Help needed identifying Kitchen tools from mid 1900's

[larry_stewart]

When my mom moved out of her house, she gave me some stuff that belonged to my grandmother ( her mom). Some things I use ( a few pots, rolling pin, cutting board), but there are other things that are more nostalgic. I took a pic of a few things. The pen to the left is there as a size reference. I'm pretty sure I know what the item on the left ( not the pen) is. The other two look like they have the same purpose, one is hand held the other being mountable. My grandmother was born in the early 1900's which means she probably used these gadgets in the mid 1900's or so. Not sure if they were even handed down from her parents. Anyway, if you recognize what they are , please respond. I have a few ideas, but dont want to put you guys in the wrong direction if Im wrong. the tool on the left, all the parts are stationary/ fixed. The one in tthe center and right, those discs do roll, they are not sharp, in fact, are very dull. They almost appear like washers

 

[Andy M.]

The item on the left is a can opener. The other two are knife sharpeners.

 

[larry_stewart]

The item on the left is a can opener. The other two are knife sharpeners.

Thanks, that's what I thought.

 

[Phaedra]

I was using a knife sharpener like the one in the middle until not too many years ago. I also had a can opener like the one on the left - it also removes bottle caps and makes triangular holes in cans for pouring liquid out.

 

[Katie H]

Andy is right on, although the left part of the tool could be used to open bottles.

 

[dragnlaw]

ARGH.... and I still wish I had mine!
The far right one was to fasten to the counter in the pantry. Didn't have one of those but sure wish I had the middle one. Best sharpener I ever had.
As Phaedra said, there were multiple uses for the far left. Took up a lot less space than a tool for each use!

All those were super handy!
gah... sure don't make'm like they used to...

 

[taxlady]

What other folks have stated would be my guesses. However, no guessing about the multi-use can opener. But, dang, those were hard to use to get the lid off of a can. I always got the kind with a lever to pierce the edge and a rotating handle to turn the blade and the gears that made the blade move around the can.

 

[Silversage]

Andy is right on. Canopener - 2 knife sharpeners.

 

[GotGarlic]

What other folks have stated would be my guesses. However, no guessing about the multi-use can opener. But, dang, those were hard to use to get the lid off of a can. I always got the kind with a lever to pierce the edge and a rotating handle to turn the blade and the gears that made the blade move around the can.

I still have that kind of can opener. I never wanted an electric one. Oxo, like Andy says ?

 

[taxlady]

I still have that kind of can opener. I never wanted an electric one. Oxo, like Andy says ?

I'm a big fan of Swing-A-Way can openers. I've been using them for decades.

 

[dragnlaw]

taxy, you mean the wall mounted ones? That's what we had growing up. Was never able to find one for myself.

 

[Phaedra]

I had one of these in my kitchen pantry in England:

It folded against the wall when not in use.

 

[taxlady]

taxy, you mean the wall mounted ones? That's what we had growing up. Was never able to find one for myself.

Yes, but also the hand held ones. We have one on the wall. It looks like the picture that Phaedra posted. I have one that I bought in the 1980s that looks like this:



This is the one I got about two years ago.

https://williamsfoodequipment.com/swing-a-way-easy-crank-can-opener-6090

 

[taxlady]

Dragn, if you really want one of the wall mounted ones, I found one at Amazon for C$61.40.

https://www.amazon.ca/Swing-Way-Wall-Mounted-Opener/dp/B07MJK83QC/ref=sr_1_20?adgrpid=1358996605153962&hvadid=84937799043690&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=5254&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-84937458362851%3Aloc-32&hydadcr=21230_13378983&keywords=swing+a+way&qid=1674583565&s=kitchen&sr=1-20

 

[Andy M.]

I'm partial to the side cutting can opener.

 

[taxlady]

The side cutting ones scare me. Well, not so much the can opener as the opened cans with that sharp edge on top.

 

[Andy M.]

The side cutting ones scare me. Well, not so much the can opener as the opened cans with that sharp edge on top.

There is no sharp edge anywhere on the can. That's the beauty of it.

 

[taxlady]

There is no sharp edge anywhere on the can. That's the beauty of it.

Then we must be thinking of different devices. On the can I opened with one of the ones I consider "side cutting", the side of the can, up at the top, was cut. It felt sharp enough to cut skin. That was back in 1992. Maybe they make them differently now.

 

[Andy M.]

A traditional can opener cuts the thin metal of the lid inside the top rim of the can leaving a sharp edge on the cut lid and possible sharp slivers sticking out of the cut on the can. The side cut or safe cut can opener cuts through the top rim leaving no sharp edges.

how does a sie cutting can opener work

 

[taxlady]

A traditional can opener cuts the thin metal of the lid inside the top rim of the can leaving a sharp edge on the cut lid and possible sharp slivers sticking out of the cut on the can. The side cut or safe cut can opener cuts through the top rim leaving no sharp edges.

how does a sie cutting can opener work

Gee, thanks for a link to a search. If I had wanted to look at a bunch of stuff, I would have done that myself. I thought you were linking to a specific article that would explain how you cut metal without leaving a sharp edge. I did check a bunch of articles, but I didn't find an explanation for how you cut thin metal without leaving a sharp edge.

And yes, the top cutting can openers do leave a sharp edge on the inside,, near the top edge of the can. I learned to be careful of that and keep my fingers out of the can a long time ago. The other top seems like an invitation to accidentally brush your hand on the sharp edge.