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Food and Entertaining
How to Open a Can Download Article Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward
Last Updated: June 16, 2025 References
Download Article
Opening a Can without a Can Opener
|
Using a Can Opener
|
Opening a Can with Your Bare Hands
|
Tips
|
Warnings
|Show more|Show less X
This article was reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward. Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College. This article has been viewed 65,570 times.
A pantry full of cans without a can opener doesn't have to be a depressing sight. It can be a challenge instead, and one you can win handily with nothing more than a flat piece of concrete or a spoon. Of course, a can opener is even simpler, and there are only a couple basic designs to figure out. If this is all too complicated, take out your anger on food storage practices by tearing a can in half with your bare hands.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Opening a Can without a Can Opener
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1 Slide the can upside down over rock or concrete. Find a flat, rough rock or piece of concrete. Turn the can upside down and rub the raised rim against this hard, rough surface, pressing down slightly while you do.
If the can contains only liquid, you can keep it upright, and use the tip of a spoon to rub against a small section of the outermost groove instead, touching the raised rim of the can top.[1]XResearch source
2 Continue until you notice moisture. Eventually, the crimped edge of the can should come apart, leaking moisture through the hole you made. When you notice this happen, turn the can right side up again.[2]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Squeeze the sides of the can. Hold the can upright on a flat surface, and squeeze the sides with both hands.[3]XResearch source Do this gently at first, gradually squeezing harder, since popping the can lid out too vigorously could cut your finger.
Alternatively, whack the side of the can against a hard object. This is messier, but may keep your fingers safer.
Another option is to find the hole and pry it open with a spoon, screwdriver, or other tool, working your way around the rim. Do not use a knife, as it could easily slip and injure your hands.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Using a Can Opener
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1 Place the toothed wheel of the can opener on the lid of the can. Set the can opener wheel onto the outer rim of the can lid. For some can openers, the wheel is designed to rest on the top of the can, in the groove next to the lip. In others, the wheel will be on the outside of the can, and a flat metal piece will rest in the top groove instead.[4]XResearch source
If your opener has no wheel, see the tips section below.
On some electric can openers, you will need to lift a protective flap first to reveal the wheel.
2 Squeeze the arms closed. If you are using a hand-operated can opener, close the arms of the can opener together tightly. You should hear a hiss or puncture noise as the wheel punches through the metal.
For an electronic can opener, just hit the On button instead. Some models will even detect the can and start opening it automatically.
3 Twist the handle. Keep one hand on the arms of the can opener, holding them tight. With your other hand, rotate the bar or key handle on the outside of the can opener. This should cause the can opener to move around the entire rim of the can, with the toothed wheel cutting through the metal as it moves.[5]XResearch source
You might find it easier to handle the food inside if you leave a small piece of the lid rim uncut. This allows you to use a fork to pry up the open end of the lid and bend it backward, instead of trying to dig out the lid after it's fallen into the food.
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Opening a Can with Your Bare Hands
Download Article
1 Find the grooves in the center of a large can. Modern metal cans have a series of ridges and grooves forming a ring around the center of the can. These are weak points, and can be used to rip apart the can at that location.[6]XResearch source Tear off the label if necessary to get a better look.
This method will not work for small cans without grooves.
2 Press on the grooves to make a dent. If you have strong hands, you can grip the can on each end, then push your fingers down into the grooves. Otherwise, place the can on the ground and push down against the grooves using the heel of your hand. Keep pressing on the corners of the dent, until the dent is as wide as you can make it. Once the dent crosses, or nearly crosses, the entire width of the can when viewed from above, continue on to the next step.
3 Make a dent on the opposite side as well. Rotate the can 180 degrees, so the dent is now facing downward. Repeat the same denting process on the opposite side, again pushing as hard as you can. You should now have two dents, on opposite sides of the can cylinder.
4 Squeeze the dents even deeper. Hold the can horizontally, then place the heel of each hand on each of the flat, circular lids. Position them so the heel is at the top of the flat area, near the rim, not in the center. Interlock your fingers together over the dented surface, then squeeze the two ends of the can together by pushing with your hands.[7]XResearch source Repeat for the other dent.
If this does not work, try placing the can's flat surface on the ground, and pressing down on it with your hand or knee.
5 Rip the can apart slowly. You should now have a can with a major dent on each side, similar to an hourglass shape. Hold the can on both sides of the dents, then bend the two halves apart by wiggling them back and forth. You should hear a hiss as the seal breaks, and the can should come apart soon afterward.
6 Remove metal fragments. Since you have literally ripped the center of the can to shreds, small metal pieces may have ended up in your food. Watch carefully for these so you can remove them before you eat, or throw away the food around the outer edge of the can. Spooning the food into another container without a jagged metal edge is recommended.
