HISTORY&HERITAGE • 33
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This small semi-circular slip of
metal is in fact a key bit designed
to operate a 16 double slider
Bramah style safe lock, but to the
uninitiated might be mistaken for
some machinery part and certainly
not for a high security lock fitted to
a 12” vault door, especially as it was
only the size of man’s finger nail.
‘Taking this concept
to the extreme, one
German manufacturer
made a ‘key’ looking like
a flat cog wheel slide’
Another concept was to make the
key in a way that a casual observer
wouldn’t recognise it as a key and
simply assume it as a mechanical part
for something.
Safe and vault locks also had their
‘secrets’; one common ploy was to
disguise the combination dial. An
observer might think it was a normal
combination dial, especially as it rotated
and felt like a normal combination
lock, but in fact it was a la-fetton. At
a certain position, and overcoming
slight resistance, it could be pulled out
revealing a la-fetton carriage for the
key.
Sometimes it was
the lock that had
to be operated in a
specific way; in this
case the nozzle had
to be turned once
the key had been
inserted and turned
which effectively
set the combination.
A casual user
would assume it’s
the wrong key.
Taking this concept to the extreme,
one German manufacturer made a ‘key’
looking like a flat cog wheel slide. Each
of the segments was adjustable and
when set correctly had to be inserted
the correct way round several times from
differing directions to effect an unlocking;
even with the key set correctly the un-
initiated would stand no chance.
The Sherlock key; not recognisable as a key to a security lock. The
logo might even suggest some sort of electrical application; in fact it’s
for a very high security deadlock from the early 20th century.
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A perforated strip key typically used on
padlocks. Is this really a key – it looks like
something for a clockwork mechanism.
So what can be taken from all this
in today’s world, is not simply the lock
hardware but the awareness on the
user’s/owner’s part in assessing the risk
and in conjunction with the consulting
locksmith and coming up with the
correct hardware solution which
considers the most vulnerable part of
any lock – the key – whether physical
or digital.
Brian Morland, curator of the
Heritage Collection of locks and keys,
welcomes comments and corrections
on historical aspects of locks and
keys. Brian can be contacted by email
at b [email protected]