Skating on roller skates is a recreational activity that many generations of children and people of all ages have enjoyed.
It has been suggested that roller skates were used for the first time in a stage performance in London as early as 1743. John Joseph Merlin, residing in London at the time (1760), claims to have invented the roller skate.
Even during World War II, when the United States had the notion of using them to move infantry around Europe to save gas, they were a factor. Unfortunately, this plan was never put into action.
In the United States, roller skating became a well-liked activity for the first time in 1935. In the 1970s, disco music was played at skating rinks, contributing to the sport’s meteoric popularity.
Remember those heavy metal skates that attached to your shoes and adjusted as your feet grew? You may have lovely memories of those skates if you are of a certain age. However, you probably don’t recall a metal object that came with these skates and that most skaters carried around their necks.
Images of the mysterious object with a coppery color are going around various social media websites. Many people are guessing that it is a bottle opener or some other kind of tool.
In fact, it is a skate key, and prior to the 1970s, anyone who owned roller skates was required to have one at all times.
Rollfast ad / Facebook
Skates would be strapped to your shoe, and the size could be adjusted using the skate key provided by the maker.
The key was designed to fit into the back of the pair of skates, and most people wore it around their necks so that they wouldn’t lose it while they were skating.
This essential piece of skating equipment has even inspired songs that have been composed about it.
Do you remember skate keys? We would love it if you shared your roller skating experiences with us on our Facebook website.
Also, don’t neglect to tell your friends about this funny memory.
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