Found near farm field

[pennmd]

Found about 10 feet from the edge of a farm field in northern Pennsylvania. Before I cleaned it I suspected it was brass, bronze, or copper. After cleaning it with a vinegar, water, and salt mixture I am pretty certain it is copper.

First picture before cleaning:



Pictures after cleaning:




my only idea is a skeleton key with the end broken off. But why would a key be made out of copper? Perhaps rubber rings were between the grooves and it was some sort of plug for farm equipment.
Any ideas?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[lairmo]

Cool looking. Possibly an instrument tuning key? IDK

 

[Gare]

perhaps a tool type key for winding up something like a big clock

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

To me it looks like a brass skeleton key that's lost it's 'business end'.

Dave

 

[bowwinkles]

Check the end of the key and see if it has a socket, if so it is as
gore said a clock or music box winder.

 

[pennmd]

It's hard to tell if the end is supposed to be hollow, if its broken off, or if it is how it's supposed to be because it's so corroded and pitted. It may be broken off, it has a slight bump on the end. That key looks very similar! What I found though has a more pinkish hue like copper. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but in person it looks like copper. Can I do some more cleaning with water/vinegar/salt or is that a bad idea? I think when the weather is nicer I'm going to go back to where I found it and do some more searching.

 

[gunsil]

Brass turns a copper color after a vinegar dip, I bet if you scrape the surface a little it will show the yellow color of brass. Brass also turns the same green color as copper when exposed to the elements.

 

[bowwinkles]

How about this: a vintage stringed music instrument tuning key.

 

[nkellam22]

To me it looks like a brass skeleton key that's lost it's 'business end'.

Dave

I agree and I don't see why a skeleton key cant be made out of copper.