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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
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    2
    Country: United States

    Default Forest Service Lock by Yale

    I have a Yale Forest Service lock that looks to be quite old. I states on one side of the lock "Made For" and then in big circular letters "Forest Service" with an embossed pine tree and the letters U and S on either side of the tree. See attached pics. It is a beauty. The key doesn't look like the original. If any of you have any info on this i.e. age, worth, history, etc., I would greatly appreciate your input. Thank you.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    87
    Country: United States

    Default Pre-1950's pine tree lock

    That's the pine tree logo USFS lock that dates to before the 1950's if I'm not mistaken. In decent shape they sell for quite a bit of money, especially with original patina & key. I see them on eBay from time to time. Yours may have the original key, it might just be badly worn down, AFAIK all of them are keyed alike to the code 26525 on a restricted keyway, 997PA I think. Same keyway as Ordnance Dept USA locks of the same type. There are others on this forum that know much more than I about these locks & can probably provide much more detail on their history.

    Later USFS locks didn't have the cool logo, just YALE on both sides & the letters USFS stamped into the lock by hand. They aren't nearly as valuable or desirable.


    Quote Originally Posted by wvanauken View Post
    I have a Yale Forest Service lock that looks to be quite old. I states on one side of the lock "Made For" and then in big circular letters "Forest Service" with an embossed pine tree and the letters U and S on either side of the tree. See attached pics. It is a beauty. The key doesn't look like the original. If any of you have any info on this i.e. age, worth, history, etc., I would greatly appreciate your input. Thank you.Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0825.JPG 
Views:	30 
Size:	359.8 KB 
ID:	18586 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0826.JPG 
Views:	32 
Size:	413.8 KB 
ID:	18587 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0827.JPG 
Views:	25 
Size:	180.1 KB 
ID:	18588

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by YALE7750 View Post
    That's the pine tree logo USFS lock that dates to before the 1950's if I'm not mistaken. In decent shape they sell for quite a bit of money, especially with original patina & key. I see them on eBay from time to time. Yours may have the original key, it might just be badly worn down, AFAIK all of them are keyed alike to the code 26525 on a restricted keyway, 997PA I think. Same keyway as Ordnance Dept USA locks of the same type. There are others on this forum that know much more than I about these locks & can probably provide much more detail on their history.
    Later USFS locks didn't have the cool logo, just YALE on both sides & the letters USFS stamped into the lock by hand. They aren't nearly as valuable or desirable.
    You got most of it correct but the actual keyway is Yale RN8F1L restricted. The Ilco 997PA is similar and may work if the keyway is well worn, it is also 6-pin and would need to be shortened to 5-pin. I'm told that keyway may have also used by some railroads and utilities as well.

    Pete Schifferli

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    148
    Country: United States

    Default

    Pete - I have some original Yale F1L blanks and Ilco 997PA, they all fit a variety of USFS and railroad locks. Some 5 pin and some 6.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    2
    Country: United States

    Default Key

    Thank you all. I found a lock and key for sale on ebay. I'm really interested in the key as it looks to be original and looks really cool. Here is the pic. Any info, ideas, or thoughts would be appreciated. It is being sold with the lock, but as you know I already have the lock with chain where the one on ebay does not have the chain and pin attachmentClick image for larger version. 

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ID:	18715Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	18716. Bill

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    87
    Country: United States

    Default Key looks pre-1905

    I think the key is older than the lock in that listing; I remember reading an old pamphlet printed by Yale & Towne that mentioned the replacement of the old Y&T logo on keys & cylinders with the all-uppercase YALE logo in a square border being sometime around 1904. Various other lock makers copied the logo in a border & ended up being sued by Yale & Towne for trademark infringement. Before that, keys had the Y&T logo and "Yale Paracentric" like the one in the picture. The earliest paracentric keys had the trefoil bow, same as the old "Yale corrugated" versions.
    The USFS was established in 1905, which would make that one of the earliest examples of the USFS padlock key. Definitely a cool find.

    Quote Originally Posted by wvanauken View Post
    Thank you all. I found a lock and key for sale on ebay. I'm really interested in the key as it looks to be original and looks really cool. Here is the pic. Any info, ideas, or thoughts would be appreciated. It is being sold with the lock, but as you know I already have the lock with chain where the one on ebay does not have the chain and pin attachmentClick image for larger version. 

Name:	FS key.jpg 
Views:	29 
Size:	8.6 KB 
ID:	18715Click image for larger version. 

Name:	FS key2.jpg 
Views:	25 
Size:	8.9 KB 
ID:	18716. Bill

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by YALE7750 View Post
    I think the key is older than the lock in that listing; I remember reading an old pamphlet printed by Yale & Towne that mentioned the replacement of the old Y&T logo on keys & cylinders with the all-uppercase YALE logo in a square border being sometime around 1904. Various other lock makers copied the logo in a border & ended up being sued by Yale & Towne for trademark infringement. Before that, keys had the Y&T logo and "Yale Paracentric" like the one in the picture. The earliest paracentric keys had the trefoil bow, same as the old "Yale corrugated" versions.
    The USFS was established in 1905, which would make that one of the earliest examples of the USFS padlock key. Definitely a cool find.
    Here is an enlarged image of the Yale No. 8 key blank taken from the Supplee Hardware Company catalog page 86 ca. 1902 that has been cited here previously, see thumbnail attached. I was interested in the patent dates incised on the key blade: Nov. 2, 1892, July 28, 1892 and Aug. 11, 1891, with some diligence I did find two:
    1. July 28, 1892, U.S. Patent 456,917
    2. Aug. 11, 1892, U.S. Patent 457,753

    Both the above were issued to Warren H. Taylor and assigned to Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. I was unable to find anything whatever on the Nov. 2, 1892 patent. Anybody out there that can find this one?

    Pete Schifferli
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Yale8keyBlankCa1902.jpg  

  8. #8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pschiffe View Post
    Here is an enlarged image of the Yale No. 8 key blank taken from the Supplee Hardware Company catalog page 86 ca. 1902 that has been cited here previously, see thumbnail attached. I was interested in the patent dates incised on the key blade: Nov. 2, 1892, July 28, 1892 and Aug. 11, 1891, with some diligence I did find two:
    1. July 28, 1892, U.S. Patent 456,917
    2. Aug. 11, 1892, U.S. Patent 457,753

    Both the above were issued to Warren H. Taylor and assigned to Yale & Towne Mfg. Co. I was unable to find anything whatever on the Nov. 2, 1892 patent. Anybody out there that can find this one?

    Pete Schifferli
    I haven't time to look now, but I think you misread the date on that key, it is Nov. 2, 1891.
    BBE.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BBE View Post
    I haven't time to look now, but I think you misread the date on that key, it is Nov. 2, 1891.
    BBE.
    OK, did a quick look and neither 11/2/1891 nor 11/2/1892 was a Tuesday, so both are invalid.
    BBE.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Tonawanda, NY, USA
    Posts
    900
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BBE View Post
    I haven't time to look now, but I think you misread the date on that key, it is Nov. 2, 1891.
    BBE.
    Right you are, that was a typo; it is indeed Nov. 2, 1891, sorry for the confusion!

    Pete

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