Gift of the Magi

The idea of joining beer can tabs together to make a chain was inspired by remembering the O. Henry story 'The Gift of the Magi' It was written a while ago and you can read it for free:

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Four_Million/The_Gift_of_the_Magi

In the story a young wife wants to buy her husband a chain for his prized pocket watch.

It made me wonder if a pocket watch chain could made from beer can tabs.

Beer Can tabs.

Collect enough tabs from beverage cans to make a chain.

Cut each tab on the upper right. Don't cut in the middle as the idea of cutting to the right means the cuts will be off set when 2 tabs are combined together.

Place two tabs together facing each. This way the cuts are on opposing sides, making the links stronger and less likely to come apart.

Link with another pair of tabs. Glue the pair of facing tabs together using a hot glue gun.

Continue to add links to extend the chain to the desired length.

Before attaching the chain to a pocket watch a strength test was performed by attaching a handheld baggage scale and attempting to lift a 8-kilogram weight. The chain broke after the strain reached about 5-kilograms. The strength test demonstrated the chain is not strong enough to secure a valuable item like a pocket watch and should not be used.

However, the breaking and releasing of the chain at about 5 kg of strain could be used as a positive. Many people do not like to wear an l.D. lanyard around their neck as it could be grabbed hold of and pulled. A beer can lanyard would have the built in safety feature of releasing on being yanked.