The Multipurpose Church Key: An In-Depth History

For over a century, the humble church key has been an indispensable tool for cracking open a cold one. But few people realize the rich history and cultural impact of this modest can and bottle opener. Here‘s an in-depth look at the fascinating backstory behind the multipurpose church key.

What Is a Church Key?

A church key is a small, flat handheld tool with two key features (no pun intended!):

• A jagged edge for prying off bottle caps

• A sharp point for puncturing can lids

Church keys are generally made of stainless steel or aluminum and often incorporate a hole or ring at one end for easy storage and hanging.

The Origins of "Church Key" as Slang

So how did this popular tool get its name? The history stretches back to the early 1900s.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, beer and soft drinks primarily came in glass bottles sealed with a pressed tin cap. Opening these bottles required using a special tool that looked like a large skeletal key that could unlock church doors, and so these early openers became known as "church keys."

By the 1940s, cans were gaining popularity for packaging beer. These flat-topped cans couldn‘t be opened with a traditional church key, necessitating a new design with a sharp puncturing tip. Even with this modified design, the name "church key" stuck.

The slang term exploded in popularity during World War II. Compact church key openers that could pierce can lids were included in ration kits for American GIs and sailors. Having a quick and easy way to crack open food and drink cans was a big hit with the troops. By the end of the 1940s, the phrase "church key" was familiar slang across North America.

The Evolution of Church Key Design

While early church keys were made of wood, iron or steel, most modern church keys are made of stainless steel for durability.

The classic church key design includes:

• A flat blade approximately 3 inches long to pry off bottle caps

• A sharp tip at the other end for puncturing can lids

• A circular hole or ring on the end for hanging or attaching to a keychain

• A sleek, compact size for portability

In the 1960s and 70s, church keys incorporated plastic handles for comfort along with folding designs. More recently, church keys have been integrated into multifunction "survival" tools including LED lights, knife blades, and screwdriver bits.

1897	William Russell patents first combined bottle and can church key design
Early 1900s	Church keys gain popularity for opening beer and soda bottles
1940s	"Church key" enters common vernacular thanks to WWII troops
1950s	Stainless steel church keys become widespread

Top Church Key Manufacturers Through the Years

• American Can Company: Produced some of the first steel church keys in the 1910s

• AC Williams Company: Leading church key brand from the 1920s-50s

• Walter K. Freeman: Dominated church key market from the 1950s-1970s

• Swiss+Tech: Maker of popular multifunction "survival" tools with built-in church key

The Guys Who Started It All: Early Church Key Patents

While church keys seem like a gadget that‘s simply always been around, they were the brainchild of innovators who secured patents in the late 1800s:

• Charles Underwood: In 1892 this Vermont blacksmith patented an opener for bottle stoppers and tin caps made of wood with a metal tip and hanging hole.

• William Russell: In 1897 this North Carolina machinist patented the first church key designed to open both bottles and cans. His key featured the familiar triangular piercing tip still seen today.

These two pioneering devices laid the foundation for the classic church key design that‘s still used over a century later.

"Church Key" By Other Names

Though "church key" is the most common moniker, over the decades this indispensible tool has been known by other cheeky regional nicknames:

• Bar key – Common in Canada and the northern U.S., referencing use by bartenders

• Beer-buster – Used humorously in the western U.S.

• Gin opener – A joking name heard in the southwest U.S.

Church Keys & WWII Rations: A Lifesaver for Troops

As mentioned earlier, it was the U.S. military that really caused "church key" to catch on nationwide.

During WWII, compact church key openers proved invaluable for opening canned rations and drink containers distributed to service members in the field. The puncturing tip easily pierced can lids, providing quick access to contents without the need for cumbersome can openers.

Popular rations that troops would have tapped into with a trusty church key include:

• C-rations: Canned wet rations with ready-to-eat meat and vegetables

• K-rations: Highly portable daily combat rations with mini cans of meat, bread, and chocolate

• Cigarette packs: Individual cigarette packs were sealed shut to protect contents

Having an easy way to access canned nourishment and smoking supplies helped boost troop morale during wartime. The church key‘s usefulness and compact size made it a prized item among GIs.

Church Keys in Pop Culture

As a ubiquitous item since the early 20th century, the humble church key has made its way into popular culture in small but memorable ways:

• Custom branded church keys are popular giveaway items from breweries and bars

• Songs referencing church keys like "Massive Nights" by indie band The Hold Steady

• Vintage reproductions arecommon in gift shops and as collectibles

• In Mexico, the multi-tool version is called a "cubre bocas" (mouth cover) due to the humorous use of placing the tool over one‘s mouth as a makeshift mask

• Horror visual artist HR Giger designed a notable church key with a dark biomechanical look

• A young boy famously uses an oversized church key in a dream sequence from Tim Burton‘s Beetlejuice

10 Unique Uses for a Church Key

While opening bottles and cans are its claim to fame, people have come up with many unorthodox uses for the versatile church key over the years:

Around the House

• Prying off stuck jar lids
• Opening paint cans
• Lighting candles
• Removing battery compartments

Food Prep

• Shucking oysters
• Pitting cherries and olives
• Punching holes in juice cans to make sprinkler lids

DIY Jobs

• Loosening screws
• Cleaning dirt from beneath fingernails
• Mixing paint
• Stirring cocktails

Entertainment

• Making music by tapping on bottles
• Playing tic-tac-toe in the dirt
• Creating sparks by striking flint

So don‘t limit yourself to just beverages – a trusty church key has dozens of helpful household uses!

Famous Florida Keys Bars That Depended on the Church Key

The laidback Florida Keys are known for attractions like pristine beaches, epic sportfishing, and of course, iconic bars and restaurants. Here are two historic Keys establishments where church keys came in handy:

Sloppy Joe‘s (Key West)

This famous Duval Street bar opened in 1933 during Prohibition. Patrons discreetly used church keys to tap beer barrels hidden beneath trap doors in the floor. When Prohibition ended, Sloppy Joe‘s became a beloved watering hole frequented by Ernest Hemingway.

Green Turtle Inn (Islamorada)

Opened in 1947, this rustic inn and its mahogany bar became a relaxing retreat for famous writers and presidents alike. Locals and tourists still flock there today for the turtle chowder, Key lime pie, and lively atmosphere. Church keys have doubtlessly opened thousands of brews over the years at the Green Turtle!