Y&T key for Hartmann Trunk Lock marked "H 17"

Schuyler

Hello,

I’m a competitive lockpicker and small-time lock collector. I’ve often used this site as a passing reference and just eye candy for some of the beautiful locks that have passed through, but off and on for the past 2 years I’ve been fighting with an old Hartmann trunk owned by a close friend and could really use some help.

He believes the trunk would have come into his Grandmother’s possession sometime in the 30s. It is clearly marked “H 17” and is a Yale pin tumbler lock. I’m fairly confident that there are 4 pins in the lock, but that’s not 100%. If the time period is right it should be a Y&T key.

Here’s a photograph of the lock & hasp:

The normal resize code doesn’t seem to be working: so I’ll include the direct link to the much larger image as well:

http://beartrapmfg.com/P4070229.JPG

I’m either hoping to get my hands on the key, or a good picture of the key, or a key blank or two (so I can impression the lock) or the appropriate code book to translate the H 17 into actual cuts. Thanks in advance for your time and any advice or help you can offer!

Paul Prescott

Here’s the image, 4 + Meg is higher than I will permit to be uploaded to the server.

Looking at it I would doubt there would be any great reason that it would pose a problem to pick. If you’ve counted 4 pins then it is probably correct. Any chance of a macro shot of the plug ?

Dean Nickel

Those old Yale locks have serations on the pins to slow down lock pickers. I will not go into how to pick it as there are those in TOOOL that would be happy to tell you. I agree with the 4 pins. There wouldn’t be much room for more in a trunk lock, 5 at most. I would have a locksmith impression a key as then there would be a key and the chance of dammage to the lock would be low. The trunk lock is rare so try not to dammage it.

Schuyler

oldlock - thanks so much for getting the image up, I really appreciate it.

Halflock wrote
Those old Yale locks have serations on the pins to slow down lock pickers. I will not go into how to pick it as there are those in TOOOL that would be happy to tell you. I agree with the 4 pins. There wouldn’t be much room for more in a trunk lock, 5 at most. I would have a locksmith impression a key as then there would be a key and the chance of dammage to the lock would be low. The trunk lock is rare so try not to dammage it.

That is exactly the sort of information I’ve been looking for. No worries on the picking advice, just never would have expected the serrated pins, it’s a real pity you don’t see them more often in modern locks, and a testament to the hey day of Yale & other high quality manufacturers. I can do the impressioning, just need to get my hands on a blank (preferably 2 or 3, I’m decent at it, but no pro, yet). Know anywhere I could track one down? And I hope that isn’t taken as a desire to avoid a locksmith, I just get such joy from working on, and eventually opening locks, that I’d really like to see this one through. It’s become my white whale.

And just to reiterate, I am absolutely floored by how quick and helpful you guys have been. Thank you, so much.

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

It looks like a standard small paracentric keyway to me ? Hard to tell. Maybe with a macro of the plug I could ID the profile. The serrations on the pins don’t usually pose much of a problem - unless there is a fault with the lock.