Why is this called a Church Key ?

[lihpster]

These work well and they're always there.
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Use a P-38 for cans.

 

[Golddollar]

I've heard them called church keys ever since I was a little boy and that was a lonnnng time ago. My brother collects them and he has a kitchen drawer filled with them with names of various companies engraved on them.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I did a web search for "multi tool".

It returned "see P38".

 

[Narragansett]

I can remember that they used to be in boxes at the cash register in liquor stores for free when you bought beer. They were sent to liquor stores by breweries.

They are a popular collection item

 

[jbtrucker]

Never heard them called church keys , I have a couple and P-38 elderly guard at a warehouse gave me , had a box full bought flea market

 

[ZGrand]

I have fond memories of my Grandmother using a church key to open the big can of Hawaiian Punch she always used to keep in the fridge for me. Simpler times......

 

[grover99]

I carried a P38 on my key ring for years until one day the little blade opened in my pocket and stabbed me in the leg. After I stopped the bleeding I threw that thing in a drawer and it is still there with blood stains and all.

 

[Retired W4]

Painters drink a lot of beer.

But only to calm their nerves before they start painting.

I've always called a manual can opener a church key. Then there is the Spam Can opener.

 

[sceva]

Here is an old opener that has been in my family for generations. Stag handle with sterling accents. The hook it to open the very early loop seal bottle caps

 

[Sistema1927]

Pop-tops and twist caps eliminated these, just as the horseless carriage did away with the buggy whip.

 

[cololab]

I always heard these openers called "church keys" as a barb aimed at those who took a dim view based upon some religious ideology of anyone partaking of alcoholic beverages.

 

[noonster]

A couple guys got it right in here. Pre-1970's (drink) cans didn't have one of several type "pop-openers" and bottles didn't have twist-off caps. The sharp side of the church key was to open (drink) cans and the duller end to open (drink) bottle caps. They made life -and drinking - easier for beer drinkers. Combine that with the Baptist comment (above) (other religions, too, I'd add) and they were known (slang) as a "church key." (To bug church goers). They were also used for cola and other drink containers, too. I never thought getting old would, indeed, make me appear a wiser guy via ancient experience. Then again, I was raised in an age of tuning up a distributer, changing a tire, driving (two wheel) in snow, et cet.

 

[Buford57]

The guys I knew who called it that seemed to use it as a dig at the tea totallers in town.

Once the old memories got stirred up I recall being shown a lip just under the glove box of 55-56-57 Buicks that seemed tailor made for cap lifting. Once the box lid was dropped there were two bottle-sized indentations in the flat surface. Thoughtful of GM.

 

[Retired W4]

In a related vein on tea totallers, a neighbor of mine in the 80's said only alcoholics had ice makers.

I remember when beer and soda came in steel cans and you needed a church key.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I carried a P38 on my key ring for years until one day the little blade opened in my pocket and stabbed me in the leg. After I stopped the bleeding I threw that thing in a drawer and it is still there with blood stains and all.

That happened to me in 1971. I mentioned it to a lifer and he said put a slight crimp on the hinge with Channellocks.

It has yet to open on me of its own volition.

 

[lihpster]

When I grew up, in the '70s, the drink cans, soda and beer, already had pull tabs. But many cans didn't. We used a church key on the aforementioned, Hi-C, Hershey's chocolate syrup and opening pop and beer bottles. We wound up with alot since my brother and father would take them out to the garage to open oil cans and other cans of car juice. Somehow they all disappeared.
Eventually, dad sprung for one of these babies for the garage.

 

[Peak53]

In my well-spent youth I occasionally used my front teeth to open a bottle in the absence of a church key. That is until I chipped a tooth A brick trowel also does a fair job.

 

[Kinman]

In 53 years neither can nor bottle has thwarted me.

Same here Rusty, got mine in sixty-nine. Has saved from needing a screwdriver, etc. in all that time, countless uses. Mine is stamped SPEAKER.

 

[Muddyboot]

I keep one on my ring of keys.

I have seen those referred to as John Wayne's, anyone else heard that term...?

 

[Rustyt1953]

I have seen those referred to as John Wayne's, anyone else heard that term...?

They were called that in WWII for their toughness.