Spent $40 on a vintage can opener and it actually works better than my fancy one

Ngl, I was at a yard sale last weekend in Portland and saw this old Swing-A-Way can opener from the 70s for $3. I almost walked past it, but the lady selling it said they don't make them like that anymore. I grabbed it, took it home, and it cuts through cans so smooth my $30 OXO feels like junk now. Has anyone else had luck with random thrift store finds beating out modern stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancy35120d agoMost Upvoted

Hmm, I mean you said "Swing-A-Way from the 70s" but I think that brand actually started making those in the 40s or 50s. The one you got might be older than you think, which is even cooler honestly. I grabbed a similar one at a thrift store a few years back, like a 60s model with the red handle, and it still works like a dream. Those old ones just have this solid metal gear system that doesn't strip out like the plastic modern ones do. It's wild how a $3 find can make a $30 gadget feel like a toy.

emerycarr20d ago

Wait, are we really sure those old Swing-A-Ways were all metal inside? I picked up one at a flea market with a red handle too, and after a few uses the gear started grinding. Felt like sand in the works. Maybe I just got a dud, but I think a lot of those vintage ones actually had some plastic parts inside the housing. The modern ones are definitely junk though, no argument there. I'd rather pay $30 for one that actually lasts than gamble on an old one that might crap out after a month of heavy use.

oscarb7118d ago

Try a drop of light oil in the gear housing before each use.