if you've seen pictures of old coca-cola cans, the can is the same width from top to bottom; but, more modern cans, are kind of tapered at the top.

why is that?

is that a manufacturing thing? or is it intentional... like to make it easier to drink from the can. just wondered...

I think its mostly a manufacturing thing, the way they prepare the unfinished cans and how they crimp the tops onto them at the canning facility. (I took a tour of an aluminum can production facility many years ago) I thought that smooth sided cans pretty much went out when they got rid of the steel cans that had a seam down the side. (Although I've heard there was an experiment many years ago with steel cans that were almost indistiguishable from modern aluminum ones without looking for the steel logo on it, or using a magnet. Now that aluminum is getting expensive, I wonder if that might happen again?)

I wonder also if the design change has anything to do with stackability.

oh... i guess you're right. the modern cans have no "seam".

still, i think the old cans look better (except without the seam).

Yep, I remember some of the old steel cans without seams. I have quite a few.. you know which ones they are because they tend to rust on the bottom.

I too remember the seamless steel cans. Coke pushed them here in NW Indiana as a way to support the steel mills. Some had a steel symbol on them, but others I had to take a magnet to when I recycled aluminum cans!

The way I understand it the cans have the spin necks now so the can companies use less aluminum in the lids saving them millions of dollars a year.

Steel cans that look like aluminum cans where called drawn steel cans and came in at least two different types. Both of the cans shown are steel cans the black spot on the picture is a magnet stuck to the sides. It's hard to see in the photo but the can on the left has a tapered bottom more like an aluminum can today and the can on the right has a straight bottom like the older cans with 2 lids.

By the way anyone remember the Rebel brand? A Coca Cola bottler in Tulsa canned it.

There was no explantion for the question but the Travel Channel's Made In America show visited a pop can factory last night. Check the Travel Channel website for rerun dates.

thanks. i like how those cans look better than todays.

Originally Posted by ithastabeshasta

The way I understand it the cans have the spin necks now so the can companies use less aluminum in the lids saving them millions of dollars a year.

Steel cans that look like aluminum cans where called drawn steel cans and came in at least two different types. Both of the cans shown are steel cans the black spot on the picture is a magnet stuck to the sides. It's hard to see in the photo but the can on the left has a tapered bottom more like an aluminum can today and the can on the right has a straight bottom like the older cans with 2 lids.

By the way anyone remember the Rebel brand? A Coca Cola bottler in Tulsa canned it.