# What's this metal thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139 "2007-12-15T22:16:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/1 "2007-12-15T22:16:54Z")
The other day I bought a new pair of jeans. When I got home, I discovered a metal…thing in one of the pockets. [here’s](http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b118/EcoSquid/1215071500a.jpg) a picture of it (sorry for the crappy quality). It’s 4 inches long measured from the top of the three spiky things. It is made in China, apparently. The raised bit in the center is raised on both sides, and appear to be a metal snap fastener, like you see on various items of clothing. I think that it’s smaller than ‘average’; it doesn’t fit on either of the two items of clothing I own with that type of fastener. The rectangular piece that protrudes into the empty part is tapered and slightly concave. Investigation shows that it works perfectly well as a bottle opener. (Much better in fact than the bottle opener on my swiss army knife.) As best as I can imagine it’s something used in either the manufacturing or stocking process, but I’m stumped as to what. Any ideas? ---
**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:** [December 15, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/2 "2007-12-15T22:23:08Z")
That end bit is almost certainly _designed_ to be a bottle opener - it can’t be accidental, because that little protruding tongue of metal is exactly what bottle openers have. The prongs look like those on a golf [divot tool](http://images.google.co.uk/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&q=divot+tool&btnG=Search+Images). I can’t explain the press stud, unless it was to attach it to a golf bag. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/3 "2007-12-15T22:36:08Z")
I agree. It looks like a combo divot tool/bottle opener. A perfect tool for a day on the links. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/4 "2007-12-15T22:36:17Z")
Huh, so it does. My money is now on golf-tool, which doesn’t at all explain how it got slipped in the back pocket of a pair of jeans in the girl’s department. Any guesses on what the three short, sharpish prongs at the other end would be used for? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/5 "2007-12-15T22:39:35Z")
Perhaps a returned/exchanged set of jeans? ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/6 "2007-12-15T22:43:25Z")
For cleaning the grooves on your nine iron? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Elk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Anne\_Elk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Elk)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/7 "2007-12-15T23:12:15Z")
My guess is that a worker in a slacks factory has been docked a weeks wages, for leaving a gage in a pocket. ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/8 "2007-12-15T23:33:54Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] …Any guesses on what the three short, sharpish prongs at the other end would be used for? [/QUOTE] Many golf shoes have spikes that need to be tightened. Those prongs look like they may fit into the holes to tighten them. . ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/9 "2007-12-16T03:07:05Z")
Some brand of board shorts my husband bought had a plastic version of the same thing with them. Very bizzare. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/10 "2007-12-16T03:19:24Z")
[QUOTE=meek] Many golf shoes have spikes that need to be tightened. Those prongs look like they may fit into the holes to tighten them. . [/QUOTE] I have a ball mark repair tool that has the spike tightener thingees on the end just like that. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/11 "2007-12-16T03:21:26Z")
my WAG is that it’s some sort of anti theft device, in spite of its resemblance to somthing actually useful ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/12 "2007-12-16T03:24:22Z")
BTW, the reason the photo is so bad is because the subject was too close to the camera. Look in your owners manual and your camera should have something called Macro mode. Put the camera in macro, zoom all the way _out_, and try another shot. It should be in focus. Back to your divot tool… ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/13 "2007-12-16T03:52:28Z")
I have one of those. And yep, it’s a bottle opener/ slash golf tool. Just adding to the choir that that’s what it is. **Mangetout** ’s link is the best to show you what a divot tool looks like. My guess is that somebody tried the jeans on before you, and absent-mindedly slipped it in the pocket. Then forgot about it, and hey… you got a freebie. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/14 "2007-12-16T04:26:10Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] Any guesses on what the three short, sharpish prongs at the other end would be used for? [/QUOTE] On rereading this thread, and actually owning the item in question (well, not exact, but close enough) I’ve never been able to figure out what those prongs are supposed to be used for either. The wonders of the Universe never cease. 🙂 Oh, and it doesn’t surprise me the that this was in the women’s section. Women golf too. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/15 "2007-12-16T05:09:24Z")
My WAG. Someone bought and returned the jeans before you bought them and wore them on a golf outting. Either as a player or caddy. At the end of the day decided they didn’t like them for whatever reason and returned them without remembering to take their divot tool out of the pocket. ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/16 "2007-12-16T15:07:15Z")
[QUOTE=A Monkey With a Gun] On rereading this thread, and actually owning the item in question (well, not exact, but close enough) I’ve never been able to figure out what those prongs are supposed to be used for either… [/QUOTE] Those prongs are for tightening [golf shoe spikes](http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&q=golf+spike+key&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2)…really. . ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/17 "2007-12-16T19:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] BTW, the reason the photo is so bad is because the subject was too close to the camera. Look in your owners manual and your camera should have something called Macro mode. Put the camera in macro, zoom all the way _out_, and try another shot. It should be in focus. Back to your divot tool… [/QUOTE] Using a real camera rather than the 1-megapixel, no flash one on my phone would probably help as well. A golf tool it is. Man, you know you’re looking a nice, relaxing sport when your tools come with bottle openers! It’s still strange that they wound up in the jeans - they still had all the original tags on them, and were from the girl’s department. The size I wear is more generally worn by tweenage girls - not generally a big golf demographic. Weird indeed. Well, as much of the mystery can be solved is, and now I’m prepared if I suddenly need to tighten some golf spikes or repair a divot. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/18 "2007-12-16T20:21:06Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] It’s still strange that they wound up in the jeans - they still had all the original tags on them, and were from the girl’s department. The size I wear is more generally worn by tweenage girls - not generally a big golf demographic. Weird indeed. [/QUOTE] Does the tool look new? Maybe someone bought the jeans as a gift and put the gizmo in the pocket as an additional surprise for the intended recipient. The intended returned them (because of size or whatever) without discovering the secondary gift? ---
**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:** [December 16, 2007, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/19 "2007-12-16T22:41:27Z")
The snap may be to hold the tool onto a golf bag, or may be to hold a ball marker. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139/20 "2007-12-16T22:48:40Z")
I vote for divot tool. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-this-metal-thing/430139.md?page=2)