# Ice picks and Basic Instinct **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 7, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222 "2008-08-07T21:50:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/1 "2008-08-07T21:50:18Z")
I just watched this movie again. Do Americans really not use ice cube trays? Seems bizarre to me. After all the movie was made in 1992 not 1922. > **[Ice cube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cube#Ice_cube_tray)** > > An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produced at home in a freezer with an ice tray or in an automated ice-making accessory. They may also be produced industrially and sold commercially. > American physician and inventor John Gorrie built a refrigerator in 1844 with the purpose of producing ice to c... ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/2 "2008-08-07T21:59:12Z")
Yes, most of us use ice cube trays. A lot of folks have fancy fridges with ice cube dispensers built into the front door. A psycho murdering someone by stabbing them with a plastic tray (or a refrigerator) is somehow less menacing from a cinematic standpoint. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/3 "2008-08-07T22:03:40Z")
Agreed. I have never actually seen an icepick in person. Or in a person for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/4 "2008-08-07T22:04:56Z")
Those old [aluminum trays](http://www.ekitchengadgets.com/alicecutrse2.html) could give a fierce pinch, though. Might be useful for a torture scene. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/5 "2008-08-07T22:30:38Z")
There are certain people who consider themselves connoisseurs who believe that ice chipped off a large block is better in drinks than ice formed in cubes. They are a small minority and probably full of shit, but nonetheless it’s not entirely implausible. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/6 "2008-08-07T22:33:17Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] There are certain people who consider themselves connoisseurs who believe that ice chipped off a large block is better in drinks than ice formed in cubes. They are a small minority and probably full of shit, but nonetheless it’s not entirely implausible. [/QUOTE] I think that must be the answer. In all my world travels I have only ever seen an ice pick used once. It was in a very expensive bar in a very expensive hotel in Kitakyushu Japan -by the bartender. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/7 "2008-08-08T02:39:52Z")
The fact that it’s an unusual item for a person to have and use is supposed to be significant. I mean, if the guy at the beginning had been killed with a spatula and Sharon Stone’s character _just happened to have her own spatula_… well, it lacks a certain significance because about 99% of American households have one or more spatulas, err, spatulae. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/8 "2008-08-08T03:29:48Z")
I use an ice pick. My fridge doesn’t have an ice machine and I find using trays to be a pain in the ass so I just freeze a big container of water and chip off as needed. [QUOTE=lissener] There are certain people who consider themselves connoisseurs who believe that ice chipped off a large block is better in drinks than ice formed in cubes. They are a small minority and probably full of shit, but nonetheless it’s not entirely implausible. [/QUOTE] A big piece of ice can be nice for drinking scotch. It melts slower and thus dilutes the liquor slower. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/9 "2008-08-08T03:31:38Z")
When I was a kid ('60s and '70s) ice picks were common. Dad was an avid water skier, and there were many days spent down at the bay. Coolers either had a block of ice, that had to be chipped, or cubes that always seemed to be frozen together and had to be chipped apart. ETA: At home of course we just got cubes out of the trays. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/10 "2008-08-08T05:05:56Z")
I have an icemaker. A bit of ice got stuck in the fill port, so the maker would cycle, and filled the harvest bin with water, which became a large block. No point in tossing it out, so Mr. Ice Pick came out of the kitchen drawer to chip it up into smaller pieces. I also keep it just in case Jeanne Tripplehorn wants to come over and kill me after screwing my brains out. Admittely, a long shot, but just saying. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/11 "2008-08-08T05:17:48Z")
Yeah, Tripplehorn’s character was extremely fuckable, and she was a _Simpsons_ fan. I’d chance an ice-picking. Tripple-horny… Anyway, Americans do indeed use ice cube trays. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/12 "2008-08-08T07:27:55Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Dad was an avid water skier, and there were many days spent down at the bay. Coolers either had a block of ice, that had to be chipped, or cubes that always seemed to be frozen together and had to be chipped apart. [/QUOTE] Same here. In my experience, using ice picks and block ice is not considered unusual along the Texas bayous. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/13 "2008-08-08T12:28:06Z")
Wow - I feel old. I have not only used an ice pick, I have used ice tongs, have pulled blocks of ice out of the sawdust packing in an ice house, and have had my food kept cool in an ice box (the precursor to the refrigerator). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/14 "2008-08-08T14:47:03Z")
We had an ice pick when I was a child in the 1970’s. I am not sure why. We didn’t use it for regular ice yet it was there. I am pretty sure that we found a few uses for it as a tool but I don’t remember why. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/15 "2008-08-08T14:55:11Z")
Back in the 70’s, my grandparents would come to visit and would bring an old hand-cranked ice cream maker. My dad would go out and pick up some block ice and it was my job to chip it all up with a ice pick small enough to fit the ice cream maker . I could use some ice cream right now. ---
**Author:** ![Goblinboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3be4f8/32.png) [@Goblinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goblinboy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/16 "2008-08-08T15:09:19Z")
My parents have an ice pick and use it all the time. They freeze ice in gallon milk jugs and then use it for in coolers or when making ice cream. Why buy it when you can make it yourself? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/17 "2008-08-08T16:42:53Z")
My dad has an icepick in his toolbox. I’ve never seen it used for anything. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/18 "2008-08-08T16:56:26Z")
[QUOTE=ASAKMOTSD] Wow - I feel old. I have not only used an ice pick, I have used ice tongs, have pulled blocks of ice out of the sawdust packing in an ice house, and have had my food kept cool in an ice box (the precursor to the refrigerator). [/QUOTE] Yes, but do you still listen to your Vanilla Ice tapes? That would make you _really_ old. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/19 "2008-08-08T16:59:15Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Yes, but do you still listen to your Vanilla Ice tapes? That would make you _really_ old. [/QUOTE] Did he have 8 tracks? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222/20 "2008-08-08T17:06:38Z")
We had an ice pick in the lid of our all metal early 60’s cooler, and a bottle opener. Besides that I’ve never had an ice pick in my possession. They are not in common use in America. Hollywood picks and chooses props to make the movie they want without regard to the commonness of the item. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-picks-and-basic-instinct/459222.md?page=2)