACTLY!

BUT, better there be too many posts, than too few.

 

[Gord]

how you were supposed to open these things in combat, i have no idea.

I was just thinking that yesterday while opening my new pack of 7.62x25... what epitomizes "com-bloc military logic" better than giant sealed cans of ammo?

"A tank! Tank, Ivan, tank! Faster! Peel faster!"
"I am trying, comrade! I am going as fast as I can!"

Mental image of some poor undernourished conscript sap flailing his arm up and down trying to open an ammo tin up under fire with a two-foot-long can opener... priceless.

 

[The Annoyed Man]

How about a splitting maul?

 

[kungfuhippie]

Besides, have you ever tried opening those milsurp cans?

Yes, and every time I proved smarter than the spam can. Though the first can nearly won. Being left handed makes using the provided opener a difficult task at first.

 

[Drakejake]

I could not make progress with the supplied can opener. I used a hammer and chisel and it was lots of work. Moreover, I don't like to do the immediate cleaning with water, Windex, etc., required with corrosive ammo. I always worry that I have missed something and clean and reclean. So I paid more and got some Wolf 5.45. I will save the Bulgarian for a rainy day.

Drakejake