# What is the key-like object my wife just found? Picture inside
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 16, 2024, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892 "2024-10-16T23:12:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2024, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/1 "2024-10-16T23:12:04Z")
This. About the same length as a house key, possibly a bit longer.
[ ](https://imgur.com/gallery/weird-key-Y3U2wFv)
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### Author:  [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/2 "2024-10-16T23:17:06Z")
Looks like a disposable spanner wrench. Like the single use tools that come with things requiring assembly.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2024, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/3 "2024-10-16T23:17:26Z")
It looks vaguely like the sort of idiosyncratic tools I have seen included in dedicated hardware used to put together things like chaise lounges and other furniture, that’s shipped partly assembled.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2024, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/4 "2024-10-16T23:22:56Z")
A Google image search shows tools that are vaguely similar. The [closest one](https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/190120/need-help-to-remove-protective-cover-from-light-bulb) leads to a page that seems to indicate it’s for removing a light socket from a lamp.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/5 "2024-10-16T23:40:08Z")
I had something like that that was for loosening the screw in the handle of a single handle faucet.
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### Author:  [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/6 "2024-10-17T02:03:52Z")
Is it made of copper? The shape reminds me of an electrical connector.
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### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/7 "2024-10-17T06:12:53Z")
It looks like it could be a light switch key. Some businesses and industrial sites have switch panels that have 2 slots instead of switches. The key is inserted into the slots and becomes a switch itself. This allows custodians and building service workers to be able to turn lights on or off but nobody else.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/8 "2024-10-17T06:19:26Z")
Could be any of the things listed above. Maybe more than one.
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### Author:  [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/9 "2024-10-17T06:32:49Z")
Could even be less than one of the things listed above.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/10 "2024-10-17T06:36:53Z")
You might submit the photo to a favorite time-killer YouTuber [Outlookdaily.](https://m.youtube.com/@outlookdaily1713)
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/11 "2024-10-17T08:48:37Z")
I don’t know but I need it to do my hook and eye things on my victorian ladies shoes.
(Seriously I google fooey’d it, that thingy that helps you find out about photos and screenshots said exactly what the first reply was. Disposable wrench.)
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/12 "2024-10-17T14:07:37Z")
> [@pkbites](#):
>
> It looks like it could be a light switch key.
This rang a bell for me. Yeah, I’m going to vote for this.
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### Author:  [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/13 "2024-10-17T14:24:58Z")
It’s clearly for extracting boy scouts from horses’ hooves.
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### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/14 "2024-10-17T14:31:25Z")
Not quite the right shape but size sounds like one of those [no touch door openers](https://beaducation.com/products/at279) that became so popular with Covid
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/15 "2024-10-17T14:31:45Z")
The size sounds exactly right for that, but doesn’t one end typically have a hole so you could put it on a key ring? I can’t find any photos of one without a hole.
Like here’s a pic of various keys. It is close, but not quite:
[ ](https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/db129b60-32d7-4cdb-a7bb-5ac4a712c79b/IMG_0846.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:95.01%25,h:95.01%25/rs=w:1209,cg:true,m)
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/16 "2024-10-17T14:36:11Z")
> **[Amazon.com: Replacement Spare Part for Chainsaw 501773401 and 501773501 for...](https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-501773401-501773501-Husquarna-Issolator/dp/B0D7SPMG8Z)**
>
> NTD-SPP-22062024-0636- Model number just for reference only, Please check item appearance and your original part carefuly.- The picture can tell more than we can, what you see is what you will receive.- Light shooting and different displays may cause...
[Similar shaped tool for chainsaws on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-501773401-501773501-Husquarna-Issolator/dp/B0D7SPMG8Z).
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/17 "2024-10-17T14:40:45Z")
I saw that yesterday when I was hunting but came away with the impression that those are bigger than a key. But there’s nothing there for scale, and I am not familiar with the part, so I don’t know. Those also seem to have a hole.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/18 "2024-10-17T14:59:02Z")
I think they are bigger. It’s the kind of thing machinery can punch out in varying dimensions easily. There are all sorts of devices that could use shapes like that. The hole in the chainsaw tool is probably just to attach it to a chain or ring or something but some key/wrenchlike tool might need a hole for a specific purpose.
While this particular key might have a specific purpose the general shape could be anything or only slightly less than nothing.
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### Author:  [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/19 "2024-10-17T16:06:31Z")
I thought maybe the key to open one of those poison boxes for rodent control (Except the ones I saw were plastic).
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### Author:  [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)
#### Post date: [October 17, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-key-like-object-my-wife-just-found-picture-inside/1008892/20 "2024-10-17T17:13:43Z")
> [@DPRK](#):
>
> Is it made of copper? The shape reminds me of an electrical connector.
No, that’s iridized steel.
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