An electric can opener having a rotatable cutter which cuts through and around a seaming (outer) wall of a double seam (chime) by which a can is secured to a can body. The rotatable cutter and a tractor wheel turn about axes which are substantially perpendicular to each other. The tractor wheel can be axially shifted by manual movement of an operating lever. The tractor wheel has a conical surface disposed to engage a chuck (inner) wall of a chime and a cylindrical surface disposed to engage the top of a chime. Associated with the cutter is a shoulder wheel that rides on the outside of a can below the chime so that the can opener will hold a can after a seaming wall is cut entirely around a can and until a can is deliberately released by axially shifting the tractor wheel out of engagement with a chime. A first abutment above a chime and ahead of the tractor wheel (the direction of rotation of a can being the reference) extends forward from a can opener housing. Asecond forwardly extending abutment above a chime is located behind the tractor wheel.