Does this quirky-looking item look
The Mystery Tool From Your Childhood: A Roller Skate Key
If you grew up in the 1950s–1970s, you might remember a small metal tool that looked like a bottle opener.
Its real purpose? It was a roller skate key.
Back then, roller skates had metal bases and leather straps that had to be tightened over your shoes.
Every pair came with a key, which kids used to “tighten or loosen the skates for the perfect fit.”
Many wore it on a string around their neck—lose it, and you often had to buy a new pair.
For those who remember using them, these keys are nostalgic collectibles.
Vintage roller skate keys can even be surprisingly valuable to collectors.
If this sparked memories, other mystery items from the past also had surprisingly practical uses, waiting to be rediscovered.
