# Things that you can use in place of other things but not vice versa. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 29, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310 "2009-11-29T04:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/1 "2009-11-29T04:58:48Z")
In another thread someone mentioned easing anal intercourse by using lube or butter. So you can use butter as a sex lubricant but you can’t use sex lubricant as butter. Similarly you can use a butter knife as a screwdriver but you can’t butter bread with a screwdriver. More? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/2 "2009-11-29T05:04:23Z")
you can use your keys to cut through scotch tape but you can’t use a penknife to unlock your door. you can use your fork as a spoon but you can’t use a spoon as a fork. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/3 "2009-11-29T05:04:40Z")
You can [weld things with an explosion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosion_welding), but you can’t explode things by welding them. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/4 "2009-11-29T05:20:35Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > You can [weld things with an explosion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosion_welding), but you can’t explode things by welding them. I’ll bet you can. Oh man, when I tried to weld that gasoline… Ok, mine: You can use a condom as a balloon, but it would be a really bad idea to use a balloon as a condom. You can throw a baseball at a man but it would be really tough to throw a man at a baseball. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/5 "2009-11-29T05:24:55Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > you can use your fork as a spoon but you can’t use a spoon as a fork. I should think it would be just the opposite. A 4dtv receiver will receive analog C Band, but an analog C Band receiver can’t receive 4DTV. That’s not what you’re looking for, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/6 "2009-11-29T08:32:20Z")
You can cage a swallow, can’t you, but you can’t swallow a cage, can you? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/7 "2009-11-29T11:34:30Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > So you can use butter as a sex lubricant but you can’t use sex lubricant as butter. You can also use mayonnaise or olive oil as a sex lubricant . . . but . . . ewwwww! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/8 "2009-11-29T12:57:55Z")
You can use a screwdriver to open a door, but you can’t use a door handle to tighten a screw. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/9 "2009-11-29T13:02:32Z")
You can use Cocacola instead of WD40 on stuck locks, but I don’t suggest drinking your WD40. Oh, and about the use of food oils as sex lubes: don’t do that for vaginal penetration if you’re also using a condom! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/10 "2009-11-29T13:02:58Z")
Ordinary laundry bleach can be used to clean a photo paper processor, but processor cleaner won’t do your shirts any good. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/11 "2009-11-29T13:04:53Z")
I was pre-baking a pie crust yesterday. The recipe said to line the bottom with foil, and then to fill it with pie weights (little ceramic marbley things) or rice or beans as a substitute. I would imagine that in any recipe calling for rice or beans, using pie weights in their place would not work nearly as well. Now I’m going to go have some pie. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/12 "2009-11-29T13:15:49Z")
Keeping with the sex theme… You can use a cucumber as a dildo. But you can’t use a dildo to make sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/13 "2009-11-29T13:48:50Z")
You can use a screwdriver for some rough chiseling. But you can’t use a chisel for driving a screw, unless you want to ruin the edge. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/14 "2009-11-29T14:16:10Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Keeping with the sex theme… > > You can use a cucumber as a dildo. > > But you can’t use a dildo to make sandwiches. You could probably use it to roll out pie dough, though. _looks at rolling pin and winces_ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/15 "2009-11-29T14:19:21Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > …But you can’t use a dildo to make sandwiches. Haven’t you ever heard of “tube steak”? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/16 "2009-11-29T15:27:59Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I should think it would be just the opposite. … huh? you mean etiquette-wise? because you can’t spear anything with your spoon.. you can chuck a woodchuck but a woodchuck cannot chuck you. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/17 "2009-11-29T16:01:25Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > huh? you mean etiquette-wise? because you can’t spear anything with your spoon.. Ever tried eating soup with a fork? ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/18 "2009-11-29T16:27:12Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Similarly you can use a butter knife as a screwdriver but you can’t butter bread with a screwdriver. I’m still trying to figure out why this wouldn’t work – albeit somewhat awkwardly – with a flathead screwdriver. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/19 "2009-11-29T17:37:13Z")
You can use time to tell distance but not the other way around. How far from NY to Boston? Oh, about 3 hours. How long to drive from NY to Boston? 200 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310/20 "2009-11-29T17:54:36Z")
You can use a helmet as a hammer, but I wouldn’t reccomend that you try the opposite. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-you-can-use-in-place-of-other-things-but-not-vice-versa/519310.md?page=2)