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Post by radio on Jun 13, 2014 19:06:29 GMT -5
I had to today One of our displays is an old style corner curio type cabinet that uses an old style skeleton key, but with a twist. The key is hollow and fits over a pin at the back of the lock to stabilize the key while it rotates and the skeleton part moves the tumblers. I unlocked it today to show a piece to a customer and the skeleton part broke clean off the key! It was made out of some cheap cast pot metal, so there was no soldering it I realized there was no way to find such a key locally, and no one would even have that style lock to replace the whole mechanism, so I sat and pondered a while and decided to make one out of sterling. I cut a strip of 22ga, annealed it and fashioned it into a tube about the same diameter of the original. I then cut a couple pieces of heavy flat stock and soldered onto the tube. I had recovered the "skeleton" part of the broken key, so started cutting on the flat stock as close to the original pattern as possible. A little tweaking with a file, and it looked like it might work, but now I needed some way to turn the key! I looked in the silver drawer and spotted a length of 14ga wires I had twisted for embellishments, so cut a piece of that and bent it in a half moon shape, filed the ends and used a burr in the Foredom to cut a curve in the wire to fit the tube. Just a bit of fitting, and I soldered it onto the tube. Had to do a little touchup so it would turn the lock smoothly, but it works like a champ! I will try to get some pics tomorrow. I bet none of you have sterling silver keys!
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Jun 14, 2014 3:33:02 GMT -5
Sounds like a new profession, Silverlocksmith. Way to go radio. Looking forward to photos.
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Post by radio on Jun 14, 2014 17:18:12 GMT -5
Got a cell phone pic today, but it is lousy quality as the phone couldn't handle the shine of the silver against the black background. I haven't polished the key yet, so still some tool marks visible but at least you can get an idea. Pretty simple as keys go, but still a bit of a challenge
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Post by drocknut on Jun 14, 2014 17:26:13 GMT -5
Very cool.
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Post by Rockoonz on Jun 14, 2014 21:33:17 GMT -5
Nice work.
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Post by connrock on Jun 15, 2014 9:19:33 GMT -5
Where there's a will there's a way and you have both! connrock
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2014 20:45:04 GMT -5
That is totally bad@ss. Let it work harden and patina. Won't take long to look antique. My guess anyways. Lol
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Post by wireholic on Jun 18, 2014 14:02:43 GMT -5
Toss it in a tumbler with steel shot or ceramic for a couple hrs & it will get rock hard!
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Post by radio on Jun 18, 2014 18:08:59 GMT -5
Thanks all! sometimes you just have to do something totally off the wall and once in a while it actually works Scott: Thanks. I kind of like the tool marks and imperfections in it. Doesn't look factory made that way WH: The plans is to bring it home on a day off and give it the liver of sulfur treatment, then toss it in the tumbler with steel shot. When I get time I am going top make another for a spare and might get more creative with it. This one had to be quick and dirty just to lock and unlock the display
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,155
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Post by jamesp on Jun 19, 2014 9:00:54 GMT -5
Nice job. May start a new fad.
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Post by pghram on Jun 28, 2014 13:47:45 GMT -5
That's a great fabrication.
Rich
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thehp
having dreams about rocks
Member since July 2014
Posts: 52
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Post by thehp on Jul 31, 2014 21:53:47 GMT -5
much respect for your craftsmanship and ingenuity
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