Abstract: A drum deheader device comprising a pair of mounting bars for respectively supporting a shearing blade and an opposing anvil adapted to be positioned at opposite sides of a can cover portion of a chime and a linkage interconnecting said bars to advance and retract the bars for cutting and releasing the device, the linkage being formed and arranged to cut the chime twice as the operating levers are moved back and forth toward and away from each other, the blade being positioned to cut through an upper section of an outer layer only of the chime and to expose an inner layer of the chime beneath the shear blade which has a wedge face which slides on the exposed portions of the inner layer of the chime to separate the layers apart, thereby loosening a cover from the container and forming a continuous strip of scrap material whereby sliver forming is inhibited.