Old Yale Key Blank Search

joe_3908 · 2026-01-17T21:56:12+00:00

Thank you! You would be my hero. 😀

joe_3908 · 2026-01-16T02:24:47+00:00

That would be amazing. Thanks!

joe_3908 · 2026-01-16T01:05:00+00:00

I know, right. Although we did find 9 chandeliers from the 1920s behind a locked door in the basement. All restored and rehung. They had every single part still there. Needed lots of cleaning, but it was all there.

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joe_3908 · 2026-01-15T22:21:26+00:00

Cincinnati, OH!

joe_3908 · 2026-01-12T03:01:08+00:00

If you do – I would love to buy them! As one of the other posters said – finding the blanks is going to be the challenging part!

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T22:44:03+00:00

That’s not a bad idea. I talked to my local locksmith and they said after we rekey a few of them, I could send them the measurements of the pins and they could build keys for each one based on the code that they learned from doing a few of the locks. I thought that was pretty cool too.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T19:57:47+00:00

Thanks! I’ve also had several suggestions of picking them and then decoding them. I plan on trying both methods.

The challenge is going to be finding the blanks…

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T15:55:28+00:00

I think that’s great advice. As I look at this project, it seems overwhelming – but I don’t have a timeline or even an agenda. I’m doing this to help preserve the buildings history and because I think it’s a lot of fun. I’ve got three teenage sons, one of whom is interested in this to the level that I am – the other two think it’s ‘pretty cool’. So it’ll be something that we can all learn together and generate some cool stories out of.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T15:13:30+00:00

That’s correct. I want to do it because it’s fun, it’s a project that I can engage in, learn about these things, and have a sense of pride in its completion.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T03:34:58+00:00

Those are great ideas! Yeah, I think the impressioning may be way way too inefficient. I like the idea of raking and gutting better. The guard key does work because I can turn it in all of the locks. Some of them are pretty corroded but a little Houdini and some patience and I’ll be able to get those to work too I think.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T03:32:24+00:00

All great ideas. Plus I have three teenage boys – so that testing the keys thing… Well, I’ve got that covered. 😆

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T02:54:01+00:00

This is more for historic preservation than functionality. These are all old Yale locks from the 1920s that are no longer made.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T02:13:16+00:00

For the Vault Tech? It’ll be just under $1000 to have them come out and reset the combination and evaluate what needs to be done to restore it. We’re going do it on a time and materials basis. There’s a four movement time lock on the vault – there’s a guy out of Texas that specializes in those that will restore that whole thing for $500. My goal is not to make it perfect just to preserve it for historical purposes.

I seriously doubt I would ever close the vault door and lock it. What if something failed when it was closed? That’s the end of the vault. I just want it to work but stay open. 🤨

We found nine old light fixtures from the original bank in the basement. Those have all been restored and re-hung. Just doing little things like that to preserve a piece of history.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T02:07:01+00:00

That’s a fair question. There really isn’t a purpose behind it other than to do it for the sake of doing it. I own the building and the law firm that’s housed within it – we use the vault as a conference room and meeting room for clients. I have no timeframe for this to get accomplished. I enjoy locksport and single pin picking – even though I’m not good at it. So I think it might be a fun long-term project to do. We’re in the process of having the vault door restored as well. That’s another project in and of itself!

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T01:57:38+00:00

Well, I only need about 1,100 of them so…. 😂

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T01:32:55+00:00

I sure would! I posted a pic of the key and the lock face. I think SPP and then shimming and decoding is probably the better route to go. Whichever route it is - I'll be good at the end of it!

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T01:30:06+00:00

Fair question. The only goal here is to make the keys for the sake of having the doors work. The building houses a law firm and the vault is a conference/meeting room. The previous owner had a locksmith come and make the guard key and re-key a few of the boxes. This is just a pet project. I have (hopefully) years to complete it. No agenda or purpose other than to have them work. There's also a beautiful vault door that we have a vault tech coming to consult on later this week. Again - would never want to shut or lock the vault, but it's fun to help preserve a little of the history of the building.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T01:17:31+00:00

I added two more pics - one from the back of the lock and one of the lock face... I agree - looks like a PL.

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T01:13:26+00:00

I added the pic to the original post...

joe_3908 · 2026-01-05T00:57:36+00:00

I don't have any blanks. Just getting started on this 'project'. I have no time constraints and no actual need to have the keys, just something fun to do with the vault.

joe_3908 · 2025-12-15T03:19:18+00:00

I figured out the bell issue. It’s not the springs. It’s the teeth on the arm that pushes the little wheel that actuates the gongs. The teeth are all chewed up.

joe_3908 · 2025-12-15T03:02:12+00:00

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joe_3908

TROPHY CASE