Can openers: Times on 15oz can

[Lynn LeFey]

I went over to our friends' house last night and we tested the following can openers on 15oz cans: Victorinox Tinker, P-51, Leatherman Wave, Sheffield 1200E, and SOG Powerlock.

I picked the P-51 as a standard against which to compare others.

I wanted to exclude myself from doing a timed run with the Victorinox to preclude any sense of bias, so we started by me demonstrating the Vic can opener to my friend, and she practiced by opening half a can of chilis, then did a timed run on a 15oz can. Her time was 1 minute, 14 seconds.

It was her first time, but I didn't think it gave the Vic a fair gauge.

I then tested the P-51, with a time of 26.97 seconds
Then the Wave, at 26.12 seconds
Then the Sheffield at 22.82 seconds.

We had one lid left to open, and between testing the Powerlock, or giving the Vic another go, I decided to give the Vic a try, and ended up with a time of 28.11 seconds.

My friend then took the half-open can of chilis, and attempted to finish the can opening with the Powerlock. It would not open the can at all. Utter fail.

Sorry for any giggling or murmuring in the background, screaming children, poor lighting, etc. And no, I'm not throwing the bird at the end of my SAK test. I just propped my hand on the counter with knife in it, and it looks a little rude.

The MTs I tested were because in previous tests, it seemed the Sheffield had done best, the Wave was pretty representative of most others, and the SOG had done the worst. So I wanted to time test them to see how their actual numbers compared, and how those would compare with a Victorinox or P-51.

I have about the same experience with all of these can openers, having opened several cans with each. The ergonomics were about equal in all, except for the P-51, which I found a little uncomfortable and seemed to require more effort due to the shorter handle (and less leverage).

[Steinar]

The madness continues! I love it!

Excellent! 

So what's the verdict? The way I read it: It doesn't matter too much, but you'd better not buy a SOG if you eat canned food and the Sheffield rules the roost in speed?

[Mr. Whippy]

Only the "#10 Can Test" can truly crown a king. 

Speed on a lightweight can means nothing if you starve when you move to the big boys...

[Lynn LeFey]

The only dead-certain findings I'd claim is that the SOG's can opener is bad. I did get it to open half of a can before (not in this batch) but gave up in frustration because it was really slow and annoying.

I've seen a video of someone opening a can with a VIC can opener in about 22 seconds. So the time I posted is just a reflection of my ability to use the tool. There may be steeper learning curves on some of these. The Leatherman PST will likely show about the same as the Sheffield, since the Sheffield is a clone of the PST, with the same style of opener.

Mostly, aside from the SOG, I'm going to say what I said when I did my first batch of tests... they all pretty much open up 15oz cans, and I'd say in more or less the same amount of time.

Discussion on #10 cans will have to be tabled until I can get some for testing.

[Fishnuts2]

You might have a different opinion of SOG's can opener that comes with the Paratool and PowerPliers. I love Vic stuff, but the older style SOG is much faster for me than the Vic type with the small screwdriver tip.

MO.
Wayne

[J Mackrel Jones]

Of course he probably practiced more than the guy with the electric -
"the guest on a German 1998 TV
show who bet that he could open 10 cans with an SAK opener faster than
an opponent with an electric opener -- and won" 
   from the True Stories section of the SAKOM

[Mr. Whippy]

Of course he probably practiced more than the guy with the electric -
"the guest on a German 1998 TV
show who bet that he could open 10 cans with an SAK opener faster than
an opponent with an electric opener -- and won" 
   from the True Stories section of the SAKOM

That just can't be!  Everyone knows a dedicated opener is faster...

   

[Lynn LeFey]

Electric can openers are slower than death. I think I was about 10 or so when I started wondering why anyone whose hands had enough strength to use anything else would ever bother with one.

My mother-in-law has serious muscular deterioration (some variety of muscular dystrophy). She simply CAN'T use anything else. In fact, she sometimes has problems pressing the start lever on an electric down enough to engage it. That's the only kind of person I'd ever consider a good candidate for using an electric opener.

[sjian]

I never really thought about it until I experienced it, but having a locking can opener really helps out.

[Lynn LeFey]

It depends on the style of the opener. Victorinox gets by without a lock with no problem because the opener is very gently tapered, like a knife blade, so doesn't bind. Its strong retention probably also helps.

The style on the PST/Sheffield 1200E need either very strong retention or locks for full usefulness. I think Mr. Whippy pointed out this flaw with the Wenger's can opener in the thread on #10 cans.

The locking can opener on the Wave worked great, without the problems of folding, obviously.

[Lynn LeFey]

Sorry if this seems like thread necromancy.

I just tested the can opener on a Juice S2.

The time was 26.89 seconds.

I was frankly shocked it worked as well as it did, but that's one of the fun things about this testing; every now and then you get a pleasant surprise. This thing was just a hair faster than a P-51. I wouldn't even want to TRY a #10 can with it, though.

[Grant Lamontagne]

No problems with thread necro here. We aren't the kind of forum that tells you how to have an opinion and what it should be! 

Def

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

[theonew]

My only problem with the Juice can openers is that the tip part that creates the initial puncture was too dull, thought I was going to bend the tool trying to get it to dig in. I sharpened the tip with a bit of a taper (sharpen too far back and you won't be lifting caps but cutting into them) and it makes a big difference.

[Lynn LeFey]

I was surprised to find it punched into the can pretty easily. I'd considered that it might work better with a bit of an edge, but wanted to test it in 'factory condition' before messing with it.

[theonew]

Hmmm, maybe Leatherman has modified the opener in their newer Jeese (official MTO word for more than one Juice)

[Lynn LeFey]

This one is stamped 03, not exactly what I'd call new. But, like any other tool, maybe I just got a really good can opener (and 'not really good' scissors ).

[theonew]

The scissors need to be sharpened and then gently bent towards each other. Makes a bit difference.

Here's an example of what I mean but on a keychain LM



And this is a thread I did about improving LM scissors

[Stormdrane]

This can opener talk is making me hungry, lol...   

[sawman]

...but what about the P-38 

[JimShockz]

This can opener talk is making me hungry, lol...   

(Image removed from quote.)

Where is the rest of the kit? Would like to see all the attachments ?

-JS

[Stormdrane]

Where is the rest of the kit? Would like to see all the attachments ?

-JS

I keep a spork in a pocket organizer... 

[AimlessWanderer]

My only problem with the Juice can openers is that the tip part that creates the initial puncture was too dull, thought I was going to bend the tool trying to get it to dig in. I sharpened the tip with a bit of a taper (sharpen too far back and you won't be lifting caps but cutting into them) and it makes a big difference.

I'm in agreement here. Not only is it dull it's too parallel with the lid and doesn't present a penetrating point. Mine were failures in the can opener department. I think it's well known I don't have much affinity with the Juice line though