Shackle Keys

Product Description

Stainless Steel Shackle Key Stainless steel shackle key, manufactured from 316 stainless steel for a long-lasting stain-free appearance.  These shackle keys have a looped end so that they can be attached to your key-ring so that they are always to hand for tightening or loosening shackles around the boat.  

The shackle key is used by inserting the end of the shackle pin into the slot and sliding it along until it grips, before turning to loosen or tighten the shackle pin. We have all been in that situation where you've been up on deck to do a simple job like hoisting the main sail or setting the anchor and for some unexpected reason you have found yourself wanting to remove a shackle which is just too tight to undo by hand.  Well next time this happens, make sure you have one of these handy shackle keys with you (attached to your key-ring or lanyard). These are suitable for most types of shackle including our standard short D-shackles, long D-shackles, bow-shackles and flat-shackles, as well as our swivels, all of which can be found here.  

These marine-grade stainless shackle keys also include a flat end which will in some cases be useful as a screw-driver, and a beer bottle opener (essential equipment on your boat!).  We have also found that for smaller 3-strand rope these can be used in a similar way to a marlinspike to aid splicing, by pushing the flat end of the shackle key between and strands of the rope and then using the shackle key slot as an opening to push the end of the rope though.  A guide to rope splicing can be found in our blog pages. These shackle keys would make an ideal gift for any sailor, even if it is a gift to yourself.