10 P-51 Can Openers

At 38mm long, the P-38 was invented for C Ration cans, which were small and thin. At 51mm, the P-51 was invented for cooks, who might have to open lots of big cans. I'd prefer not to use a P-38 to open a #10 can. It would require rocking the opener 100 times and need more force than a little can. A P-51 needs to be rocked only 65 times. It's more comfortable to hold, and it hooks onto the bead better. It's a much more reasonable alternative to a rotary opener. Compared to a rotary opener, it's cheaper, easier to clean, less subject to damage, and better able to open cans with corners (such as sardines).

P-51s are great, you don't have to worry about constantly spinning the can opener handle only to have it just stay still and grind away and not move. The cheap ones do it the expensive ones do it.. the battery operated ones as well. But the P-51, its compact, easy to use and is extremely durable. I kept 2 and gave the rest to my dad, safe to say, I earned some Brownie Points.

3nd time buying the 10pk of these. I encounter homeless while working and give these to them. People are always super grateful when I give them one. I don't own a can opener in the sense most people do. I keep one of these in my wallet instead. I have 2 in my survival bag too. ---HERE'S THE LOGIC--- Electric can openers - well... Require electricity. In the apocalypse.... Have fun with that. Hand crank w/ puncture - After a while the blade gets dull and doesn't cut the lid. Then the gears that hold the can start stripping when the round blade gets dull. Then you have a hand cranked device that only peels the top of the cans paper label. We've all had that happen. Hand crank w/ cut-free lid removal - The best can opener of the 3 listed so far. Doesn't make a sharp edge to cut yourself on. Doesn't dull out. The only problem is that it will start stripping itself after use on a few thicker cans. It will stretch the metal and leave a gap that the opener can't close the gap to. Then it won't bite down and roll the lid off of smaller cans. Small can = 1 Cup veggies (regular can) Large can = 1 Gallon Baked Beans (DFAC style, anyone remember KP from Basic training?) P-38 / P-51 - Yes, just starting out using one will take you about a minute to open a lid. But after you've used it for a few months (or a few years like me and the wife) you can open a can in about 10 seconds flat without even trying. The one in my wallet was about a year old. When I got these new ones I realized how dull the blade was on mine. Yes the blades on these can get dull, but overall you won't lose grip and you can still open cans. A cheap can opener at your local brick and mortar store that rhymes with Mall-Fart (always low prices) will cost you a few bucks. The cheapest solid metal one with no hand grips that will break as soon as you get home costs 88 cents. These P51s cost the same price as a decent 1, but you get 10. And even if they get dull after a years use, don't toss them. Put them in the misc drawer, survival bag, trunk of your car, by your canned goods, in the garage, wherever, so that way when the crap hits the fan, you can still open a can... :) If I don't give these away. These 10 should last the rest of my life.

I personally have the smaller ones on key chains and this size in my kitchen. Not only a SHTF item it helps on those strange lids that wont cut right. These I bought to hand out for an Emergency Prep class.

Some mention that they did not get ones properly marked as Shelby. All of mine were stamped with Shelby. I cannot yet testify to the robustness in use, but they all felt like they were decently made, I tried to bend one just to see & it didn't flex at all with my finger pressure so I have high hopes of the overall robustness of them.

If only all products were as simple and efficient as this little can opener. An enlarged version of the p-38, These are still very small and take up almost no room in your bag or put them on your keychain. Some day all cans will be pop tops.. but until that day these are handy to have. I first bought a batch years ago when we kept breaking can openers, for less than $1/ea these hold up very well. Originally suppose to be used a couple of time and discarded by soldiers these simple yet effective can openers last a while.. you can probably get on avg about 100 cans opened with them. The only weak spot in the design is the cut out on the side that creates a little hook, this gets under the can's lid but is very thin.. watch for it wearing down or rounding over, sometimes you can shape it up with a needle file.. sometimes not. Otherwise just use and wipe clean.. they will rust if you leave them in water. Do not clean them in the dishwasher, The detergents often will cause rust. Only bad thing is the price continues to rise, every time I go to buy a pack it's went up. Hand them out to friend and family they are very useful for their size. One tip if you carry one with you though, the cutting tooth is pretty pointy.. I use a bread tie around it to keep it folded flat on my keychains and in my backpacks.

I prefer these to the p-38s due to their more practical size to use ratio. I'm not in a war with mass production and metal shortages. I do love these openers though. I keep one on my keychain, one in the kitchen, one in the car, and several given away. They are sharp however. I have poked myself a few times swing my arm by the one hanging on my keychain and had a good scratch. And they work beautifully. Cans open in no time and I can open a regular can just as fast as with a turn opener or one of those slower electric ones. They are a good sturdy metal and I keep them on a magnet to my fridge for easy use. These are NOT the 20 cent cheapos from shady foreign companies. If I ever need more I will definitely buy these again.