Why everyone should have a 50 cent P-38

Can Opener
Seam Ripper
Screwdriver
Clean Fingernails
Cut Fishing Line
Open Paint Cans
Window Scraper
Scrape Around Floor Corners
Digging
Clean Out Groove on Tupperware lids
Reach in and Clean Out Small Cracks
Scrape Around Edge of Boots
Bottle Opener
Gut Fish (in the field)
Scale Fish (in the field)
Test for 'Doneness' When Baking on a Camp Fire
Prying Items
Strip Wire
Scrape Pans in the Field
Lift Key on Flip Top Cans
Chisel
Barter
Marking Tool
Deflating Tires
Clean Sole of Boot/Shoe
Pick Teeth
Measurement
Striking Flint
Stirring Coffee
Puncturing Plastic Coating
Morse Code
Box Cutter
Opening Letters
Write Emergency Messages
Scratch an Itch
Save as a Souvenir
Rip Off Rank for On-the-Spot Promotions
Bee sting removal tool (scrape off w/ blade)
Knife sharpener
shuck oysters

you can find them at any army surplus store that is local to you

Here is a site with more then you will ever want to know about P-38s & P-51s

http://www.georgia-outfitters.com/page52.shtml

A couple of those things have me scratching my head about "how" you would do it, like the knife sharpening. The only reason I do not have a P-38 is because I have a P-51 on my key chain.

Also, I hope you don't follow this list in line. After cleaingin your boots, you might not want to use it right away to pick your teeth.

...or gut a fish.

Open those emergency pistachio nuts carried in your PSK.

I was thinking about the same thing "You might want to clean it thoroughly before pursuing the next task" :-) I've scratched some stuff off my boots that would make me never want to use that tool to clean my fingernails let alone open a can of food or pick my teeth.

Anyone want to enlighten me on how to sharpen your knife with this? Seems like it would be a dismal failure and a rather large harzard.

I never understood the popularity of p-38/p-5 (other than one due to sentimental value for ex-army people: that I can understand).

Presumably anyone who is 'equipped' has a SAK/multitool (or both). Any SAK or multitool will do everything p-38 can and more.

So what is the point, just because it's cheap?

Obviously the list is far stretched, but it gets the point across of the versatility of a p-38.

The list was published in a Army Newspaper.

I do not use my p-38 for all things listed. But it is a great can opener, screwdriver, package opener,mini pry bar.

Yes the Swiss army knife can do the samething. But the p-38 is a better can opener. It is so small you can put it on the keychain and not know it is even there till needed.

Plus it is disposable with no great loss.

I am not a fan of the blades on SAK or multi-tools. But the p-38 fills a void for the times when I do need one.

Have you have ever tried to open a can of beans with an SAK? Tough job. Nothing in an SAK is designed to cut along the side of a can so you can remove the lid. A P-38 or P-51 does just that, with some effort. That's what is was meant to do.

Also, there are times when i jsut do not have any knife on me whatsover, because I cannot birng one with me, like on an air plane. No one looks twice at a P-38 or P-51. It would be of minimal use if you tried to use it as a weapon, unless maybe you had the person around the throat. Still, you'd need to hit the right spots.

In short, it is a useful little thing that you can bring anywhere, and if you have it on your key chain, like I do, it is with you all the time.

I still have not figured out how to sharpen a knife with one.

The only way I can think of is with the p-38 blade closed, you run the blade along the v of the blade and handle similar to the smith knife sharpener.

I've never had a problem using my SAK to open cans...though I've never used a P-38 so I can't compare.

I agree with you Hacksaw,

Today my 10 year old daughter decided that she was old enough to have her own pocket knife; so after the standard lesson/lecture on knife use/responsibility she received a small SAK (Recruit model). She of course wanted to use it ASAP but I was cooking dinner (stir-fried venison/onions/mushrooms over potatoes) so the first thing she did with her new knife was open a can of mushrooms. The can did not have a very big rim so I had to help her, but the little SAK can-opener did the job just fine.

I also EDC a folding can-opener (it is the Coghlins version of the P-38) in my wallet. The difficulty is that whenever I use it in front of people someone always thinks its neat and I end up giving it away (they are only 50 cents to replace). I have done a few odd things with the can-opener (turn a screw, open a package) but I EDC a Leatherman so I usually reach for it.

Having never handled any folding can-opener other than the Coghlins model, what is the difference between it and the military models?

Thanks,

Mike

Cannot tell you the difference between the Coglins or a military model, but I already know you are better than I am at using the can opener or your SAKs. My attempts at lid removal is about the same skill level as buthering via 4WD, a big mess.

If you want to have enough to give them away at will, you could buy 100 P-38s for about $20, or 100 P-51s for about $30. See: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=372726.

Actually I find myself opening can and beer/wine bottles with my SAK more frequently than with specialized tools just because I have it on me all the time and the difference in utility isn't worse 10 steps to the kitchen.

You even can open it with an axe, it just takes some additional time.

The airports and other anti-tool areas make sense though...

The P 38, or John Wayne is also a fine weapon. I arrested 5 japanese fish pirates off of Alaska armed solely with mine.

I would have loved to have been there to see that.

but seriously where else can you buy them. There are no army/navy stores anywhere near where i am. I have no way of buying em online either. So where would i get one?

You can usually get a generic at the Coghlans wall at Wallyworld type stores. Not the real thing, but close...

well the only reason i carry it, is because it's a better can opener and allows me to make better soda can stoves with. The SAK for everything else.

The difference between the coughlans and the original P-51 are the two lines that are pressed in to the metal. This gives the metal more stiffness. So you won't bent it as easily.

I got those, at Canadian Tire, in the "Coghlan's aisle". They have the P-51 design, the larger. They get the job done. They are the cheapest multitools available.

FWIW, I would never be able to get any knife into a Courthouse in New York. Yesterday, I got my P-51 into the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Bronx County. Sparky Lyle, IIRC, wrote a book The Bronx Zoo about the 1970s Yankees. That's nothing compared with the Courthouse up the hill from the stadium.

I put my key chain with my P-51 and little flashlight into the plastic bin and handed it to the court officer acting as security guard. he picked up my key chain, and looked it, including the P-51 over, and gave it all back to me and let me proceed on my way to search for the office I wanted. He was not Mr. Friendly. When I asked for the office's location, he said "I got no idea."

When I cannot carry any knife, my P-51 lets me have something.

County Comm

The P38s are $0.40 and the P51s are $0.75.