[CW] Help identifying old hand key

[David Curry]

Hi David--

The contacts appear to be brass. They didn't have the black silver  
oxide on them, and when I applied some silver cleaner I couldn't  
detect the sulfur dioxide odor that is normally produced. The bottom  
contact on the base is 1/8-in. across and is on a "beehive" or  
"circular pyramid" of brass of four levels. I haven't taken the key  
apart to see if they are washers or a machined part. Visually, it  
appears to be machined. Under this beehive is a solder lug and under  
that there is some type of insulation wrapping over the base of the  
key. A cloth-insulated wire comes up through the wood base and is  
soldered to the lug. The top contact (on the lever) is much smaller-- 
about 1/32 across and there is shoulder under it to act as a retainer  
when it is press fitted into the lever. However, the fit is tight,  
and the contact has not been pressed all the way into the lever. The  
spring merely sits on the brass base, and is held only in place by  
the tension screw on the lever. The lever has some type of machining  
marks on the top surface, giving it the appearance of being a  
laminate. As others in this group suspect, it appears that this key  
is homebrew--most likely assembled from a variety of spare key parts.

73
Dave
KB8TT


On May 31, 2008, at 3:15 AM, David Ring wrote:

> Hi Dave,
>
> I've never seen a key like that but the lever sure looks familiar.
>
> I'd like to know if the key has a hefty large diameter, perhaps 1/8
> inch silver contacts as the key sure looks like the lever came from a
> spark key.
>
> 73
> David
>
> On 5/30/08, Jim Vaughan <k4txj at arrl.net> wrote:
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>>  It looks homebrew.  I have never seen one like it.
>>
>>  73,
>>  Jim, K4TXJ
>>  Louisville, Ky.
>> _____________________________________________________________________ 
>> __________________________
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