I was amazed to learn some interesting uses and reasons for every part of some items I use every day. In most cases, I knew one use but found out the item had several, some of which I could have benefited in the past.
Hopefully, you can use this information to make your life a bit easier or at least show off a bit at the next opportunity when you know something no one else knows.
① Jean’s Pocket Rivets.
Of course, those rivets add style and a bit of flash to the outfit, but they have a practical use too. Originally, jeans were work clothes, made for carpenters, gold miners and other types of workers.
When they put something in their pocket, like a gold nugget or a handful of nails, the pocket failed and ripped away from the jean. The rivets reinforce the pockets, so it doesn’t happen.
② The Stapler Base has a Dual Purpose
You may have wondered about the base of the stapler and why it has two different types of indentations. One of those makes regular staples, folding them down toward the inside for a compact hold. When you push up on the anvil, it can swivel and then allow you to staple with the ends folded outward for temporary stapling or on fabric.
③ The Small Arrow on your Car’s Fuel Gauge
Normally, cars have a little gas pump on their fuel gauge, plus the information on how much gas you have, but they also have a small arrow on one side or the other of that small gas pump. That arrow indicates which side of the car the fuel door is so you can pull up to the pump correctly, even in a rental car.
④ Your Lock has a Hole in It.
Have you ever looked closely at a padlock and noticed one side has the place for the key and the other side has a hole. Locks are used outside and subject to the weather. Not only can you oil a lock through that hole, but also it is a drain for water after a drop of rain, so it doesn’t get rusty.
⑤ End of a Tape Measure.
Some tape measures have serrated edges and a hole in the metal end. Others may just have a hole. There are reasons for both. The serration can etch a mark if you don’t have or want to use a pencil and the hole can hook to a nail to eliminate the need for a second person holding it.
image: youtube
⑥ Your Phone Battery will Tell you if it’s Wet.
If you worry your phone is wet, check the battery. You’ll often see a small square or circle. It’s normally a light color, but when it gets wet, it changes to a red color.
image: youtube
The indicator is on the SIM card on later phones like Apple Smartphones or the iPhone 5. To have a good look at the moisture indicator, try using a highlighted magnifying glass or turn your iPhone around beneath a light until you see the indicator clearly.
⑦ The Lumpy Keys on your Keyboard.
Two letters, F and J, have a small raised bar. I’ll give you a minute while you check your keyboard. Those bars are physical guides for the touch method. You place your index fingers on them.
⑧ Right Way to Tear Off a Sticky Note.
Believe it or not, you might be ripping sticky notes off wrong. If you pull it up from the bottom, it can create a bend in the paper and cause it to roll.
Tearing the note straight across at the top keeps your sticky notes flat and like new.
image: whitehorses.nl
⑨ If you Have an iPhone, There’s a Tiny Hole at the Top.
Your iPhone is supposed to have a hole between the flash and the camera lens. It serves a big purpose. It helps keep the sound around you down and allows your voice heard more clearly.
⑩ Dent in the Bottle of Wine Started Out Differently
Initially, the conic interior of a wine bottle called punts occurred because of the way bottles were made, but they also serve a purpose. If you’re serving champagne or anything that is sparkling, it helps lower the stress on the bottle at the seams and bottom by distributing the pressure evenly. For regular wine, it prevents sedimentation from going into the glasses when you pour it by accumulating it around the punt.
⑪ A Garlic Press can be Used for other Things.
You may have noticed a pin on the inside of one handle of a garlic press and a hole on the other handle. That’s because the garlic press does double duty. It not only crushes garlic, but the pin and hole also create a cherry pitter.
image: grafvision
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