Can opener

A can opener opens metal food tins by cutting the lid or rim. It differs from a bottle opener, which removes a cap. Some tools combine several functions, so the working end is more useful for identification than the shape of the handle alone.

Historical examples survive in Norwegian and British collections. Yrjar Heimbygdslag records YHL1500 from Opphaug farm in Ørland. Science Museum Group holds a bull's head opener dated about 1900 and a Tala opener dated 1922. Those dates belong to the individual museum objects, not every opener with a similar appearance.

Catalogue the cutting element, any rotary wheel, maker's marks and moving parts. Distinguish a documented production date from the collection date and family history of use. Rust and wear alone do not establish age.

Sources: Yrjar Heimbygdslag: YHL1500; Science Museum Group: Bull's head can opener; Science Museum Group: Tala can-opener, 1922.