Autopian Asks superfans will note that we already did a keychain question back in July of last year (What Keychains Are You Rocking?), but that Ask was more about the fun little tchotchkes like those below that some us hang off our keyrings to amuse ourselves, or perhaps to alert others to our level of car-coolness.
With that in mind, I can’t help but think of a boss I once had who, when he had a Ferrari in the 1980s, would casually place his keys on the bar when sidling up to a lady during happy hour. Or so I was told – the Ferrari was gone by the time I started there. I was also told the reason the Ferrari was no more was because it was once parked behind a lifted Jeep, and when the Jeep driver looked into his rear-view and saw nothing but clear driveway, he shifted into R and promptly backed over the Ferrari, monster-truck style. This story was confirmed by both my former boss and the Jeep driver, who was an employee at the time, and remained one even after going Full Monster Jam on the boss’s Ferrari.
Needless to say, those guys rule.
Anyway, back to this keychain query, where the focus is more on utility. I wouldn’t call myself an EDC nerd (EveryDay Carry – though knowing the term does kinda make me an EDC nerd, I guess), but I do enjoy choosing, or dare I say curating, nicely designed tools to keep on my person throughout the day. The level of kit I have in my pockets varies with what I expect the day to have in store for me, but I usually keep it pretty simple with just a flashlight and a knife (as seen in the top graphic). By affixing them to my keyring, I don’t have to think about making sure I have them with me – if I have my keys, I have my knife and flashlight. Add an AirTag in case I lose track of the whole shebang, and that’s my keychain situation.
The knife is a Victorinox SD Classic, which packs a small blade, scissors, nail file, screwdriver, toothpick, and tweezers into a mere 2.3 inches. I don’t think I’ve ever used the toothpick, but all the other items have seen plenty of action. I do wish it had a bottle opener though, as I usually grab a Mexican Coke on the way out of Home Depot, and the lovely glass bottle’s cap doesn’t twist off. Thankfully, Victorinox also offers the Rally, which is identical to the Classsic SD but swaps the scissors for a neatly designed tool that combines a bottle opener, wire stripper, and Phillips screwdriver.
As for the flashlight, it’s an Olight i3E EOS. I like this lil’ guy because it runs on a single AAA battery instead of button cells, and there’s no switch to accidentally click – to turn it on and off, you just twist the threaded lens end to make or break contact with the battery. Simple and goof-proof – and waterproof, too, thanks to an o-ring seal. Best of all, it’s just ten bucks.
“Pffft, I just use the flashlight on my phone.” Well yeah, so do I, but sometimes you need to use both your hands to fix whatever you’re shining the flashlight onto. The Olight is easy to tuck behind an ear or hold with your teeth in those situations, and it’s a backup if your phone dies.
I may not be prepared for everything, but I’m gonna be prepared for some things.
Your turn:
I have a base key chain with door keys and such attached to a brass dog clip and then I use Nite Ize locking S-biners to attach additional fobs, other key rings or Flipper One entertainment as needed. I have a small 2″ Boker “tactical” knife usually in my watch pocket, but it can be key-chained for reduced usability. I’ve never been into the 50 keys on a chain biker aesthetic, but did the cable spool janitor thing for one project years ago.
For the Mini fob a genuine Mini aluminium and cord keyring and a super limited edition Danger Girl racing keyring (if you know who that is).
Ferrari has a genuine Ferrari branded rectangular black leather tag I got new from eBay. The soare set of keys has the orginial dealer supplied Ferrari shield key fob.
No Esso oil drop guy?
If I’m going to support any petroleum company it’s going to be Agip.
Your ignition switch was not designed to carry the weight of your half pound trinklet bracelet. These are the same guys that pack wallets that are 2 inches thick with shit they are never going to need.
Hard candy? Number for guitar lessons?
At most a door and gate key. I’ve seen mid 2000s gm’s where they key comes out and the vehicle freaks out. I’ve also seen ram FOBIKs with similar problems from people putting the whole world on something that has no business holding that much weight staticly much less with vehicle motion. Easy enough to throw my edc stuff in my pocket separately and doesn’t matter which keys I take.
Nite Ize G-series carabiners in different sizes.
I have a big one with keys attached to it on smaller ones I can detach. It comes in handy when I have the car warming up and have to run into the locked house to retrieve something I forgot.
