# What is this tool in my shorts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040 "2005-06-27T14:05:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/1 "2005-06-27T14:05:20Z")
I have been buying new shorts for the summer and the last couple of pair I bought came with a thin plastic (~ 2-1/2" X 1" X 3/32" thk) blade like instrument with 1/4" pointy saw like teeth cut into the longest edge. There is a 45 degree cut on one side of the rectangle. Is it for cleaning skateboard wheels of mud perhaps? Does it have a name? Can I fly on an airplane with one? ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/2 "2005-06-27T14:08:06Z")
> [@Si Amigo](#): > > I have been buying new shorts for the summer and the last couple of pair I bought came with a thin plastic (~ 2-1/2" X 1" X 3/32" thk) blade like instrument with 1/4" pointy saw like teeth cut into the longest edge. There is a 45 degree cut on one side of the rectangle. Is it for cleaning skateboard wheels of mud perhaps? Does it have a name? Can I fly on an airplane with one? I have a tool in my shorts too. It’s dimensions are a bit more impressive and it lacks any saw like teeth. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/3 "2005-06-27T14:17:54Z")
Huh? Where did you get these shorts from? Is the tool attached to the shorts permanently? ---
**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:** [June 27, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/4 "2005-06-27T14:25:20Z")
You shouldn’t refer to yourself as a tool. Have you no self respect? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/5 "2005-06-27T14:29:58Z")
> [@audiobottle](#): > > Huh? Where did you get these shorts from? Is the tool attached to the shorts permanently? Got one at Kohl’s and the other at Sea World last year. Different manufacturers, but same tool. And one was tied to the shorts by cord, but the other was just loose in the pocket. They were advertised as boarder shorts, but it wasn’t clear if they meant surf board or skate board. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/6 "2005-06-27T14:40:26Z")
Does the tool in your shorts look anything like this [http://www.evogear.com/productdetail.asp?pn=1823](http://www.evogear.com/productdetail.asp?pn=1823) or anything else on that site. (warning suitable for work). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/7 "2005-06-27T14:41:33Z")
Are you sure it’s not just a novel kind of swing tag carrying the brand logo? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/8 "2005-06-27T15:12:12Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Does the tool in your shorts look anything like this [http://www.evogear.com/productdetail.asp?pn=1823](http://www.evogear.com/productdetail.asp?pn=1823) or anything else on that site. (warning suitable for work). Not really, both of mine are four sides rectangles with one edge cut at a 45 degree and do not have the measuring features that the one you show has. Also, mine has sharp teeth on it. Mine looks a bit safer to carry in your pocket, those look like they would hurt like hell if you fell of of your board and jammed them into you leg. :eek: I think that you may be on the right path, a scrapper of some sort. It is definitly not a logo thingy, they came on different brands of shorts and appear to look useful. One came in a pair of Quicksilver shorts, the other in a pair of Point Zero shorts. ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/9 "2005-06-27T15:15:11Z")
Let the Canadian solve this riddle. It’s a Wax comb for removing old wax from the deck of your surf board. Hope this helps… MtM ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/10 "2005-06-27T15:21:38Z")
> [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](#): > > Let the Canadian solve this riddle. It’s a Wax comb for removing old wax from the deck of your surf board. > > Hope this helps… > > MtM Yes, it kind of looks like this one, but without the fin key. [http://www.surf.uk.com/acatalog/wax\_comb.html](http://www.surf.uk.com/acatalog/wax_comb.html) And here I thought that I had a unique tool. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/11 "2005-06-27T16:08:16Z")
Every man thinks he has a unique tool. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-tool-in-my-shorts/310040/12 "2005-06-27T17:24:34Z")
Your tool is unique, just like everyone else’s.