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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    113
    Country: United States

    Default Any idea what this key is for?

    I'm not sure how I came into possession of this key. It is a little under 2 inches in length. The bow is steel but the shaft is brass. At the far end, it has been squeezed into a triangle shape approx. 1/4 inch on a side. it resembles a key that would be used to open a miniature Raco. Thoughts? Pictures coming in next post

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    113
    Country: United States

    Default

    Here are pics:

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    It definitely looks to be homemade or fabricated- looks just like a radiator valve key or a clock winding key!

    The fact that the metal at the 'business' end is so thin suggests it doesn't have to apply a lot of torque to whatever it operates- it'd just distort and split open if it did.

    The end has just been squashed cold to form the triangle like you said- it has the tell-tale crease lines down the centre of each 'flat' of the triangle. Normally a manufactured key would be cut or broached into more solid material to get the shaped section up the end- look at an S&G or LaGard timelock key for example.

    It wouldn't be very strong as it is, so can only guess if it was for any sort of simple lock it may have been homemade as window lock key or something like that?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Devon UK
    Posts
    3,117
    Country: UK

    Default

    I have seen keys with a bow like that mass produced for clocks

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    I think that's it Tom- looking closer at the bow it looks to be stamped out.

    It's the thin squashed business end that got me guessing as it just doesn't look to be properly manufactured- not even for something cheaply mass produced!

    1950s~60s perhaps? Loads of cheap mass produced clocks and clockwork wind-up toys were being made, so a clockwork toy key might also be a possibility? It would have to be a very light action to the mechanism for brass as thin as that to work.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    88
    Country: Australia

    Default Music Box or Orrery?

    As has been established, this is almost certainly a winding key.

    The key may be for a small clock or a toy, as suggested, however it most closely resembles the winding keys I've seen for many music boxes & one for a clockwork orrery - a moving model of the solar system. (not all orreries have movements).

    Here is a link to a few music box winding keys : http://www.thetinmaninc.net/sitebuil...nMan092437.jpg

    ...mercury

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Toronto, Ca
    Posts
    28
    Country: Canada

    Default

    Definitely look like a winding key :)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Toronto, Ca
    Posts
    28
    Country: Canada

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Gordon View Post
    I have seen keys with a bow like that mass produced for clocks
    I agree with you, It looks also like a homemade key.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    34
    Country: UK

    Default

    If it were in the UK, I'd suggest it was a homemade meter box key.

    UK meter boxes use a triangular key that engages a simple fingerproof latch.

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