Opening A Can Of Beer Or Soda With A Church Key

Around the end of World War Two, popular bottled beverages were packaged in single-use, single-serving steel cans so they could be shipped long distances without breakage. The popularity of this packaging method continued after the war because of the high level of protection it offers.

The contents of this type of can are either poured out or imbibed directly from the can through a small hole made in the top or bottom of the can just prior to use. Usually, a second small hole is made to permit air to enter the can as the contents are emptied, allowing free flow. Although subsequent discussion refers to the top of the can, either end of such a can can be opened because the top and bottom are identical.

A tool is needed to make the two holes. Although any suitable implement (e.g., a screwdriver or nail) can be used, the preferred means is a purpose-built device often referred to as a “church key,” based on its supposed resemblance to an old-fashioned key of the sort used for church door locks. The analogy of using a key to access locked-away contents is fairly obvious, and the reference to a place of worship has several interesting connotations. An alternative explanation for the name is that opening too many bottles or cans of beer would land the user in church for repentance and general life-straightening-out.

The nominal church key is a one-piece tool, usually about 3” x 3/4” and made of steel, although brass is popular for marine environments because it doesn't corrode in salt water. A talon-like point on one end of the church key is used to make a triangular hole near the edge of the top of the can and a second hole across from the first. A small tab projecting from the underside of the key's business end fits under the seam around the can's top. This provides a fulcrum so that leverage can be applied to the piercing point by prying up on the other end of the key. This prying/piercing motion is executed twice, once for each hole.

It was once common practice to wear a church key threaded on a string or chain around the neck to ensure availability. Church keys can still be found at garage sales and junk stores, but have essentially disappeared since their utility vanished with the introduction in the early sixties of “easy-open” aluminum cans, which can be opened without a tool. Many church keys, in addition to the piercing point at one end, have a similar but rounded arrangement at the other for removing bottle caps, although the need for a bottle-opening tool also faded somewhat with the advent of twist-off caps. Today some bottled beverages still require a bottle opener, but it is rare to find a beverage can that requires a church key.