What is this key for?

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

A friend recently sent this picture which he had gotten from his daughter in NYC. We are both CML’s but neither one of us have seen one before and it looks like a real key not just ornamental. Thanks,
BBE.

Scott Klemm

I’ve never seen this type of key either. But, I did notice that the two bits are mirror images of each other. It appears to be a lever lock. My guess is that the two bits allows the key to be used from either side of a door. I noticed also that the part of the shank or stem that contains the two bits is slightly smaller in diameter. Perhaps it is removable allowing one to reverse it. This is all guessing on my part since I am not familiar with this key type.

Paul Prescott

Euro mortice lock. If I recall correctly it is designed so as to ensure maxiumum security while still allowing the key to work from both sides of the door. The bullet ward controlling the location of the bit in the lock case.

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

oldlock wrote
Euro mortice lock. If I recall correctly it is designed so as to ensure maxiumum security while still allowing the key to work from both sides of the door. The bullet ward controlling the location of the bit in the lock case.

Thanks Paul and everyone, my friend will be pleased to find out the answer.
BBE.

[unknown]

thecracksman

some old safes do have keys like this but not with bullet wards , but from the looks of that key its not that old …

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

thecracksman wrote
some old safes do have keys like this but not with bullet wards , but from the looks of that key its not that old …

I would agree that it isn’t old and that makes it even more curious. I wish I had a code reference for European keys so I could look up the code or blank number FT 155.
BBE.

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

Here’s one famous maker that used this system. I recall seeing at least one other.

Tom Gordon

I have a much older steel blank like that-now I know why the blade was so long