this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2025
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What is this thing?

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Its from a 1890s secretary drawer. The shape is reminiscent of a warded key, except it has this pin at the top that I have never seen in a lock. The key would have to have a corresponding hole, which no modern warded key I know of has.

Where can I get a key like this and what is it called?

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[–] Zier@fedia.io 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

There are keys with hollow ends/barrels. It looks like that could be the case.

[–] Lauchmelder@feddit.org 3 points 7 months ago

I have seen this type of key on older furniture, but they usually have the "archetypal" key hole shape. This one seems to have some added security and looks like one of those warded keys. I have yet to find warded keys of this shape with a hollow tip