# so, what's on your key ring? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548 "2004-02-16T21:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/1 "2004-02-16T21:08:39Z")
What do you have on your key ring? Do you know what all the keys are for? I have two key rings. The first has my car key, the valet key, the “club” key, and the alarm clicker. The other ring has my house key, the basement door key, two keys to my parents’ apartment, the front door key for work, my office key, and a key to my office file cabinet. I also have two “advantage club cards;” one for Giant Eagle, and one for Pathmark. And a very small sandal from Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/2 "2004-02-16T21:19:21Z")
I’ve got: Keys: Apartment, mailbox, office/cubicle (one key), 2 luggage keys that I need to dispose of since I no longer have those luggage locks, a key to my parents’ house and 2 car keys: one is complete and opens the doors, one is half broken off in the ignition and only used for that. Keychains: 1 state farm with my agent’s contact info, 1 guiness bottle-shaped keychain with the Guinness sticker peeled off (also something that needs to be disposed of). Other stuff: UT library bottle opener, orange. Grocery cards: Kroger & Bi-Lo, one of each. I also have another set of keys somewhere that have extra car & apartment keys on them. But I don’t generally carry them around. ---
**Author:** ![Innanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecd19e/32.png) [@Innanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Innanna)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/3 "2004-02-16T21:22:57Z")
I have, at last count, four key rings. Two are automotive and have Giant Eagle Advantage cards. One has house keys and something neon orange so I can find the damn thing, as well as a decorative item protraying King Kong climbing the Empire State Building. This is to show that I am whimsical and stuff. The last has my room key for the residence hall, a pink thing that reminds me what room I am in (no house name/number) and a rape alarm. I used to have lots of stuff on my key ring, but then I realized that it weighed more than my cat (who was not a small beastie by any stretch of the imagination), and I pared down. Mind you, I didn’t need a rape alarm in those days–one hit from my key ring and any would be attacker would be dead. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/4 "2004-02-16T21:29:33Z")
I have two office keys, my downstairs door key, my apartment door key, my mailbox key, and a little purple change purse so I can take just keys and money when I don’t want to carry a purse. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/5 "2004-02-16T21:31:21Z")
A laser designator. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/6 "2004-02-16T21:35:04Z")
Keyring: A gift from the company I work for commemorating their 75th anniversary. It’s one of those “drop in any mailbox” types. Scanner tag to get into the office. Kind of stupid to give employees keyrings with the address of the company right on them considering they’re probably going to put their scanner tag on it, I think. I have mine on one of those pull-apart thingies so I can easily detach it when I’m going somewhere where the chances of losing my keys are greater and so I don’t have to take my whole keychain with me when I pop outside for a smoke. Car key, keys to the front and back doors, key to my mom’s apartment and a little LED flashlight. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/7 "2004-02-16T21:55:49Z")
I just have 2 keys on my keyring. They are for the two different locks on my front door. Incidentally, I also keep my keyring in a little pouch in my wallet. And I keep my wallet in my backpack (I’m a student). Does anyone else do this? ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/8 "2004-02-16T22:43:29Z")
I have three keychains. One (my main one) has my car key and my house key. It’s a keychain sent to me from the alumni association at my alma mater, and it’s actually quite nice. My second keychain has the keys for my office and my company’s other office. Even though I don’t work at that office anymore, I keep the key stricly for emergency potty breaks when I’m driving through town. The keychain itself is one my dad bought for me. It’s a commemorative Superman keychain from the Post Office. My third keychain is from the dealership where I bought my car, and it has only my spare car key on it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/9 "2004-02-16T23:50:42Z")
My keyring is a Victorinox Classic model Swiss Army Officers’ Knife. I’ve owned it since I was seven, which makes it the possession I’ve had longest (that I can still find). Heavily battered. (no, not like a pancake) Car key and alarm/keyless entry/immobilizer release on there, along with apartment key, mailbox key, 3 keys to certain doors of a motel in Cocoa, my suitcase key, and the key to my PC case. ---
**Author:** ![chicksdigscars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@chicksdigscars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicksdigscars)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/10 "2004-02-17T00:01:30Z")
My key chain has a seahorse on it, commemorating the seahorse exhibit at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I don’t usually buy souvenir key chains, but I had to have this one because I just fell in love with the seahorses. I only have one key on it, to my front door. Plus shopper’s club cards for Giant, Wegmans, Weis and CVS. I have the basement key on an old Temple University key chain. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/11 "2004-02-17T00:04:55Z")
Four items: 2 keys, house and my locker at work. The zapper for my home alarm system, and my Air Force dogtag. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/12 "2004-02-17T00:05:02Z")
