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"Grab a can opener, readers. Today, we’ll be cracking open the history of all things tinned." For an article making that claim, there's a BIG omission: the his
by RetroTechie 3y ago
"Grab a can opener, readers. Today, we’ll be cracking open the history of all things tinned."
For an article making that claim, there's a BIG omission: the history of can openers.
According to The Wiki (and article) it was around ~1800 that canned food became somewhat commonplace.
But it wasn't until ~1850 that general purpose can openers came around.
So those first (thick, heavy!) cans had to be opened using whatever tools were on hand. Think chisel + hammer. Later cans came with some kind of 'key' to peel away a strip of metal.
But can openers as we know them, didn't come around until decades after the cans themselves.
If you're diving into the history of canned food, certainly this tidbit deserves mention.
- ghaff 3y agoThe article is a bit sloppy with some of its descriptions/language. Appert developed sealed bottles. (Though, as the article notes, some form of this may have previously existed in more artisanal form.) Canning, as we use the term today, was a slightly later invention (1810s) in the usual telling--though, in reality, there are earlier references from the 1700s to cans in the Dutch navy and the Norwegian salmon industry. As you say, can openers came along relatively late in the game (patented in the 1850s).
- cheschire 3y agoIf anyone's interested in reading more about can openers... https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-can-opener-wasnt-invented-until-almost-50-years-after-can-180964590/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-can-opener-was...
- neuronerdgirl 3y agoAll hail the safety can opener[0]! 0: https://youtu.be/i_mLxyIXpSY?si=kXrTddErZvju6wIF https://youtu.be/i_mLxyIXpSY?si=kXrTddErZvju6wIF