Arrow Key

[Alera]

Has anyone ever heard of one of these? My uncle works with the postal service, and they use keys for their storage unit that look like an actual arrow head at the tip. The shaft is sort of shaped as a warded key would be, apparently. They used to be used for governmental purposes, and when everything went more high tech, these locks were passed on to the postal service. He spent hours upon hours trying to find the on the computer, but nothing popped up. If you find a link, post it here. I'm very interested in seeing this lock.

He had also said that the key was about twice the size of a regular doorkey.

[jeffmoss26]

I was told by a locksmith that they aren't even allowed to touch those keys. A site I did some work at has one of those locks on the outside of the building so the mailman can get inside to the mailboxes.
Here's some info-
http://www.google.com/search?q=Postal+S ... =firefox-a

[plugspin]

I've never laid eyes on a USPS arrow key, I'd love to get a working lock and key into my collection (that's unlikely to ever happen though). It's sad that some of the USPS info on these locks has dried up. There used to be a FOIA request in the ether that described something called a Lock Assembly Machine which builds the locks. All I can find today is a reference to the LAM acronym:
http://www.quine.org/uspsglos.html

[escher7]

”Whoever steals, purloins, embezzles, or obtains by false pretense any key suited to any lock adopted by the Post Office Department or the Postal Service and in use on any of the mails or bags thereof, or any key to any lock box, lock drawer, or other authorized receptacle for the deposit or delivery of mail matter;  or

Whoever knowingly and unlawfully makes, forges, or counterfeits any such key, or possesses any such mail lock or key with the intent unlawfully or improperly to use, sell, or otherwise dispose of the same ․;

․

Shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than ten years.

18 U.S.C. § 1704 ”

Possession itself is not illegal unless there is intent but I certainly would not want to be in the position of trying to convince a cop or a judge that my intentions were innocent.

[PhoneMan]

Here's a pic of one:
Sold on Ebay in '11 0r '12 for $75!

[GWiens2001]

I thought those keys and locks were the only locks actually prevented from private ownership by federal law.

Gordon

[plugspin]

Wow, thanks PhoneMan. It's funny to think this lock design has been in service for over over 90 years.

[escher7]

I thought those keys and locks were the only locks actually prevented from private ownership by federal law.

Gordon

See my post above Gordon.

[GWiens2001]

I did, and know it is illegal to have/make keys or to own the lock. What I was saying is that I believe this to be the only lock/key barred from private ownership.

Gordon

[escher7]

I did, and know it is illegal to have/make keys or to own the lock. What I was saying is that I believe this to be the only lock/key barred from private ownership.

Gordon

As I read the law it isn't illegal per se, but since if you acquire it any way other than someone at the P.O. giving it to you (which they won't do as it is probably a breach of their rules) you have broken the law. Further, if you copy the key or basically use it for anything other than looking at it, you are also in breach. So yes, the net effect is that you can't possess one in any practical way. Now I took that excerpt from a law report on a case where the accused had made and sold keys for an illegal purpose There may be other sections of the act that I am missing, but I doubt it or they would have quoted it. At the end of the day I would advise against having anything to do with the locks or the keys.

As a matter of interest, the locks on Canadian mail boxes are very similar, i.e. round wafer locks. I have one only because the mailman left one in my box when he changed the lock. Like all wafer locks it is exceptionally easy to pick. However picking a lock on any mailbox will get you charged under severe federal statutes.

Follow-up:
The individual boxes in Canada are wafers, but the main locks are Abloy.

[PhoneMan]

I did, and know it is illegal to have/make keys or to own the lock. What I was saying is that I believe this to be the only lock/key barred from private ownership.

Gordon

Gordon, as far as I know, it is the only key or lock that's illegal for private citizens to own. and as far as the law goes, yeah it's probably better to not mess with them. There might be some super high security government lock that has similar laws, but I don't know what it would be.
As far as locks not owned by a government entity, I'd say you're fine owning it as long as it was obtained legally. Don't hold me to that though!

Will

[escher7]

I did, and know it is illegal to have/make keys or to own the lock. What I was saying is that I believe this to be the only lock/key barred from private ownership.

Gordon

Gordon, as far as I know, it is the only key or lock that's illegal for private citizens to own. and as far as the law goes, yeah it's probably better to not mess with them. There might be some super high security government lock that has similar laws, but I don't know what it would be.
As far as locks not owned by a government entity, I'd say you're fine owning it as long as it was obtained legally. Don't hold me to that though!

Will

I have now researched the full statute and it is not illegal to possess the key. Only to obtain or use it illegally or to copy it. The internet rumours are just that.

[PhoneMan]

Cool to know! I'd like to have one, just because of what it is. Besides, if you had an "illegal" key and kept it at home and didn't tell the world you had it, or use it for illegal purposes, how would the authorities know?

When I helped gut a college dorm that was being demolished, I had a chance to get the Arrow lock off of the group mailboxes but decided not to for fear of repercussions. Now it's probably in the dump or melted down for scrap!

[oldbiscuit]

MAIL BOX LOCKS ARE A STRANGE NIGHTMARE!! We have our mail delivered to our college by a private firm and the dorm director distributes it into each dorm mail box. The switchboard opperator distributes the rest of the college mail into all the other mail boxes, The dorm buildings each have a cluster of individual boxes in them, one for each room. We purchased these boxes and installed them ourselves. We can purchase the individual door locks and keys or blanks from the mail box company, but the main lock which is an Arrow lock that opens the whole front to access all the individual boxes is a restricted lock. We can't get extra keys or blanks without going through the local post office for authorization from them. The local post office won't give the authorization, because they don't deliver the mail to our campus. We finally had to find a lock smith in another town who had a contract with the post office to order the blanks from.

[rai]

theres a spring that holds the windows in some cars from rattling, its made of steel that is pressed into a shape that has that center bend, actually there are a number of such springs in a variation of similiar shapes but different sizes and widths, you could probably see one on the ground at a pick your part auto salvage yard,
I only know this because I have an eye for found objects that could be repurposed. I have never copied that key