Yale logo and after market keys

[Dean Nickel]

I found several keys that I know are about 80+ years old but I have a question that someone might know. When did they copper wash keyheads? At least I think it is copper wash as I can't see them using gold. But here is the thing... it hasn't tarnished much at all compared to the rest of the key heads.

[Pschiffe]

I found several keys that I know are about 80+ years old but I have a question that someone might know. When did they copper wash keyheads? At least I think it is copper wash as I can't see them using gold. But here is the thing... it hasn't tarnished much at all compared to the rest of the key heads.

Dean, check them with a magnet. Early Yale catalogs I have showing those lever tumbler padlock blanks say they are made of "coined nickel bronze" while Graham describes them as "milled nickel silver".

Pete Schifferli

[Timothy]

Dean
Nice of finding those keys. I'm sure would like to have those keys blank as they are still hard to find them. Every once awhile they have them on eBay but the price are way too high. I just wish ILCO Key Company would start making those old timer keys blank as there are so many of the padlock still on the market....Timothy...

[Pschiffe]

Dean
Nice of finding those keys. I'm sure would like to have those keys blank as they are still hard to find them. Every once awhile they have them on eBay but the price are way too high. I just wish ILCO Key Company would start making those old timer keys blank as there are so many of the padlock still on the market....Timothy...

Actually Ilco (and others) did offer those blanks for the Yale lever tumbler "standard" model padlocks back in the day:

• Yale 82 = unknown
• Yale 84 = Graham 2736
• Yale 86 = Old Ilco 993, Keil 44A, Curtis Y44, Niessen 121, Graham 2736E
• Yale 87 = Old Ilco 992, Keil 44B, Curtis Y43, Niessen 122, Graham 2736D
• Yale 88 = Old Ilco 991, Keil 44C, Curtis Y42, Niessen 123, Graham 2736C
• Yale 89 = Old Ilco 990, Keil 44D, Niessen 124, Graham 2736B

See thumbnail attached. All are obsolete and Ilco is the only extant after market manufacturer. Unfortunately they have no interest in producing blanks that do not sell in large volume.

Pete Schifferli

[xavier]

Can anyone send me the name and contact info for purchasing a replacement black handle for this old PROTECTALL combination safe? Many sincere thanks, X.R.

[Timothy]

xavier your information on Handle should be post in the Safe, Strogrooms & Vault.

[Dean Nickel]

Its a pity they didn't put a length in that catalog. I have several different sizes and would love to know the OEM part number.

[Timothy]

Dean & Pete
I'm really sure there are a lot of locksmith would like to order box of all the key as what Pete give per attached. Like I said many time as all those padlock still here as some don't have key. I'm sure most people who collect these padlock would like those key beside just using a plain old flat steel key. I has wrote letter to Ilco Company about why not start making these key as they still on market. Never got any answer from them....Timothy.....

[YALE7750]

I've collected Yale locks and keys for decades, and best I can tell, they started sometime around 1895-1900 and stopped sometime in the 1920's. The first key pictured has the "Yale made is Yale marked" slogan, which was used sometime in the late 1910's-early 1920's. I have a few pin-tumbler keys with this coloring marked YALE with a border around the word just like the first key pictured, and "security" along the blade, and many more without the gold color. All of these are at least prior to the late 1920's when the border around YALE was removed from keys. The same is true of Y&T paracentric keys--I have some with a striking gold color on the heads only, and many without (it may have worn off). I believe paracentric keys were introduced sometime in the 1890's (I can't remember the exact date).

[Pschiffe]

Y&T paracentric keys--I have some with a striking gold color on the heads only, and many without (it may have worn off). I believe paracentric keys were introduced sometime in the 1890's (I can't remember the exact date).

Cylinder Lock Key - The original Yale Lock key was flat with a trefoil bow. In 1882, the model was replace(sic) with a corrugated key and by 1904, all Yale cylinder locks had the new paracentric keys with a new bow design, and were made of nickel bronze with gold plate.*

*from 150 Years of Builders' Hardware: Forms, Use & Lore by Maud L. Eastwood, pg. 44

Pete Schifferli