I usually have it clipped to my backpack. I don’t like having stuff in my pockets.
I don’t like a lot of things in my pockets, so just the fob and house key. When I had real cars with actual keys, I kept the drilled out key on an old hood hitch pin and a separate ring for the apartment key.
I prefer to keep stuff in my car. For light, a vendor sent me 3 rechargeable LED headbands from Amazon instead of something completely different that I actually ordered and they refunded me and told me to just keep them. They sat for a while until one day, swearing at my phone’s shitty cosplay as a flashlight while working on my utility trailer, I remembered them and they’ve come in pretty handy since. There’s a wide, soft flood light setting and a separate spot light on the side that can be operated independently or together. They’re even fairly comfortable to wear. I have no idea what brand they are as they came in a plain box, but I highly recommend them.
I actually separate my house keys and all other necessary keys onto their own, separate (and simple ring style) key ring.
When car keys went to the huge fob style I let them live as their own thing in my pocket. Other keys get put in my backpack or the wife’s purse or something. Keyless start/entry also made this easier to live with but same principle applied to older cars before this as well.
I use the carabiner technique as I don’t exactly want to carry a was of keys everywhere. Thus I have my work keys on one ring, usually snapped onto it and then individual rings for each car that I swap on as needed. The key ring for my daily driver Fiat also has a house key and a handful of yellow stock tags I’ve collected from various car purchases. Mostly they make a good visual flag when I’m looking for them
Nite-Ize S-biners are perfect for this – one end has my house, garage, and mailbox keys, and I swap in whichever car key I’m using that day, so that I don’t have to lug around any more of those big chunky bricks than absolutely necessary.
When I started using S-biners for juggling car and bike keys, it was like a wow moment for me, as I’d originally purchased them for holding luggage zipper tabs together.
I keep my keys as small and light as possible so they’ll fit in the tiny coin pocket of my jeans. Back in HS I attached them to the end of my then puppy’s first chain collar (it was a key “chain”, get it?). The other end of the chain is clipped onto the belt loop right next to that pocket. A few years later in the mid 90s chains became popular and I was actually in style for a short period. Now it’s 30+ years later and I’m still rocking that exact same chain to hold my keys and as a result I’ve never lost them.
It’s not connected to my keys but for my EDC needs I’ve always got a knife in my pocket. I’ve got dozens and dozens that I like to cycle through but the 2 I carry the most is my classic Swiss Army Knife “Huntsman” which I added a pocket clip to and the other is a Buck Redpoint 750 which I can’t recommend enough. It’s incredibly well made with a sturdy blade and the best opening/closing mechanism I’ve ever used on any knife. Best of all it’s just not threatening looking in any way which helps if you work in an office environment but still need to be able to open boxes and cut the occasional cord. It’s the knife I always recommend to anyone looking for their first EDC or their 21st EDC knife.
I keep a Gerber EAB in my pocket – it looks like a money clip when folded and uses replaceable utility knife blades. The blade is easy to take out if you need to bring it through a strict security checkpoint.
I’ve got a Smith and Wesson Benji which is basically a money clip with a lock blade. The blade is only 1.5″ long and has a Tanto cut so it’s one of the most useless knives I own but I just love it. I ironically quote Crocodile Dundee every time I whip that tiny thing out 🙂
I’m totally sold on the Kershaw flipper system so all my knives are so equipped. For the last couple years my daily has been a Giant Mouse Jutland in burlap micarta, but the workhorse is a Kershaw Camber with an S30V blade that I snagged at an Idaho gun shop for $19.95.
I’ve got a Kershaw 8100 Funxion EMT with glass breaker and seatbelt cutter that I always keep in my car. It’s not my everyday knife but there are few things more satisfying than Kershaw’s assisted opening system.
Just the key fob and my late dogs’ tags as keychains, so a little part of them can still hang out with me wherever I go.
That’s really sweet!
I never carry tools on my keychain, although I know people who carry a screwdriver or spark plug gapper on their keys.
I keep a Kershaw Leek folding knife and a Coast G19 mini pen light in my pockets and have a belt buckle multitool
I’m extremely excited to answer this question.
Carabiner with house key + toolbox keys for work (I’m trying to see if there’s a way to unify all of them into a single lock to reduce keys/for my convenience, tips are appreciated).
