What was this key used for??

[jonboy]

I’ve never seen a skeleton with no teeth?? I don’t believe this is broken, does anyone know what this would be used for??

 

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[bowwinkles]

Maybe to wind up a spring like a clock or toy.

 

[ARC]

It is broken. IMO.

Missing "teeth" ? or "prongs"... err or whatever they are called. heh

 

[jonboy]

there’s no broken spots it’s completely smooth

 

[Bruce R]

It was a nice smooth break

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I've found a few of these as well, definitely a broken skeleton key.
Dave

 

[CHarris91]

I'd say it's a key with no teeth. Nothing broken, totally smooth. Looks like that's how it was supposed to be made.

 

[No gold in NY]

Keep it in your pocket. Next time you pass a locksmith shop, stop in and ask. Interesting though.

 

[Kray Gelder]

Maybe used on a latch such as this?

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

To prevent someone from peeping through the keyhole?

 

[releventchair]

Tobacco pipe tamper?

 

[HuntinDog]

I feel what you have is a very personalized gentleman's pipe tamper.

 

[bowwinkles]

The smoking pipe tamper is a very good selection. I have also seen a small wind chime that had this type of "dongle" as the center piece that hit the noise pipes.

 

[Tpmetal]

it it possible the end is a shear or twisting break off? If the end doesn't have a machined smooth end(too hard to tell from pics) it could be the key was broken off? to me it looks like its missing the last section for being a key.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

That's probably the answer. Mortise Lock keys (what many improperly call "skeleton keys") had a collar to prevent them from going too far into the lock.


A skeleton key is what we now call a "master key" that is of a design to open multiple locks with many independent keys that only work individual locks.

 

[Doubter in MD]

I'd say it's a key with no teeth. Nothing broken, totally smooth. Looks like that's how it was supposed to be made.

I'm not sure how you can determine that with any certainty with the 2 pictures presented. The photo that shows the end of the key is out of focus so I can't say for sure, but I like Charlie P's idea that the end of the key my have broken off.

Oh, and welcome to TNet.

Edit: Forgot my manners. Added the welcome.

 

[ARC]

I'm not sure how you can determine that with any certainty with the 2 pictures presented. The photo that shows the end of the key is out of focus so I can't say for sure, but I like Charlie P's idea that the end of the key my have broken off.

Oh, and welcome to TNet.

Edit: Forgot my manners. Added the welcome.

That was my idea. :P

 

[Goodyguy]

It's obvious to me that the end with the "teeth" snaped off from the shaft.
I once had a collection of over 1000 skeleton keys. Collected them for many years as a child and teenager many were still in use at the time.
Not the first one I have seen with the end broken off with a "clean" break


GG~

 

[GoldieLocks]

May a stopper for an apparatus that drags some sort of line across something?

 

[ripvanb]

Well if it was a key it isn’t anymore and if it wasn’t a tobacco pipe tamper it is now