Objects Database

P38 Can Openers

Accession Number

1639.2022.1

Object Name

P38 Can Openers

Created

24/01/2022

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

24/01/2022

Brief Description

Miniature can openers.

Materials

Metal

Dimensions

a-5(L) x 2(W) cms b-3.5(L) x 2(W) cms

Number Of Objects

2

Inscription Description

On smaller one "US SHELBY CO."

Colour

Silver

Maker

Shelby Co.

Object Production Place

USA

Provenance

The P38 can opener is a pretty small item by any standar but comes with a rather large history.
The “ opener, can, hand, folding, Type 1” seems to have begun life in America around 1930/35 when one of the military departments were asked to create something simple to open the ‘C’ rations which contained lots of tins.
The P38 became every GI’s companion during World War Two. ‘Learn how to use it or go hungry’
British Army ration packs contained a version of the P38 right up until the 1980’s when pre-packed, dried food in vacuum sealed plastic took over.
It was a similar situation with outdoor folk and campers who often carried a P38 (though very few would have known its proper name) with them until the dried food revolution relegated them to the cutlery drawer.
The advert opposite from the March 1970 Mountain Magazine tells us that P38’s were still in use then.
The larger one we have here in the collection is from the 1970’s British Army Ration Pack and the smaller one is an original US Army P38

Acquisition Date

24/01/2022

Condition Check Date

24/01/2022

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

24/01/2022

Go Back

Click to see larger view

Click image for enlarged view

Click to see larger view

Click image for enlarged view

Click to see larger view

Click image for enlarged view

Click to see larger view

Click image for enlarged view

Back to top