G.I. Type P-51 Can Opener - 10 Pack

Just got my 10-pack of P-51 Military can openers. Ordered on the 10th, got them today (the 14th). Pleased as punch.

Tested it immediately since I've never handled one before and it looked so small and flimsy I wasn't sure it would work, but it did. Our first attempts (myself and my husband) were miserable. We were barely able to puncture the can (Black Pearl Olives) let alone open the lid. But then we figured, maybe we're doing something wrong, after all, they've been using these things in the military (in many countries) for so long, they have to work. So we went online and searched for a demonstration video for military can openers and found plenty of videos for both the P-51 and the smaller P-38 version. We'll post our own video soon, but for now, I'm sure you can find one easily online with an internet search for military can opener demonstration or similar keywords. We do have images of the can opener in customer images above, showing the important details.

After watching the videos we realized we weren't using the little notch on the tool that's there for proper positioning and leverage (see our customer images up top). Once we watched the videos we were able to use the tool relatively easily. I say "relatively" easily only because I don't have very much strength in my hands, so it was easy for my husband, but a little harder for me. Keep in mind this is not a tool someone with arthritis or a hand/wrist disability would be able to use easily, but for emergency use or for a compact tool, it's just as it is advertised, just as it is supposed to be, and according to my friends who hunt, camp, and have been in the military, just as it always has been.

I can't stress enough the importance of knowing how to use this tool properly, and use it at least once before putting it away for when you really need it (during an emergency or when you're out on a camping trip with no access to the internet to see a demo). If you cannot get it to work for you easily and immediately when you test it, you MUST watch video demonstrations because knowing exactly how to use it makes all the difference in the world as to if it will work or not. Before we thought to watch the videos I was angry and was about to send them back and write a bad review. Then my husband asked me if I'd ever seen one used, that maybe we were doing it wrong, and that's when we realized - watch a video of it being demonstrated to be sure.

The fact that it's so small and works as it should means our emergency preparedness packs will be lighter and less bulky than if we had to pack traditional sized can openers. And considering all the other important things we need to put in our emergency preparedness packs, I'm glad this item so small yet does the job. Oh, and it can be used as a flat head screw driver too!

Another tip; we bought the larger P-51, which is only about 2 inches long. And that's pretty small for a can opener. I have never used the smaller P-38 but I can't imagine why anyone would want a smaller one if the 2" P-51 will fit in where ever they are packing it. The P-51 is small enough so you can even put it in your wallet; only taking up as much room in length and thickness as your average house or car key. And it has a little hole in it so you can put in on a key chain or neck/wrist lanyard if you want to.

Regarding those who may have given poor reviews because they did not get Shelby brand or got some knock-off; I followed the advice of another reviewer and ordered from hobbytoolsupply and I did in fact get the Shelby brand, stamped U.S. Shelby Co. on the metal (see my customer image above). I paid just a little more than some of the other sellers here on Amazon ($5.21 for 10) but still, they were only just over 50 cents each and that's a good price, a fair price, the "normal" price according to my survivalist/hunter friends and associates and other reviews I've read here on Amazon.

It is my strong believe that price and seller matter just as much as the item description, so no matter what you buy on Amazon (or anywhere online) always compare prices, and always check out the reputation and return policies of the seller before buying. If you don't find what you want on one ad, you might find it in another. I had to go through several ads and read many reviews on Amazon before I found one that made me feel comfortable (this listing, sold by hobbytoolsupply) and placed my order.

Remember, with many items listed and sold on Amazon.com, you often have a choice of which seller you want to buy from - look in the right side margin of the page under the order button to see if there are more sellers offering the item. You get to see the seller name, their prices, and if you click through to their seller page you can see feedback and return policies. And when an item is "shipped" by Amazon, you can always be sure Amazon will stand by the product and correct any problems you might have with an order.

PS) Within an hour of my posting this review today the price of the 10 pack offered by hobbytoolsupply (who I recommended in this review) went from $5.21 to $6.80. Shame, seems every time I give a good review the price goes up. It sickens me that sellers do this - take advantage of good reviews thinking they can raise the price because the item or seller was recommended. Just remember, quality AND price count. Shop around if you don't like the price.

Well what can you say about a can opener? A lot, as it turns out.

The main reason I decided to write this review is because the lead review thoroughly dissed this item, and that was not my experience. Some clarification is needed here.

He obviously got a different product, probably an el cheapo copy, because mine worked perfectly. I did order mine from this same Amazon website listing, but the seller at the time was HobbyToolSupply.

The P-51s I got are marked "US SHELBY CO", and these are indeed the genuine USGI can openers. Wikipedia says genuine USGI P-51s may also be marked "US MALLIN SHELBY O". The genuine P-38s have different markings. The Mallin Co. went out of business some time ago, and so it would appear that these are all from US military surplus (see Wikipedia article on "P-38 Can Opener").

The P-51s work better than some of the hand-sized can openers that I've had the misfortune to buy from stores over the years (there's only one kind of those that really work and that I will buy nowadays - the one with the tightly meshed gears).

I remember my dad using the smaller P-38 can opener when I was a kid, and I remember these were harder to use, which is why I got the P-51s.

These can openers have a terrific military history behind them, worth reading if you have the time.

For the present, I have been using them whenever I can't find my one and only good other can opener. They should be really handy for traveling (I don't do camping - but they would be handy for that also). I just hope that TSA doesn't change their rules yet again and ban these things also!

Amazon has several listings for these P-51 and P-38 can openers and the listings say different things and have different sellers and suppliers. Most are not clear about what exactly you will be getting. I didn't know all this when I ordered mine and just lucked out and got the genuine USGI version.

So, I would recommend that you email the seller about what they are selling before you order yours. Shop around. Surplus genuine USGI version still seem to be available, but will probably get harder to find over time since the military doesn't use canned rations anymore.

I've had an old P-38 can opener for the last twenty years. It has never failed me, but I started worrying about losing my trusty old friend. I get the same way about Zippo lighters. So, I ordered a ten pack of these G.I. type P-51 can openers.
Let me tell you, they are absolute, 100% junk. Hiking this morning, I decided to stop for lunch after three hours in the rain. I was hungry for my Hormel beef tamales in tomato sauce and pulled out my new P-51. It bent in half... the first can it ever opened and the stupid thing bent in half!! I didn't get the can open, because I left my trust P-38, my old friend, my tried-and-true amigo, at home where he'd be safe. Usually I try things out at home before taking them out in the woods. My mistake.
If you really want a P-38 or P-51, go to you local surplus store.