Old Key

[jankmccreary]

What is this?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[jankmccreary]

I could use electrolysis on it, i don't think it is worth much, couldn't hurt.
I am a little under the weather today, so maybe in the next few days, Stupid allergies

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[jankmccreary]

Nope no writing on the shank.

 

[wmas1960]

My dad has keys like that on the outdoor water spigots on his office building. I guess they would be used where you don't want just anyone turning on the water and leaving it running. The spigot would have a square valve on it and that key would be used to turn it on and off.

That one might be a bit older and a little more stylized, perhaps because it was used around a residential building. My dad's is a little more simple and basic but the same size and otherwise identical.

 

[wmas1960]

Just did a little GOOGLING. Found the official name for it.

"Sillcock Handle" or Key.

http://www.doityourself.com/invt/u223859


This is more like the one that my dad had. I recall as a kid the ones he had were a little more ornate or elaborate, more similar to the one that you have. They would tend to get lost though and he had to replace them at one point as people were chewing up the valve by using pliers and wrenches. If I searched around the building with my detector, I would probably find the old ones if not for the fact that there are paving stones all over now days. They just put in a new patio on the back of the building and the parking lot was extended up to the sides of the building.

 

[Southcacalaky]

I go with the majority , Art...

 

[NANAMAMA]

I think it is a skate key on the old metal skates that attached to your shoes

 

[littleton]

Heres another example of a waterbury clock key.

 

[relic lover]

in my opinion it is not a W and it should be more sturdy to be a valve key it is too pretty to be a water key, grandfather clock is more like it.

 

[chefrider]

Nice Find BTW,Jank. I am going to jump in here and say it looks like a key from a free-standing gas heater. The reason I dont think it is a clock key or skate key is ,it appears to be cast metal and and not finished like one would expect. I seem to notice some rough flashing around the edges. HH

 

[romeo-1]

My vote is on clock key!

 

[goldgrubber]

My vote would be for radiator key.

 

[lockman209]

Doc nailed it right on the head. It is a key for a clock. Early 1800's

 

[midnightguy]

Hi All, What you have there is a valve key that could be used for a variety of shutoffs. From what I have seen they were used for gas as well as steam shutoffs. ( The old cast iron in room radiators) They were of cast iron or brass construction and were quite substantial as you had to turn these older valves very hard sometimes to get them to work. I included a picture of three of these valve keys I have had around the house for reference..
Clock keys usually were made of brass and were more lightly built. The chuck ends were also smaller. A clock was usually a smaller and more well made device not needing such a large heavy key for winding it. Hope this helps.. MidnightGuy

 

[whispers]

Well I've got a brand pair of roller skates like 39's answer though

 

[Montana Jim]

It's a key.





Not trying to be funny but it looks like a key that may have been for a clock, a radiator, a water spicket, or any other thing that square holed keys fit.

I think you'll all have to agree to disagree until an exact match is found... IMO