Before Pull Tabs

I remember these, I used the round end to open beer bottles. Don't know what the pointy end is for though.

 

I used those when I was quite young to open beers and oil cans.

The old guys called that sort of can opener a "church key".

I still have one, though not as cool as that one.
It's for opening cans of Genny Cream Ales.

 

Yup,guilty as charged.

 

It’s no P-38 but it’ll do.

 

I used to use them. I’ve consumed a lot of Genesee Cream Ale, too.

 

I guess I'm old......I not only REMEMBER those, but I USED them (both ends) and still own several.
Someday, archeologists, excavating down through the earth, will be able to estimate the date of discarded cans. The pull tabs (like we have now) will be one era.....ring tabs (with the discarded ring pull) will be an older era......then the cans with small triangular holes, will be even older still.
Want a quick example of the use of the above "church key"?......check out the opening scene in Cool Hand Luke, with Luke screwing off the heads of parking meters......at one point he uses a church key on a chain around his neck to open a beer.
edit.....my bad.....he's using one to open bottles. (I woulda SWORN it was cans)

 

Beverages use to come in metal cans and you needed the pointy end to punch a hole in it. One hole to pour the liquid out and a second hole to vent the can.

 

Mistakes happen. He eats 50 Peeps later iirc

 

Yup church key is what my dad calls them

 

I still have some. It's great for piercing the lid of Hershey Syrup cans.

 

Always had a bottle opener next to the pencil sharpener in the pantry and a magnetic church key on the Ice-Box. Took a pretty good pull to get it off too.

 

Happy early Birthday!

 

Tomato juice cans there is still one in the kitchen.
yes church keys .

Happy Bday

 

I used one *today* to puncture the bottom of a can, so the cranberry sauce would slide out.

Just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s useless. (And somebody, please! tell that to my wife!

 

Here's some recreated musical accompaniment, note obsolete church key use .

I have no idea what they're doing in this video but I find it awesome.

 

Soda cans used to come with regular bottle caps:

 

You can still buy tomato juice in a can that you need one of those to punch two holes (one to pour, one to vent) in


I buy em all the time. The plastic bottles are handier, as there's no need for alum. foil to cover it once it's opened, but the cans are generally cheaper

 

We made chains with the pull tops. No fun allowed anymore. You must comply!!!!!

 

I like how he works the vibrato in the beginning. And if it really is the Revels, they look damn good in their middle age.