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I got my hands on something you don't see so often. I've just landed myself a good set of 19th century tryout keys / overlifters that French locksmiths would have used back in the day. These locks can still be found in old French houses even on internal doors. Nearly 2Kg of steel here, and possible while being 100 years older than me, will also out last me by another 100 years.

How they came to me with a little surface rust.



Spend a couple of hours giving them some TLC to bring them back to orignal condition.








There's a nice few of them for post lever locks. Some of those are a bit bent, but I reckon they's still be 100% working. I'll look into if I can get them straightend without damage, but I'm more inclined to leave them as they are. Nice groove on them to fit around the lock post.




The most unusual one is this:



Love the work on it, but I have no idea on its use. Bloody heavy. If anyone has some ideas on this, I'd appreciate it.

Then there's another I'm unsure of use.



Sooooo damned happy I snagged these. I've had my eyes on a set or 2 when they pop up, but I think this is the best one I've seen in ages.

That's one very cool looking set you've got there! Love how they turned out after cleaning up too .
The first unsure one.. Couldn't be like a jiggler for Bramah locks, could it? Looks like like that sort of keyway shape. Just throwin' ideas out there .
Second unsure looks like a drillbit, lol. The universal masterkey
Anyways - nice catch!

What a score..thanks for sharing..

Very cool pics, thanks for sharing.

This is just a wild guess, but the tool with the round shaft and serrated hollow tip, it might be some version of a key turner. Normal key turners are sort of spiral, left or right, to grab the bitting end and turn the key when one was left in the keyway of a warded or lever lock on the inside of a locked door. However, if the type of lock doesn't allow that spiral sort of turner to be inserted, you might be able to press that tool into the tip of the key and be able to turn it.

Or maybe it's for cleaning his ears. I don't know.

Was wondering if the two in question were for cleaning junk out of the keyway. First for locks with a post, the second for locks without a post. Just my guess.

Gordon

Ooh, good guess.

I've serviced locks where hornets had made a mud nest inside the keyway. Kind of a pain.

You lucky son of a gun! Now they look like a real conversation starter.

Very unusual. Congrats!

Especially if the hornets were still present! Yee-ouch!

But think your guess is also very likely to be correct - turning when part of the key is broken off in the lock, or the key is in the lock from the other side of the door.

Gordon

Wow! How interesting?! Thanks for all the pictures!

edit: And great to see you!

the unusual toothed crown "pick" is a drill for a kind of Bramah lock. Very common in Fr on old safes from the 19 Th century

with it they mill out the sliders as far as they can and later open the lock by force because once some sliders are cut on a right or false cut it is easier to break open the lock

my two cents

sorry, I didn't look very well ... this one seems to be a pick for Bramah lock ... a rake pick

never tested it but it would take a long time to turns 3 times a "pump lock" to be opened it with such a tool (2 turns for the lock and 1/4 turn for the latch)

I didn't look very clearly at each "tooth" on the "crown" ... it is obviously a pick not a drill

I almost bought a set of these from ebay last week but the shipping was $75! Freaking crazy and that was before the bidding ended. May even be the same set.

Nice score MR.

Thanks guys. Really appreciate your input on these.

Many thanks.