Bramah key replacement and probable repair 1st if possible?

[Huw Eastwood]

In my back garden Paul ! Took the photo about 5 years ago when we had our annual day of sunshine here in Wales! i still have all the keys, the steel one is massive, about Ø7/8"

[Doug MacQueen]

Wow Huw you made all those beauties. So How were you making the cuts? I have hand filed several but now have been using end mills.

[Huw Eastwood]

Hiya Doug, yes done a few over the years. Methods probably same as yours- smaller ones by hand, middle sized and nested keys with end mills, and the biggest ones with slitting saws. The spiral tipped one needed a combo of everything .
With the nested keys the inner nests are separate so the slots were cut on the parts individually and then assembled , the central drill-pins also threaded in afterwards. Everything assembled then permanently locked with cross-pins.

[Gary Stephenson]

some beautiful and skilful engineering