5 car keys – two apiece for each of my vehicles, one for **racinchikii** ’s Jeep 2 house keys – mine and **racin** ’s 1 key to my truck toolbox 1 padlock key Budweiser bottle/can opener given to me by a friend who works at the local Bud distributor ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/13 "2004-02-17T00:10:42Z")
One keyring: downstairs key, front door key, a mock carabiner, a silver disk thing with a butterfly on one side and the word Hope enscribed on the other, a colourful fimo butterfly and another key that looks old fashioned and could possibly go to a jewelry box of some kind but I don’t have anything for it. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/14 "2004-02-17T00:14:39Z")
I have my car key, my room key, my mailbox key, two house keys to houses many states away, a key to a car that will probably never run again, and a 1-megabyte stick of RAM. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/15 "2004-02-17T00:22:55Z")
One set of keys. On it: pewter UK logo, pewter eagle medallion I got as a gift from the yearbook editors, my Winn-Dixie discount card, my truck door and ignition keys, my house key, apartment key and mailbox key. I used to have about 4 keychains on there, but I took some off. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/16 "2004-02-17T00:40:25Z")
I have: 1 keyring with 1 key and the keyless entry/alarm clicker for the Camry. 1 keyring with 1 key and the keyless entry/alarm clicker for the CRV, and it has a blue jelly dangly still on it from the dealership, but that helps me tell the difference between it and the key for the Camry. I don’t have any other keys. I use the automatic garage entry stuff to get into the house if I’m the first one home. **Stonebow** has **The Evil, All-Powerful One KeyRing** with many, many keys on it for his offices, buildings, our house, my brother’s house, the Camry, other things we’re not sure about, something that looks like a tiny pitchfork for tuning on the lights in the Student Center, and a hex wrench for keeping doors with pushbars unlocked. He also has a separate keyring with just the CRV key and clicker on it. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/17 "2004-02-17T02:54:02Z")
Boy am I boring- On my key ring, I have two keys - one to the car and one to the house. The key ring itself is one from an auto dealership. :::: scurries off to find a cute key chain. ::::: ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/18 "2004-02-17T03:02:10Z")
Well, as for the keys, I have: Key to my parent’s house Car key Key to my place Key to my friend’s place Keychain stuff consists of: A fake caribeaner to clip onto my beltloop (thoug I usually keep the keys in my coat pocket) A small, swiss army knife A small, silver circle that has my initials on it that I got as a gift for being in a wedding party I think that’s it. Fairly boring. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/19 "2004-02-17T03:07:16Z")
car keys, house keys, tiny Viejas Casino keychain flashlight, an Anaheim Angels keychain thing (no I’m not a fan, I got it on a baseball road trip in Anaheim) ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548/20 "2004-02-17T07:45:09Z")
Ah, keys. I used to pride myself on the meagerness of my keychain and the thinness of my wallet. “No need for all that crap,” said I, “all I need is a house key, a work key, and a car key; my wallet need only contain my driver’s license, my ATM card, and my credit card.” Then I changed jobs, and found that I could not get by with fewer than 3 new keys: one for each building, and one for the lock box that carries lo! the many other keys that I use at work. Then I got married, and found that I was not allowed to carry fewer than six cards bearing witness that I am fit to demand service from our bank, our health insurance, our auto insurance, our pet store, our other bank, and Costco. I also have MY health insurance, MY credit card, and MY ATM card, and God help me if I don’t carry pictures (as an atheist, I must take this last part very seriously). Oh yeah, and there’s some cash in there. This doesn’t even begin to address the fun ‘n’ games surrounding recent trends in car keys. For some reason, all car keys now have huge plastic heads with electronic stuff in them, and always have key fobs. The key alone is too huge to fit comfortably on my key ring, so I leave it dangling from the fob, separate from my key ring, separate from the OTHER car’s key and fob, and separate from the motorcycle key that I keep in a sleeve pocket on my motorcycle jacket. Current key ring count: 4 1: house key, mailbox key (damn thieves!), 2 work keys, key box key, other mailbox key (I chair the local section of a professional society). This is the one in my pocket; the ring is a miniature carabiner. 2: Camry key and fob. This is my car, so this one sits in my jacket pocket during car-driving weather. 3: Civic key and fob. This is my wife’s car, and I leave my set in a dish near the front door, for those occasions when I drive her car. 4: Motorcycle key and U-lock. These stay in the motorcycle, unless I’m parking away from home; then they stay in my sleeve pocket. There are other sets of keys: the giant key ring with all my in-laws’ keys on it, for when we borrow the truck or need to enter their house in their absence; the extra car keys for mechanics; the extra house key for guests; extra copies that we don’t use; keys to locks that we don’t use right now; keys to locks that we don’t have any more; and keys that we can’t identify. But 1-4 are the one I call “MY keys,” and they don’t have any crap on 'em. Just keys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-on-your-key-ring/229548.md?page=2)