Tuesday 22 April 2008

back at the house a bottle is found....

Right. Well this little problem has been nagging away at me now for more than a month, so I'm going to admit defeat and throw it open to the floor. Maybe you can help me.

When we were in Austria a few weeks ago, we paid a visit to the Ottakringer brewery shop. It so happened that we were in the neighbourhood where Vienna's most famous beer was made, so we decided to have a quick look see. Amongst the many different varieties of beer, they had a few bits of merchandise. Amongst all of the t-shirts, fleeces, tea trays, umbrellas and the like, I spotted a key ring. I did need a new one, and it seemed pretty cheap - so I bought it.



But here's the thing, it appears to have three functions. The first two I can work out for myself without any great difficulty.

-> thing to attach keys to to make them harder to lose
-> handy bottle opener

Great. Those two things were the main reason I bought it.

But what's the other bit for? That bit on the top, just above the hooked bit, where a little groove has been cut into the metal. It is clearly there by design, but I'm blowed if I can work out what it has been designed to do.



Peter and I studied it closely over a Wurst and a beer at a street stand later on that same afternoon. Perhaps it was for opening cans?

We tried it.

Nope. Useless.

Perhaps for removing the foil from bottles of wine?

Nah. Too blunt and not exactly fit for purpose.

Opening letters?

Why the hell would you attach that to a key ring? Couldn't you just use a key?



I wouldn't say that this was occupying a whole lot of brain space, but it has been gnawing away at me for weeks.

What the bloody hell could it be for?

Any suggestions?

10 comments:

  1. To hook on pants, pocket, or belt. Like a golf tool?

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  2. If you're referring to the slot above the bottle opening part, it is supposed to be used to lift the tab on a can, either soda or beer. I've never used one for that function, and that one looks rather small.

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  3. yup, its meant to be used a can opener. The bottle opener is a standard design, so they've obviously just shrunk this one down and not removed the can opening feature.

    I've only ever used it once so it does work.

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  4. I can say with certainty, that goofy little top thing is to lift (but not fully open) the tab on a can of beer.

    Its the kind of thing you only need if you have arthritis or chew your nails so bad you have nubs.

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  5. Nice title choice. Has Scott Walker not done any songs about drinking?

    As for the keyring, I only have the same ideas as yourself and your contributors. Sorry.

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  6. Sarah - if he did, I'm sure they're better !

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  7. Uh...I have one of these that I picked up at a brewery tour. And it never occurred to me to wonder what the other bit was for.

    Was that helpful? No?!

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  8. it's an... EAGLES CLAW! ask not why... only be thankful for when you need it!

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  9. I believe that the purpose of the groove will remain a mystery for years, maybe even decades. Then, one day, you'll be trekking through dense undergrowth, searching for Olmec ruins in South America. You'll come across a huge forgotten monument, lost to civilisation for milennia. Covered by vegetation, you eventually clear a path to what appears to be the entrance, but find your way blocked by two vast stone doors, that you're unable to open. You look around you for any clues, only to see a small indentation in the wall on one side. An indentation that fits the exact proportions of the bottle opener! Strange indentation and all!

    And then you'll realise that you left it in the cutlery drawer in the kitchen next to the cake forks.

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