Feb 4, 2021
What’s a word for a device that saves time and labor? A timmynoggy! Speaking of timmynoggys, I was hiking in Colorado and found some old cans near an abandoned logging camp. The cans were so thick, I wondered how in the world did people open these back then? Early cans for storing vegetables were made of iron lined with tin and could be as thick as 3/16th of an inch. A hammer and chisel wasn’t just the informal way of opening them, it was the manufacturer’s suggested method.
The first can opener was invented by Ezra J Warner who received a patent in 1858. Warner’s can opener was a blade that cut into the can lid with a guard to prevent it from puncturing the can itself. Though never a big hit with the public, Warner’s can opener served the US Army during the Civil War and found a home in many grocery stores, where clerks would open cans for customers. What’s a word for one who depends on others for food? An opscheplooper!