[motto]

The flimsy can has been discussed before on the forum. From what I have seen and heard the true flimsy was a carry over from the way petrol was stored, distributed and sold for civilian use in the early days of motoring before tankers and bowsers appeared on the scene. I remember chatting with an elderly gentleman who had owned a service station in Melbourne before WW2 and he told me the way he drained the cans was to remove the lid and sit the lower opposite corner over a funnel. He then inserted a spike through the top opening and drove it down through the lower corner. Obviously, even in the city and close to the depot the cans were not refilled.

Naturally, this type of container continued in use in remote areas far longer than densely populated areas as no specialised equipment was needed to handle it. The cans were packed two to a wooden crate. The empty crates and cans were commonly re-used for many and varied purposes. A half an hour from where I live there was a shed roof that had been covered with flattened out cans. The crates were used for anything from kindling to shelving or even furniture.

As a child in the 1950s kerosine could still be purchased in this type of can and they were generally referred to as kerosine tins. More recently I have seen an almost identical can used by apiarists for transporting honey. They refer to them as being 60 lb tins as that is what they weigh when filled.

The can on e-bay is definitely not a flimsy as I know it. The four vertical corners for a start are too sharp in comparison to what I've seen in photographs of originals and the can appears to be just too robust.

David