It's called a radiator key
The receiver will be top right, insert, turn, close when water begins to expel; rinse and repeat
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:39, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

it has 4 ends!

( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:41, Reply)

Dur the receiver will be at the top, generally right hand side, you'll note that it's triangle shaped
As a female you may still not be able to find it though.
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:42, Reply)

May not be triangular
Depends on the age of the system.

Squares, triangles and hexagons but a 4 ended key should fit anything.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:46, Reply)

Oh it's the key she was going on about ;/
I've only ever had recourse to the triangular one, across rads maybe for a 20 year period. How I've never come across the other ones is beyond me.
Rory /blog
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:51, Reply)

Depends on the age and quality of the system
If it's square it's the awful microbore stuff designed by '80's people and it won't work very well anyway.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:58, Reply)

It'll have a hexagonal end
That's the one you want.

You'll find a hexagonal bit at the top of the radiator.

Go to the highest radiator in your house and bleed that first.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:43, Reply)

Also if it's one of the cheaper keys for 49 p it's bound to snap after the first rad
due to it being a cheap piece of shit
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:45, Reply)

nah I like tools
so I got a metal one
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:46, Reply)

I've never seen a non metallic one
The cheaper ones consist of a really shit metal alloy, which snaps on the first rad when tightening the valve. Then it's oh noes woe is me.
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:49, Reply)

And the best thing about radiator keys?
Depending on the type of toilets you have in work, you might be able to lock it from the outside, meaning if you coordinate your trips to the toilet so you get there just after the cleaners leave, you can lock a trap from the outside and have your own, private WC.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 20:49, Reply)