Dayton Fun Fact - The Pull Tab was Invented Here!

Do you remember these? The old style soda and beer can pull tabs?  You’d need to be drinking soda or beer prior to 1980 to remember them. Did you know the pull tab was invented right here in little ol’ Dayton OH? That’s correct, Ermal (Ernie) Fraze  was on a picnic with family and friends and had forgotten an opener for his beer. He ended up using a car bumper of all things to open cans.  He thought, there must be a better way!  

Well, it just so happened he founded and owned a company downtown known as Dayton Reliable Tool Manufacturing.  He started the company in 1949 with an 800.00 loan from his wife. You might recognize it now as DRT. Back then he started out milling metal novelties for Cracker Jack boxes. He put his engineering mind to work and came up with the idea of a tiny rivet to hold a ring on the perforated can top.

It was an instant hit but there was one problem. Most people would discard the pull tab on the ground creating litter or drop the tab back into the can which created a choking hazard. Environmental pressures through the 1970’s ushered in the modern non-removable StaTab we see today on beverages. As a lifetime Daytonian and longtime Dayton Ohio Realtor - I enjoy sharing some of Dayton’s rich invention and manufacturing history with you!