# What is this small tool? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670 "2007-01-27T02:24:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/1 "2007-01-27T02:24:42Z")
[What is this small tool?](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/pliny/oddtool-1.jpg) It’s about 3" tall, and has a hex allen wrench that slides inside it like a jackknife blade. The edge is a hard scraper or comb. Reminds me of a scraper for spreading mastic glue under ceramic tiles. The logo doesn’t seem familiar to me either. Somehow, an allen wrench and a comb scraper seem to be parts of very different projects, so I’m not sure why they are together. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/2 "2007-01-27T02:54:16Z")
[QUOTE=According to Pliny] [What is this small tool?](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v509/pliny/oddtool-1.jpg) It’s about 3" tall, and has a hex allen wrench that slides inside it like a jackknife blade. The edge is a hard scraper or comb. Reminds me of a scraper for spreading mastic glue under ceramic tiles. The logo doesn’t seem familiar to me either. Somehow, an allen wrench and a comb scraper seem to be parts of very different projects, so I’m not sure why they are together. [/QUOTE] Perhaps it’s supposed to be part of an application tool set, of which you only have one piece. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/3 "2007-01-27T02:56:17Z")
It looks like some type of robotic bird that is into BDSM. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/4 "2007-01-27T03:56:19Z")
The emblem on it’s a clue. I believe it’s a wax comb for surfboards, which sometimes come with an allen key. See last item on this page: > **[UK.COM](https://uk.com/)** > > UK.COM is the UK's preferred domain extension, offering excellent names together with high global and local visibility. Give your business the benefit of a UK.COM domain name. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/5 "2007-01-27T04:50:14Z")
Ah, good call-- you use the allen key to remove your board’s fins. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/6 "2007-01-27T15:16:48Z")
Wow! Thanks. I’d never ever thought of that one. I had noticed the wave in the logo but my mind went to the wave on Delta faucet handles. I wouldn’t have guessed surfing required either combs or hex keys. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/7 "2007-01-27T15:36:27Z")
Checking further along those lines, I find that snowboarders also have funny combo tool kits that may include wax combs and hex keys, but those aren’t likely with the wave logo. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-small-tool/389670/8 "2007-01-27T16:03:08Z")
Well, I found the definitive logo now, O’Neill. And they just happen to make surfer’s shorts that come with a “wax comb/fin key” in the side cargo pocket. [Boardshorts & Trunks | Tactics](http://www.tactics.com/oneill/hooligan-boardshorts)