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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    3
    Country: United States

    Default Yale Mortise Lock Key ID Help -- Skeleton Key

    Hello, All:

    I'm working with several old Yale mortise locks for interior doors. None of the 5 locksets have a key. The key is a skeleton-style key.

    Can someone guide me as to where to look for the lock key code? Is it the stamped number inside the mortise box? In my case, the stamped number is 820 MK?

    How do I use the number (if that is it) to locate a key(s)? Is the code 820? 820MK? 820 MK?

    These mortise locks are old, have solid (not hollow) brass knobs and brass plates. I feel certain they are pre-1950.

    Thanks to any and all!

    Ed Rouze

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by EdRouze View Post
    Hello, All:

    I'm working with several old Yale mortise locks for interior doors. None of the 5 locksets have a key. The key is a skeleton-style key.
    Can someone guide me as to where to look for the lock key code? Is it the stamped number inside the mortise box? In my case, the stamped number is 820 MK?
    How do I use the number (if that is it) to locate a key(s)? Is the code 820? 820MK? 820 MK?
    These mortise locks are old, have solid (not hollow) brass knobs and brass plates. I feel certain they are pre-1950.
    Thanks to any and all!

    Ed Rouze
    I believe you probably have a Yale No. 820 Series mortise knob lock. This was found on pg. 291 of Yale Catalog No. 26 (c)1929, see thumbnail attached. This lock had three lever-tumblers and the MK suffix likely indicates that it was master-keyed, thus 820 is apparently not a code number. Change keys were cut on the S145 or S145-1/2 blank while the master-key was cut on the S345 blank. All those blanks are long obsolete however a competent locksmith can fit change or master-keys on generic blanks if you provide them with the lock body from which to work.

    Pete Schifferli
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Yale820seriesMortiseKnobLocks.jpg  

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    15
    Country: United States

    Default

    Interior mortise locks usually can be operated with one of three "skeleton" keys that you can get from a locksmith. Technically they are referred to as bit keys, but the ones I'm talking about are cast, not cut. The cut ones have more complicated wards and cuts. The springs will likely need to be replaced, so don't try keys with the doors closed or you may not get them open again!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dll932 View Post
    Interior mortise locks usually can be operated with one of three "skeleton" keys that you can get from a locksmith. Technically they are referred to as bit keys, but the ones I'm talking about are cast, not cut. The cut ones have more complicated wards and cuts. The springs will likely need to be replaced, so don't try keys with the doors closed or you may not get them open again!
    While that is generally true, the Yale 820 had three lever tumblers as I mentioned earlier and thirty six changes. The "skeleton key" noted is more likely to operate the very common single tumbler interior mortise locks.

    Pete Schifferli

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    15
    Country: United States

    Default

    Missed that-points taken.

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