3 Pack P-38 Shelby Can Openers w/Chains USA Military Camping Hiking Survival

About this item:

The package includes 3 pieces of Shelby military can openers.  Each one comes with an adjustable stainless steel bead chain.

Embossed with Shelby Co. & made in the USA.

The 3 stainless steel bead chains are approximately 4.75" long.

P-51 Can Opener History and Information

OPENER, CAN, HAND, FOLDING, TYPE II

P-51 CAN OPENER

"John Wayne"

The P-51 can opener is the "big" brother of the P-38 can opener. 

Many an "expert", has espoused as "fact" that the government never issued a P-51 can opener and that the P-51 was some aftermarket creation of the manufacturer to sell more can openers.  To dispel any confusion and to set the record straight about the P-51 can opener - the P-51 is in fact an official Government Issue item.  The P-51 was conceived, designed and produced shortly after the introduction of the P-38 can opener. 

The P-51 can opener is still in the military inventory and is currently assigned NSN 7330-01-289-8827.  The P-51 is somewhat obscure and elusive because military Mobile Kitchen Trailers (MKT) are currently issued a counter top mounted, hand crank, rotary, can opener and a Opener, Can, Hand, For Tray Packs and Round Cans (A-A-52202) as standard issue.

This can opener was designed to open larger cans such a commercial No.10 institutional food can with a lid diameter of 6-3/16 inches and food tray packs and T-Rats that are used in Mobile Field Kitchens (MKT) and mess halls.

Much like the P-38 can opener, the P-51 derived it's name from the fact that it took approximately 51 twists to sever the lid from a commercial No. 10 can.

(Above Credit: DogTagsRus dot com and Georgia-Outfitters where more information can be found.)

(Below Credit: Defense Media Network dot com, Article on Sept. 16, 2023 by Robert F. Dorr and Fred L. Borch entitled "The P-38 Pocket Can Opener Was an Army and Marine Icon.)

Here's one for you!

Although “Opener, Can, Hand, Folding” is its official Army nomenclature, it soon acquired the popular name P-38.However, historians disagree as to which of three theories explains the moniker. One is that soldiers called it the P-38 because it could open a can faster than the P-38 Lightning fighter plane could fly. A more likely explanation is that the “38” comes from the length of the can opener, which is 38 millimeters (or 1 1/2 inches). It also is possible that “38” was the number of punches (a “P” word) it took to open a ration can. All experts agree that P-38 did not derive its name from the Walther P-38 pistol used by the German military in World War II.

43 Uses for the P-38 & P-51 Can Openers

• can opener (duh!)

• all-purpose toothpick

• fingernail cleaner

• splinter remover

• flat-head screwdriver – use one of the ends

• phillips-head screwdriver – use one of the corners

• bottle opener

• box cutter

• letter opener

• chisel

• stirrer

• neck slasher (women used to carry to use in case of attack)

• seam ripper

• cut fishing line

• open paint cans

• window scraper

• scrape around floor corners

• digging

• clean out groove on Tupperware lids

• reach in and clean out small cracks

• scrape around edge of boots

• {in the field} gut fish

• {in the field} scale fish

• test for “doneness” when baking on a camp fire

• prying items

• strip wire

• scrape pans in the field

• lift key on flip top cans

• barter

• marking tool

• deflating tires

• measurement

• striking flint

• puncturing plastic coating

• knocking on doors

• Morse Code

• write emergency messages

• scratch an itch

• save as a souvenir

• rip off rank for on the spot promotion

• carburetor repair tool

• bee sting removal tool (scrape off w/ blade)

• knife sharpener

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