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  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,467
    Country: United States

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    I noticed you called it a skeleton key. It is likely a lever lock key blank. Could be a warded key blank but doubtful being a 1865 patent. Yes it could be from prior to receiving the patent but much more likely after. Once a patent is no longer in effect many companies would just not stamp it.
    Skeleton keys are keys that have been reduced in material "skeletonized" in the hopes of opening a warded and in some cases very simple lever locks. Warded locks and keys go back hundreds of years long before lever locks were used. Sometimes complex warding could be overcome by making skeleton key removing everything except what was necessary to get in and throw the bolt.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    6
    Country: United States

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug MacQueen View Post
    I noticed you called it a skeleton key. It is likely a lever lock key blank. Could be a warded key blank but doubtful being a 1865 patent. Yes it could be from prior to receiving the patent but much more likely after. Once a patent is no longer in effect many companies would just not stamp it.
    Skeleton keys are keys that have been reduced in material "skeletonized" in the hopes of opening a warded and in some cases very simple lever locks. Warded locks and keys go back hundreds of years long before lever locks were used. Sometimes complex warding could be overcome by making skeleton key removing everything except what was necessary to get in and throw the bolt.
    Thanks for the additional info -

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    california
    Posts
    350
    Country: United States

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    house rim locks were much lighter than your commercial blank,have a few somewhere of the fold up ones
    Click image for larger version. 

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    the short ones were fold ups usually for sliding interior doors ,dining,library,etc
    2nd pic is some rim locks,sargent,norwalk,corbin and a few paracentric s and one bicentric rim/mortise locks
    3rd is skeleton keys solid and hollow tipped

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