After I read a post from a member wanting to hollow out a round toothpick so he could insert his three feet of dental floss, I realized how special space is to EDC items.

Here is a suggestion for your key ring. If you have two Ford keys (double cut) on your ring, did you know that you can cut one key to accomodate both vehicles? Actually this applies to other vehicles (Chevy for example) if they have a double cut ignition/door key. These double cut keys are cut the same on each side as a convenience. You can't put the key in wrong. This is helpful in low or no light situations. Find a key maker with the old type key grinder. WalMart won't work because when they insert the key to copy, it cuts both sides. Trick is to get the man with the old key grinder to cut one side ONLY with say, your truck key, and cut the other side with your car key.
You give up the convenience of inserting it without looking but you gain by having only one key for two vehicles. Then, drill a 1/4" hole in the big part of the key. Drill the hole to one side, not the middle. Then you will be able to see at a glance which key fits which car. Example: Hole up, fits the truck, down fits the car. Or, rather than the hole, file a notch on one side of the big part and you can find it with your fingernail. You will soon get used to getting it right simply by viewing the hole or feeling the notch. I have had two key cutters tell me it won't work but I assure you it will. This same procedure will work for the round trunk/glove box key. You have reduced four keys to TWO.

Now, about that hollow toothpick............................... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

If you don't have the security resistor in the key (GM did away with it in the mid 90's and went to a hall effect sensor in the lock to read the key) you can melt the big plastic head off of it to make it thinner and fit in a wallet ot whatever easier.

A related idea: if the front and back doors of your house use different keys, and you carry both, consider changing the locks so the same key fits both.

I've done this at two houses and I find it makes life easier. I believe it is marginally more secure, too. I gather the disadvantage is that if you lose a key, you have to change both locks rather than one; but in practice if I lose one key I'll probably lose the other at the same time. Ditto if you lend a key to a friend who you later decide not to trust.

Big waste of money Brangdon to change a lock. To match the two locks to one key, just take the other lock to a locksmith and have the pins replaced to match. In a similar case where you just purely want to change the locks to keep your ex-wife out or whatever, take both locks to a locksmith and have a pin or two rearranged and get the appropriate key to match. Much cheaper than changing locks, especially if you are dealing with an expensive commercial lock. In the scenario you describe with a matched pair and a lost key, no problem. Again, take one of the locks to a locksmith and have a key made and presto, you again have a set of matching locks with a key. In the case of keys, any key, I ALWAYS have a back up. In some cases, a backup to the backup. It is much too easy to lock your keys in the car. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

You can get the keys without that black stuff on it. Well at least for me Chevy locks.
My dad got 16 locks keyed for all the same key. Great, one key for not only the door, but the security door, and all the other doors.

Lazer, you are correct on the rubberless key blank. WalMart does have most auto key blanks without that glob on it so I would assume any locksmith would too. Additional on turning two keys into one, if you want to find this little gem on your ring in the dark, they make an oversize blank (big head). You now have an almost "braille" key. Not only locate it by feel but get it turned appropriately for the vehicle at hand, all without ever looking at the key. Wow, I oughta charge for this information! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'm still pondering how to hollow out that toothpick! <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I got a spare once without the black part but then couldn't fid them the last time (still need to make one for the new truck) so I had to melt the silly black crap off.

Post deleted by Chris Kavanaugh

I’m another one that does not carry keys every day. My house is key padded to allow entry with out a key and backed up with an outdoor key safe for power outages and electrical problems. Mostly I just lock up to keep some poor fool from wondering in and getting himself into trouble.
My Fila waits everyday in the hope that today is his lucky day so I want it very obvious that they had to break in to get in.
He is pretty watchful even saw a painter I had hired pick something up in my house one day and cornered him in the front yard to keep him from getting away. He was about 4-5 feet away from the painter just holding him in the corner of the fence until I got there. Poor guy had just tried to carry a load of his tool out to the truck without me being there. Its ok to come and go or to bring stuff into the house you just can’t leave with stuff. Since he had been there for 2-3 days he thought Bear’s watching of him was just Bear’s way of trying to figure out how to paint.
I had explained the deal to him he just thought I was pulling his leg. Little did he know that Bear is very serious about his "job".

Hello Warmachine. Another country heard from. I am so pleased that you are happy with your keypad. If I told you it is easier to defeat a keypad than a good lock, would you believe it? Being the nice fella that I am, I won't post instructions for defeating key pads. My post was to assist all the other neanderthals out there that still use keys! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />