The story behind Rinkey Dinkey - Jewelry Thief Car Key

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In 1999, when car keys were becoming larger to accommodate remote controls, Steve invented a key that maintained a natural appearance while housing a reel in its top.

This was a crazy feat of miniaturization because it was at a time when reels were still the size of a fist and years before small badge retractor reels became ubiquitous at office supply stores.

Perfecting the design took a few years, with molds and mechanics designed in Switzerland and manufacturing taking place in Asia. Communication relied on fax, and corrections (wax models and mockups; this was pre-CAD software) were sent via expensive FedEx shipments and trips half way around the globe. Compared to today, this was a major undertaking usually reserved for large companies acting in much bigger markets.

By 2000/2001, the awkwardly named invention graced full-page ads in Magic Magazine, making history. Amusingly, the key unlocked Steve's Nissan, and he found it hilarious that thousands of people could unknowingly open his car.

Rinkey Dinky's launch made waves in the pre-Internet era, where a cool product advertised in a real magazine sold throughout the entire year.

Over the years Hottrix agreed to the creation of updated versions such as PropDog's Ring Flight Revolution, which first looked like a fat fob to resemble 2014 mainstream cars, then like a skinny key to a Mini, which seemed to heavily inspire a gentleman in LA who is know to defend his "inventions" vigorously...

Stolen 25 years too late

Genius re-invents the reel
In 2024, a merchant and self-proclaimed "Genius inventor" made the dubious claim of having invented a car key with a built-in reel—a concept that sounds all too familiar.

Experts, reviewers, retailers, and consumers agree: They see it as a ripoff, a clone, a pseudo-improvement, down to the outdated car key style from decades ago. A social media meme even compared the Genius inventor to a dim time traveler returning to 2024 proudly announcing a louder beeper and a faster Fax Machine.

Shockingly, the same wholesalers and resellers who originally traded Rinkey Dinky distributed this product, as if the original had never existed or as if it were perfectly acceptable to proclaim another's invention as one's own.

If this blatant theft of intellectual property is indeed taking place, it appears to be condoned and legitimized on all fronts—a true sign that the once-lauded code of ethics among magicians has vanished. We're getting the popcorn ready...

Our favorite meme so far:

User submitted and spot-on! Thanks, DM!

Purchase Now

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The reviews are in!

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