Tool Talk
What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: PFSchaffner on September 16, 2015, 04:50:56 PM
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Anyone have any quarrels with this description (stolen from eBay), which
does seem to match my tool (pictured below). Marked "F. G. Pearso[n] /
Sheffie[ld]".
"This is a rare item, a tin opener made by a Sheffield company, F G Pearson to the design of the very first successful tin openers devised by Robert Yeates in 1855. This design preceded the better known and more widely made "Bull's Head" opener developed in America in 1865. The short spike at the other end was to pierce the can, previously this had been done by using a knife or bayonet, a practice that had resulted in many accidents! It is remarkable that tinned food was in regular use, particularly by troops at the front, for many years before the tin opener was actually developed, and this was the very first design to make can opening relatively safe. "
(http://)
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Cool tool!
The Bully Beef opener-
(http://toolmonger.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/Bully%20Beef%20can%20Opener.jpg)
Article in Toolmonger-
http://toolmonger.com/2008/05/30/antique-tools-19th-century-bully-beef-can-opener/ (http://toolmonger.com/2008/05/30/antique-tools-19th-century-bully-beef-can-opener/)
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Very nice, thank you. This Pearson opener was part of a heap of things
that an antiques-dealing acquaintance swept off his table into a rusty
tool box and handed me for free. He has a habit of doing that, in some
momentary resolve to get out of the business. Mostly junk, but also this,
a couple of alligator wrenches (Buhl Sons), and a pair of Boker button-nose
pliers.
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It is remarkable that tinned food was in regular use, particularly by troops at the front, for many years before the tin opener was actually developed, and this was the very first design to make can opening relatively safe. "
(http://)
Lord Franklin's ill fated expedition to find a passage around the North Pole sailed in May of 1845. It is suspected that lead poisoning from all the tinned supplies the expedition carried killed off the officers and crew.
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Well I managed to find a few of these in my one cabinet that I have picked up over the years. The wood handled one is marked from a Sheffield Manufacture but I can't make out the first line. The other 3 all steel ones aren't marked but the largest has an adjustable/removable blade. Almost like the 3 bears but these are Bulls.
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I have a small collection of tin openers of all shapes and sizes - inaccessible at the moment, including one massive one for opening oil drums... Preston, better known for woodworking tools, also made the bulls-head pattern...