The tin can was invented almost 50 years before the can opener.
Canned food appeared in 1810, and early cans were so thick that instructions said to open them with a chisel and hammer. Soldiers used bayonets or shot them open. The first dedicated can opener was patented in 1855 in Britain and 1858 in the United States.
Why is this true?
Early cans were made of heavy wrought iron and weighed more than the food inside. Only when thinner steel cans arrived did a small hand tool become practical.
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More about inventions
Most inventions arrive by accident, in the wrong order, or decades before anyone finds a use for them. Microwaves, sticky notes, safety glass and vulcanised rubber all started as mistakes or side effects. The facts here trace how the thing actually came about, note who noticed the accident and why it mattered, and point at a source so you can follow the full story if it hooks you.