Each vehicle key is separate, and has a small multi tool attached to it on that same split ring.
Move the carabiner to the vehicle I’m taking. That’s it! No excess weight on the ignition for any vehicle.
It’s possible, but might depend on the house cylinder and might require some security compromises in one or the other.
I’ve always tried to minimize keys, but special purposes are often easier or only available in certain types, so I have some really excessive keyrings.
There are good cylinders for toolboxes though.
Not a locksmith, just an enthusiast.
fob + a single 3/8″ drive six-point 10mm socket on a small aluminum carabiner
Nice
Since it is well known that 10mm sockets are cursed you must lose your keys all the time.
I don’t recall what I wrote last time.
Car Key and lock fob. That’s it.
I have another “key chain” I take with me with garage door opener and front door key.
They are too big together as one. They fit in my pocket better as separate chains.
At some point, one of my keys had eroded to a point that it would actually slip out of the keyhole, and leave the engine running. I suspected a too-heavy keychain.
If you want the scissors back in your small Swiss Army Knife, try the Rambler – it’s the Rally plus the SD’s scissors. I love mine…great little package.
I just do a visual identifier as I have two Fords of the same decade; the Focus has a Castrol fob b/c rally car livery.
I have my key fob. Attached are a key to my house and a grocery store loyalty card. Sorry to be so boring, but I don’t care for multi-tools and the like. I prefer good old purpose built tools (except for hammers – everything can be a hammer. Also, I have a olid dozen actual hammers).
The victorinox Philips works better than any driver variant I have ever tried.
I can’t figure out why, but it does.
Nothing on my car key fob. I don’t want my ignition switch pulling an early 2000’s GM ignition impersonation on me. My house keys however, about one of everything I think I may need away from home. Mini tape measure, level, mail keys, compass, Swiss knife, flashlight, and a miniature rubber chicken for fun.
Keyless.
My phone is my car key. I do keep a backup RFID card in my wallet because phone and car updates have been known to make the phone key a little flaky.
My Triumph Acclaim is, of course, a Rock & Roll Machine.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53878507202_7aed4899af_z.jpg
My key fobs are attached to a Ridge keycase. The key case keeps the house keys organized and prevents unwanted pokes from the keys in sensitive areas.
I got an AZ green Tea Lanyard I wear with my Leaf key, I put it in an aluminum faraday cage called the Vault from a company called GoDark when not using it.
I’ll read the article in a bit (added to my Glovebox), but here’s my first thought: Why don’t you “fix’ most people’s keychain situations by offering a lightweight, sturdy, and right-sized Autopian keychain for purchase???
With a built-in flashlight please.
I have the key to my Jeep, a Bern keychain flipper knife, a bic lighter on a lighter leash, spare key to my shitbox, a bottle opener for…..reasons, and back door keys to 6 different post offices. I feel like if I add anything else I’m gonna screw up my ignition lol
nothing. just the key FOB and it stays in my pocket since I have auto start. Even when I did have a ‘real key’, I didn’t like anything else on it rattling around.
Mine is extremely minimal as I don’t like a bunch of extra clangy, dangly stuff, nor having 8 trillion keys stuffed into a biblically accurate Eldritch abomination of brass and reward cards.
Keycase, a bottle opener, and the car key/fob I’m using that day. That’s it.
I hate having my pockets stuffed full of crap, so it’s just the car keys and/or fob, and each car has its own keyring. No baubles or other junk, and I have a keypad door lock, so I don’t even have a house key on my keyrings.
I would install a keypad door lock, but my wife said no because, “It will make the house look like a rental.” I don’t really agree, and who cares, but, pick your battles, right?
Forget what it looks like – it’s a great leap in convenience. Our current house doesn’t have a door between the garage and the house, so we have to use an exterior door for all access. It’s so much easier when carrying a bag of groceries to tap the keypad than it is to isolate the right key, line it up and shove it into the keyhole and then twist.
I agree completely. I think it looks fine and is convenient, but it’s not a fight I can win.
I’m hearing the Impressive Clergyman from Princess Bride: “Mawwiage. Mawwiage is what bwings us together today. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam. And wuv, true wuv, will follow you foweva, so tweasure your wuv”
And never again will you experience that rush of defeat the second you hear the door close and realize you don’t have your keys.