Tools, Gadgets, and Widgets - Graphite

Thursday it was cold, not frigid, but temps were in the high teen or low twenties. Typical Winter weather for New England. Imagine my surprise when I came home after running errands and my house key wouldn't fit into the lock.  The key wouldn't fit into the lock all the way. The shaft fit, but not up to the shoulder of the key. WTH? Was it cold enough to freeze the locks off the brass door knob? Fortunately, for me, The Eldest was enjoying her day off from work, heard me leaning on the doorbell, and opened the front door.

The night before I had complained to Himself that I had difficulty getting the front door to unlock. He said he would spray some liquid graphite into the lock, but with his five jobs and finals week approaching, the lock never got its serving of liquid graphite.

Before leaving the house on the following, cold day, I tried the key and it still wouldn't turn in the lock. Himself had said liquid graphite, but I had no idea where he kept it. It must be stored in the garage somewhere on his work bench, but I don't often venture into areas where spiders lurk.

I did find in my tool bag, the nub of a  woodless, graphite pencil. Rubbed the pencil on all over the shaft of the key and inserted it into the lock. It fit and turned smoothly. Oh my gawd, he was right! It worked. Himself is wicked smaht.  Good thing for me because the only one  home was Ink, but without thumbs, he wouldn't have been able to unlock the door from the inside.

The pencil is now resting on the window sill inside the front porch. Just in case.