Ever wandered into your dad’s garage or your grandpa’s shed and spotted a strange little metal can with a skinny spout and a squeeze trigger? Maybe you thought it was a weird old thermos or some kind of forgotten kitchen gadget. But if you grew up in the ‘70s or ‘80s, that object wasn’t just background clutter—it had a purpose.
That peculiar piece of metal was actually a hand-squeezed oil can. It wasn’t there for decoration. It was there to work. And it worked hard. Before slick spray lubricants became household staples, these little cans were the go-to tool for fixing just about anything that creaked, squeaked, or refused to move.