srt101fan

We're downsizing and trying to get rid of 50 years of accumulated stuff. I'm stunned by the incredible number of keys emerging from drawers, boxes, and miscellaneous other hiding places. Large keys, small keys, all kinds of shapes. We don't have a clue what locks they belong to. Do keys multiply while you aren't looking?.... 🤔

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

I have a box with at least 50 such keys. Not sure why I keep them. Some of the skeleton keys have found homes though.

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

Throw them away and you will start to find things locked that you wish you could unlock.😝😝😝

Actually, I sympathize. After the deaths of several relatives I ended up with keys to 9 houses, barns, multiple sheds... and all 9 houses had different keys for every door. They were all over a hundred miles away and each trip I took a box of keys till I sorted them out

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

When I was young I had a lot of keys. I had a 2" diameter ring that was about 3/4 full of keys. They all went to something.

Eventually, after sewing up a lot of pockets, I started to leave keys at home. The things I didn't keep keys to were left unlocked for the most part. After a couple moves, they went to metal recycling.

On the farm, every tractor had a different key. The keys were all left in the tractor. Every farmer I worked with practiced that same thing. The tractors were all stick shift (except for the newest one I got in 2015) and it was a high/low/reverse shift and a 4-5 speed shift. Since all the numbers had worn off the knobs on the shift levers, the tractors were safe because nobody knew how to put it in a reasonable gear. And tractors were limited to a top speed of 18mph so they weren't a big thing for joyrides. Only the drivers seat, no passengers unless the tractor had a loader.

Had an employee who would give kids rides on the tractor. He would let the kids steer but the kids couldn't reach the brakes so he would handle them. Since the brakes were independent (one pedal for each side) he could steer also.

Robg

You might take a look here: https://www.google.com/search?q=photos+of+key+museum+at+baldpate+inn&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS719US719&sxsrf=ALeKk03BHcY0QyNk-UT-7h0toGvKYYcmCg:1628639180395&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM%252ChTjgTdIRslsEPM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kThO_-w2hvYJ1uvBc6EpLaI1skJ0w&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFzMHe0afyAhUrZN8KHczaDGsQ9QF6BAgIEAE#imgrc=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM

No longer called the Baldpate Inn (ownership change in last 2 years) it now is called the Seven Keys Lodge, but the museum is still there.

Robg

You might take a look here: https://www.google.com/search?q=photos+of+key+museum+at+baldpate+inn&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS719US719&sxsrf=ALeKk03BHcY0QyNk-UT-7h0toGvKYYcmCg:1628639180395&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM%252ChTjgTdIRslsEPM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kThO_-w2hvYJ1uvBc6EpLaI1skJ0w&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFzMHe0afyAhUrZN8KHczaDGsQ9QF6BAgIEAE#imgrc=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM

No longer called the Baldpate Inn (ownership change in last 2 years) it now is called the Seven Keys Lodge, but the museum is still there.

Robg

You might take a look here: https://www.google.com/search?q=photos+of+key+museum+at+baldpate+inn&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS719US719&sxsrf=ALeKk03BHcY0QyNk-UT-7h0toGvKYYcmCg:1628639180395&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM%252ChTjgTdIRslsEPM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kThO_-w2hvYJ1uvBc6EpLaI1skJ0w&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFzMHe0afyAhUrZN8KHczaDGsQ9QF6BAgIEAE#imgrc=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM

or here https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/baldpate-inn-key-collection

No longer called the Baldpate Inn (ownership change in last 2 years) it now is called the Seven Keys Lodge, but the museum is still there.

Robg

You might take a look here: https://www.google.com/search?q=photos+of+key+museum+at+baldpate+inn&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS719US719&sxsrf=ALeKk03BHcY0QyNk-UT-7h0toGvKYYcmCg:1628639180395&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM%252ChTjgTdIRslsEPM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kThO_-w2hvYJ1uvBc6EpLaI1skJ0w&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFzMHe0afyAhUrZN8KHczaDGsQ9QF6BAgIEAE#imgrc=0CTrJnVnMkp9LM

or here https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/baldpate-inn-key-collection

No longer called the Baldpate Inn (ownership change in last 2 years) it now is called the Seven Keys Lodge, but the museum is still there.

You can start your own museum!

Robg

Now that's bizarre. I posted one response and then edited, and now there are four postings, the first three duplicates. Sorry about clogging up the post!

srt101fan

You caused me to look up "skeleton key"! I had always associated them with private eyes and burglars But I guess it can be a master key?

srt101fan

They were replicating while you weren't looking!🙄

srt101fan

srt101fan

WOW! I think of museum-going as looking at /studying individual objects. A "key museum" would be a bit overwhelming...

RiJoRi Loc: Sandy Ridge, NC

We stick our old keys to the shower floor!

Yep! I now sing "on key" in the shower! 🤪

--Rich

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

I don't know about being a master key. I took several to a job and I got two of them to work in doors. I might have modified one with a little filing.