Do you know what the item pictured above this story is? If you were born after the 1970s, you likely have absolutely no idea what it is.

Back in the day, before kids were obsessed with playing on various pieces of high-tech gadgets, rollerskating was all the rage. Many years ago, the skating shoes looked quite different from the roller-skates that young people are probably picturing right now.

You could not just slip on these metal roller-skates. Instead, you had to strap them on over your shoes and then make sure they were tight enough that you would not fall over. If you’re wondering how these clunky skates stayed in place, that’s where this item comes in!

This item is actually a skate key! If you’re over a certain age, you likely recognized it immediately. Each pair of skates would come with a key that fits into a hexagonal loop on the top so you can adjust the fit of the skate and tighten it.

While skating, most people would wear the key around their neck so that they would not lose it. If you ever were to lose your skate key, the skates would be rendered useless and you would have to go out and buy a new pair.

It’s always interesting to take a walk down memory lane and look at items us older folks remember that kids these days don’t even recognize. Did you recognize the skate key? Let us know in the comments section.