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Tips
If your can opener has no wheel or handle to turn, it is probably an old fashioned model. These have sharp blades for cutting into the can lid, along the outer groove. Tilt the can opener up and down to cut along the groove as you rotate the can, and use the notched metal piece above the blade to stabilize the opener against the raised lip of the can as you cut. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Warnings
Electric can openers usually remove the entire lid, and lift it off the can with a magnet. If you are not holding the can, it will fall once the cutting is complete. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 5
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Reviewed by: Chef Jeff Woodward Private Chef This article was reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward. Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College. This article has been viewed 65,570 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 17Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 65,570 Categories: Food and EntertainingArticle SummaryX
To open a can without a can opener, slide the can upside down over a rough rock or a piece of concrete. When the edge of the can starts to leak moisture, squeeze the sides of the can until you can fit a spoon into it. If you want to open a can with your bare hands, find the grooves in the center of a large can, which are weak points. Press the grooves to make a dent as wide as possible, then repeat this step for the opposite side of the can. Squeeze the ends of the can together and work it back and forth until it gives. For tips on how to use a can opener, keep reading!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Anonymous
Dec 4, 2017
"You helped the most by the humor you put in the article, it cheered me up from the anger I had on finding I had no opener."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Reviewed by: Chef Jeff Woodward Private Chef Co-authors: 17Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 65,570100% of readers found this article helpful. 1 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote
Anonymous
Dec 4, 2017
"You helped the most by the humor you put in the article, it cheered me up from the anger I had on finding I had no opener."..." more Share yours!
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Download Article Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward 
How to Open a Bottle Without a Bottle Opener 
How toOpen a Beer Bottle 
How to Open a Stuck Plastic or Glass Jar Lid 
How to Open Film for Developing (and Free Trapped Film) 
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Reviewed by: Chef Jeff Woodward Private Chef This article was reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward. Jeff Woodward is a Private Chef and the Owner of The Rogue Chef based in Branson, Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, he has cooked for esteemed clients including The Harlem Globetrotters, Peyton Manning, Mark Wahlberg, and Justin Timberlake. Chef Jeff won the Branson Tri-Lakes News Reader's Choice Award 2023 for Best Catering. He has been the Featured Chef Demonstrator for 2 years in a row for The Women's Show in Springfield, MO. The Rogue Chef has been the Hollister Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Chef, an award published in Tri-Lakes News. Chef Jeff's food has been featured on KY3 Television. He publishes a recipe weekly in the Branson Globe newspaper and monthly in Lost on the Lake Magazine. He published a feature article for Chef Talks in Discover Home and Style Magazine. He has an associate’s degree from Southwestern Illinois College and a Culinary Arts degree with a Certification in Baking from Ozark Technical College. This article has been viewed 65,570 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 17 Updated: June 16, 2025 Views: 65,570 Categories: Food and Entertaining Article SummaryX
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1 Slide the can upside down over rock or concrete. Find a flat, rough rock or piece of concrete. Turn the can upside down and rub the raised rim against this hard, rough surface, pressing down slightly while you do. 
2 Continue until you notice moisture. Eventually, the crimped edge of the can should come apart, leaking moisture through the hole you made. When you notice this happen, turn the can right side up again.[2] Advertisement 
3 Squeeze the sides of the can. Hold the can upright on a flat surface, and squeeze the sides with both hands.[3] Do this gently at first, gradually squeezing harder, since popping the can lid out too vigorously could cut your finger. 
1 Place the toothed wheel of the can opener on the lid of the can. Set the can opener wheel onto the outer rim of the can lid. For some can openers, the wheel is designed to rest on the top of the can, in the groove next to the lip. In others, the wheel will be on the outside of the can, and a flat metal piece will rest in the top groove instead.[4] 
2 Squeeze the arms closed. If you are using a hand-operated can opener, close the arms of the can opener together tightly. You should hear a hiss or puncture noise as the wheel punches through the metal. 
1 Find the grooves in the center of a large can. Modern metal cans have a series of ridges and grooves forming a ring around the center of the can. These are weak points, and can be used to rip apart the can at that location.[6] Tear off the label if necessary to get a better look. 
4 Squeeze the dents even deeper. Hold the can horizontally, then place the heel of each hand on each of the flat, circular lids. Position them so the heel is at the top of the flat area, near the rim, not in the center. Interlock your fingers together over the dented surface, then squeeze the two ends of the can together by pushing with your hands.[7] Repeat for the other dent. 
5 Rip the can apart slowly. You should now have a can with a major dent on each side, similar to an hourglass shape. Hold the can on both sides of the dents, then bend the two halves apart by wiggling them back and forth. You should hear a hiss as the seal breaks, and the can should come apart soon afterward. 
6 Remove metal fragments. Since you have literally ripped the center of the can to shreds, small metal pieces may have ended up in your food. Watch carefully for these so you can remove them before you eat, or throw away the food around the outer edge of the can. Spooning the food into another container without a jagged metal edge is recommended. Advertisement 
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