How To Lock Registers On Old Homes

Putting Brass to Job

These indispensable openers—frequently fabricated of brass—can do more than provide access. Read on to unlock new uses.

1. Use equally a Plumb Bob

Tie a key to a cord when you need a vertical reference line for indoor jobs, such as hanging wallpaper. Because the key is apartment, information technology will sit flush against the wall, unlike a regular plumb bob, making it easier to check that your piece of work is straight equally y'all go.

ii. Plow Them into Hooks

Bend the keys using pliers and a crescent wrench—if keys are onetime and brittle, you may want to heat them over a gas burner offset to make the metallic more than pliable and prevent them from slap-up. Attach to a piece of wood with decorative nails or tacks.

3. Clean Kick Treads

Employ a key to dig out caked-on mud from the soles of piece of work boots. The tip fits between treads perfectly.

4. Counterbalance Down Curtains

Slip keys into the hem pocket along the bottom edge of lightweight drapes that are about a informal floor annals, to keep them from bravado around.

v. Pop a Top

Take hold of the border of a beer or soda canteen cap with a key's teeth and lever it off.

6. Ballast a Balloon

Tie a few loose keys to the ribbon on a political party-ready helium balloon to go along it from floating abroad.

7. Create a Door Chinkle

Suspend keys from staggered lengths of fishing line attached along the edge of a narrow lath with eye screws. Hang on a door to warning yous when someone is entering.

eight. Distress Furniture

Place several old keys on a band and adhere to a slice of cord or a long cypher necktie. Beat furniture with the keys to create indentations where wear marks might occur naturally with historic period.