Keys - The Often-Overlooked Multi Tool

Today, I was standing at the recycle container with a box that I wanted to break down. Unfortunately, it was taped to withstand the next nuclear war, and I didn't have scissors or a box-knife on me. I almost forgot that I was carrying my poor-man's swiss army knife (aka: house keys).

I whipped out my house key, swiped down each side of the taped seams, and voila! The box broke down faster than a 1990 Chrysler.

I realized that in almost forgetting about the usefulness of my keys, there are others who have probably never known that usefulness. Time to fix that. While I'll probably forget some here (like I almost did that day with the box), feel free to chime in on the comments and I'll add any here that I feel are pertinent. Without further ado, here are some ways that your house keys can come in useful (plus I've added helpful "key RISK gauge" in [brackets] to help you gauge the low/moderate/high risk to your key for each of the uses):

Disclaimer: Always watch your key as you're using it. Your fingers are able to apply a LOT of force to metal. If you notice a key starting to look or "feel" like it's bending - it probably is. Don't press your luck if you still have any need for that key. Always make sure you're using the most "beefy" key that can possibly accomplish the job at hand. Broken keys are a greater inconvenient than going to get the proper tool for a job. But, with care and caution, keys can be a highly useful tool in one's daily life!

Knife [LOW] Keys make for a great cutting device when you don't have a knife. Whether it's opening a package or cutting a cord, keys can quickly do the trick. Try to find the most "jagged" and "sharpest-edged" keys that you have. For me, it's either the key to my office or the key to my house. The office key is thicker, but sharper-edged. The house key is thinner, but still pretty decent at cutting.

Screwdriver [MODERATE] Keys can be excellent for helping to tighten screws. Particularly, the flat-head screws are the most convenient to use a key to tighten, but even phillips can be tightened with the tip of some keys. Once again, our house-key is often the best for this task. Plus, it's sturdiness makes it the least prone to damage from the twist. While you may not be able to make the screw "tight", you can at least give it some good progress in the right direction - WAY more so than you would have been able to do with your fingers. 

Prying [HIGH] Keys can be great for helping to pry something open. This can be useful for paint cans, bottles, or when you can only grab the edge of something. Of course, bear in mind that this is also the riskiest action that you can do with your keys, as it's the most likely to bend the key and prevent it from ever working as a KEY again. So, be very careful with this one. Always use your beefiest key, and don't pry too hard. Use your gut - if it seems like the key could possibly bend, STOP. To prevent the high propensity for bending your key, you can first try to pry using a "twisting" action on the key - similar to if you were using it to unlock a door.

 

Marking [LOW] Keys are awesome for marking. What's "marking", you ask? I refer to "marking" as making a mark on an object for the purpose of a useful reference. I have used my keys when measuring wood to mark where I need to cut. I have also used keys to mark small locations on a wall for reference (marks that no one would ever notice later on a textured wall, but that I could find while working). Marks can be useful on other objects and for other purposes as well, so don't forget your keys! This is also low risk for damage.

Scoring or Writing [LOW] Because of their sharp metal edges, keys make great scoring (ie: scratching a like or shape) and writing objects. This is similar to "marking" above, but usually scoring is for much longer lines. You can also use keys for writing on items. I've used them to write "top" on boards and such. I make no recommendations towards graffitti, but this makes me wonder if some of those bench & tree "someone + someone" carvings were done with keys...

Drilling [LOW] Some keys can be used to drill into things. Trying to punch a hole in some cardboard? If you have keys that are sharp on the end or come somewhat to a point, you'll be able to use them to make a hole in many objects. This even includes softer wood. My mailbox key has been a champ for this, since it has a much slimmer or pointed end to it.

Saw [LOW] Similar to the knife-action, keys can be pretty good at cutting things. The jagged edge of house & office keys can often be used to saw through small branches and wood. I used to use my keys to trim the grapevine branches along our sidewalk, and to trim the fruit tree branches at the entry. Sawing with keys is both convenient and effective - just make sure to rinse off your keys periodically. Also, I'd avoid sawing evergreen tree branches as the sap could be problematic to the lock and functioning. 

I hope this article has helped you see your keys in a new light - maybe even appreciate if your phone hasn't replaced all of them yet. Let me know in the comments if you have found any additional categorical tool uses for keys!

Clinton J Nelson

Hi! I'm Clint. I'm A... Husband. Father of three. Software Engineer. Professional Engineer (structural). Sippy-cup filler. Carpenter. Mechanic. Entrepreneur. Archer. Follower of Jesus.

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