Church keys and other hidden treasures

Spot on, as usual. Here's some data from a search:

In 1935, beer cans with flat tops were marketed, and a device to puncture the lids was needed. The same ironic term, "church key", came to be used for this new invention: made from a single piece of pressed metal, with a pointed end used for piercing cans — devised by D.F. Sampson<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"></sup> for the American Can Company, who depicted operating instructions on the cans themselves,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"></sup> and typically gave away free "Quick and Easy" openers with their newfangled beer cans

 

I've used a P-38 back in the day when an opener wasn't available. Always used to carry one on my key chain.

 

Funny thing is, my grandfather called a beer opener a "church key" for years before VW's started being imported...

 

Ratatat; I have a few P38s in strategic locations, my wife has one in her purse.

 

P38's....thats what I rememebr them being called in the army. and hell Im only 35. Some people would say that to mess with the cherries. I always carried one but had to take it of going through security and just never put another one on.

 

I've found some cool shit in old cars... Even church keys... what ever the hell those are...

Quite a few John Deere 2cyl Carbs and Mags (big bucks!), I found a flat head 6 ford intake in the back of a '35 Chibby, a stack of GM training books, and a certificate of completion from the 30's and 40's.... Some dudes old jeans.. Wasps, mice, yellow jackets, lots of parts that didn't even go to the cars... a set of rear tires (new) that would fit the John Deere A the car was parked next to... Tools, and a ton of other crap...

Anyways... Do a search jack ass!!!.................

J/K

 

In Alberta beer CANS weren't available until the early '80's.
We had the good-ol' stubby beer bottle - non twist off - of course.
Seen some creative ways to open a bottle - teeth, eye socket - most of them just thinking about gives me the willies.
I was quick to discover that a seatbelt's chrome end works perfect, is always handy, and retracts away when done


.

 

Become an Alliance Member and your troubles will be solved....

 

i have 2 that are in my pocket hooked to keys right now. Look just like the 2 in your middle picture 1 hamm and one no name.

 

Found a few church keys myself and there's always one in the kitchen drawer to open my wifes home canned salsa and dilled beans and whatnot. I see someone else used to use the seat belt end to open beer too. It never even dawned on us to put the seatbelt on while we were drinking and driving

 

I collect church keys and openers. Got quite the haul so far. Always looking for odd ones. I also have a few of the "keyhole" openers like in the first pic, my favorite one my father in law gave me (he deals in antiques). It is a cast iron Cherub holding his dick out!

 

I've found lots of stuff, But the thing that actually scared the shit out of me was LIVE ammo! Some 30-06 rounds had rolled under the seat of a '66 panel truck. Glad I wasn't cutting it apart with a torch! I wonder if any have ever gone off when a car is melted down...

 

Found a huge, live snake in the headliner of a '49 Olds I was parting out; he got trained with a crowbar.

 

A "church key" is what you would us to "Key A Car" if you were a jerk back in the day. Oh Ya! You could carry a church key and nobody would give it a second thought. People now a days use their car keys to key a car, they don't do near the damage a real church key would do however!
Not condoning anything here just setting the record straight and as for finding things in a trunk the skeleton of a mouse....YUK!

 

i think im still a fng but i been for about 5 or 6 years longer then most old school members lol.

 

Smokeless powder ammo is actually safer than black powder ammo in a fire. I've seen it in a campfire go 'pffft' and do nothing, also seen it send the bullet at speeds that won't leave a bruise, much less break the skin. Black powder burns different and black powder ammo is more dangerous in a fire. But you don't want to be around it anyway...

 

I have a couple in my kitchen drawer. Use them to open bottles.

The little one is from Chief Oshkosh, the other is from Tavern Pale.

My dad had some in the garage for opening oil cans.

 

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Geeeez.....don't you think just about everything has been discussed at one time or another? Cut us new guys some slack!!!

 

never had need of a church key, i open my guinness bottles with my thumb and i haven't had a single problem doing so, guess you city boys have soft hands.

 

I've been collecting church keys for years and have a whole string of 'em out in the garage. So if you find an old beer and need it open, just drop by. My favorite is an ACME BEER opener. It's all original, no fiberglass and completely trad.

 

And you guys came up with that bright idea before you opened any of them? I'd hate to see what you guys came up with after you got a few open!

And... why do they call them church keys? What's the connection?

 

Smart ass FNG's, or pompous senior / members, potato pototo.

I had the square shank church key for the VW bus gas door and engine lid too, allways misplacing it, screwdriver to the rescue.

 

Although I didn't find this in a car, but perhaps some other Northwesters will remember when Blitz used to include these openers in their short cases. I've had this one for at least 30 years and it still gets used on a regular basis.

 

^^^ Rad.

 

ammo without being in a gun isn't that dangerous, it may even pop but there's no barrel to contain the energy and propel the bullet forward, if it ignites outside of a gun barrel the energy will dissipate in all directions, for the bullet to travel forward at any kind of deadly velocity, the reaction of the powder igniting has to be contained to cause a reaction which is moving the bullet forward

 

Super442's picture is what I remember as a CHURCH KEY , and that beer was mighty tasty too.I remember Paul Newman wearing one around his neck on a chain in a movie , I think it was "The Hustler". Rob.

 

I believe it was "Cool Hand Luke"

 

awesome