Is this a locksmith's tool? plus odd key

[Huw Eastwood]

Zylinder-Schlüssellochsperrers! here's another two of the Burg Wächters, same type i posted earlier but still sealed on their respective UK and German home market cards.

[mkz]

Sadly I do not have the key for it. Any opinions on the personalized Yale key with the name on it? Is it common?

[Timothy]

No you not going to find the key blank like the one you post the first time. They no longer made those kind of blank. To me it look like Y-1 999-5 pin 999B-4 or 5-pin. As least you have a good old lock from Yale....Timothy....

[nathanbonstein]

the paracentric key at the time was made for a specific company or store if 5 pin was a #8 and if 6 pin a #11
the blanks for the key block are around,but then you have to find a locksmith to cut it
Timothy is correct it would be a 999--y1 or 999A--y2 depending on who made the blanks

[mkz]

Thanks for the info. The key does not go to the lock. It was in the collection and I am just curious as to why it has a name on it. I assume maybe it is the name of the lock shop or locksmith. I couldn't find another example of this so thought it might be unusual. I'm more into locks than keys so pardon my ignorance! Thanks for everyone's help!

[Timothy]

Okay! So maybe after all it may be Yale Lock. AS what Huw and Pete said the lock may be Burg Wacters lock. This mean you may end up find a blank for that lock. I have no idea of what blank it would be but maybe Huw may know. Good look luck....Timothy.....

[Pschiffe]

No you not going to find the key blank like the one you post the first time. They no longer made those kind of blank. To me it look like Y-1 999-5 pin 999B-4 or 5-pin. As least you have a good old lock from Yale....Timothy....

I'm guessing that custom incised Yale key, obviously made for Max Frankel; an olde time locksmith in Syracuse, NY was intended to encourage a return to that shop for replacement keys and also that genuine Yale blanks be utilized. It likely dates to the early 20th century. See thumbnail of an advertising card from Mr. Frankel. The other thumbnail is of a similar Yale-type key made for another long-gone local locksmith in Buffalo, NY. It is not marked Yale however and likely came from an after-market manufacturer. Pete Schifferli

[Huw Eastwood]

The Max Frankel Yale and the Buffalo NY key Pete added have coined bows with raised markings like factory originals. They are not incised or engraved but factory coined from dies which indicates investment in tooling costs and the inevitable quantities involved. Probably a lot more expensive back then compared to having the same made today.

Nowadays usually done on a one-off tooling charge and/or higher minimum order quantities, the numbers involved suggests there would have been a lot more of those around back at the time. Over time many will have been lost and discarded as locks become repaired or replaced.

Its common practice over here and presumably still so, your side of the pond, for locksmiths to have their most frequently used blanks made with company name and phone number. We had quite a few done and they proved an effective source of repeat key cutting and business as Pete suggested.

[mkz]

Thanks again for the info! This forum is a wealth of knowledge! I am new to the site but I have learned a lot in a short time. Thanks to all for sharing your knowledge and time!

[Pschiffe]

The Max Frankel Yale and the Buffalo NY key Pete added have coined bows with raised markings like factory originals. They are not incised or engraved but factory coined from dies which indicates investment in tooling costs and the inevitable quantities involved. Probably a lot more expensive back then compared to having the same made today. Nowadays usually done on a one-off tooling charge and/or higher minimum order quantities, the numbers involved suggests there would have been a lot more of those around back at the time. Over time many will have been lost and discarded as locks become repaired or replaced. Its common practice over here and presumably still so, your side of the pond, for locksmiths to have their most frequently used blanks made with company name and phone number. We had quite a few done and they proved an effective source of repeat key cutting and business as Pete suggested.

Custom incised and/or coined key blanks are still offered to the trade on this side of the pond by after market manufacturers Ilco, Jet, Kustom Key and perhaps others. Many are available in the customer's choice of brass or nickel silver material. Minimum order and die charges apply as Huw suggests. Some the the OEM manufactuers can furnish key bows incised with stock legends such as Do Not Duplicate, U.S. Property Do Not Duplicate and similar for contract jobs and special applications. Pete Schifferli