Bar Blade
A bar blade is a flat steel bottle opener, about 16 to 18cm long and 4cm wide in the ones we use (Urban Bar’s own Ergo bar blade is 17cm), with a slot near one end for lifting crown caps. It has no moving parts and opens a bottle in one lift of the hand, which is why bartenders keep one in a back pocket. It opens the beer, ginger beer and tonic for drinks such as our Storm and Spice.
About the Bar Blade
We Make One
Our bar blade in stainless steel, engraved with the Jerry Can Spirits logo.
Bar Blade Bottle OpenerOne Piece of Steel, No Moving Parts
A bar blade is a flat strip of steel with a slot cut near one end. Nothing hinges, nothing loosens and nothing needs oiling. It lies flat in a back pocket or on a magnet by the fridge, where it is to hand.
The Cap Lifts in One Movement
Hold the bottle by the neck on the counter. Slide the slot over the cap from the near side so its far edge hooks under the crimp, with the blade resting on top of the cap.
Lift the handle in one smooth movement. The top of the cap acts as the pivot, the hook pulls the far edge up, and the cap comes away. Point the bottle away from people, since a cap can fly.
That is the motion behind every bottled mixer on the rail, from the ginger beer in a Storm and Spice to the ginger ale in a Whisky and Ginger Ale.
Bar blade against other bottle openers
Bar blade
- Moving parts
- None
- Speed
- One movement
- Suits
- Many bottles, behind a bar or at a party
Waiter's friend
- Moving parts
- Folding arms and a corkscrew
- Speed
- Slower, but opens wine too
- Suits
- Wine and the odd bottle
Wall-mounted opener
- Moving parts
- None
- Speed
- Fast, but fixed in place
- Suits
- A home bar or a garden
Keyring opener
- Moving parts
- None
- Speed
- Slower; small to grip
- Suits
- Carrying on keys
| Opener | Moving parts | Speed | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar blade | None | One movement | Many bottles, behind a bar or at a party |
| Waiter's friend | Folding arms and a corkscrew | Slower, but opens wine too | Wine and the odd bottle |
| Wall-mounted opener | None | Fast, but fixed in place | A home bar or a garden |
| Keyring opener | None | Slower; small to grip | Carrying on keys |
Check the Bottle After Opening
Look at the lip of each bottle once the cap is off. A chipped lip can leave fragments of glass in the drink; pour it away rather than serve it.
A blade needs no sharpening and should never be sharpened. Rinse off beer and sugar, dry it, and file down any burr on a stamped edge before it catches a finger.
Using the Bar Blade
Usage
Opening crown-capped bottles of beer, mixers and tonic, quickly and in numbers. The slot hooks under the far edge of the cap, the blade rests on top of it, and lifting the handle takes the cap off.
Pro Tip
Hold the bottle at the neck and let the blade do the work. If you are using force, the slot is not seated under the edge of the cap.
Professional Tips
- Hold the bottle by the neck, not the body.
- Hook the slot under the far edge of the cap and lift the handle.
- Point the bottle away from people as the cap comes off.
- Keep it on a magnet or in a pocket where you open bottles.
Alternatives
Budget Alternative
A plain stainless blade does exactly what an expensive one does. Choose thick steel over thin.
Premium Option
A heavier blade with a finish that stands up to daily use. It feels steadier in the hand; it opens the same bottles.
Specifications
Material
Stainless steel
Capacity
Not applicable
Details
Flat steel blade, about 16 to 18cm long and 4cm wide in the ones we use (Urban Bar’s own Ergo bar blade is 17cm), with a slot for crown caps and often a thumb hole
More to explore
Common Questions
What is a bar blade?
How do you open a bottle with a bar blade?
Why use a bar blade instead of an ordinary opener?
Can a bar blade damage the bottle?
Is a bar blade sharp?
Can a bar blade open cans or wine?
What size is a bar blade?
What does a bar blade do?
Sources.
Checked between 18 October and 19 October 2026.
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, “Crown Cork and Soda Filling Machine (landmark 174)” (engineering landmark record: William Painter patented a single-use crimped metal cap with a cork liner on 2 February 1892).
- Urban Bar, “Ergo Bar Blade 17cm” (crown cap opener head; pourer lever at the end).
- Jerry Can Spirits shop, “Jerry Can Spirits Bar Blade (Bottle Opener)” (flat stainless steel, engraved logo; no dimensions published).
Made with the Bar Blade
Used In These Cocktails
Related Ingredients
Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 19 October 2026