Question for Joe: Hiatt "High Security" Darby

Hi Joe and all,

I have a set of "high security" darbies identical to your set at p.37 of your book, except that the swivel is slightly different. Mine does not have the small skirt on the bottom of the loop on the male side of the swivel. Everything else is a match for yours including all the markings.

Mine has the number "2" on them. I think that was Hiatt's favorite number. Half the Hiatt's I have are serial number 2.

Questions:

1. Gaging from other info in your book, these must have dated from around 1880-1900?

2. Keys. I actually got two pair, both without keys, quite a few years ago and never could get anything to work in them. I traded one set to a buddy who is an amatuer machinist and he fooled around with it until he discovered the left-hand thread and figured out a workable thread pattern. Years later I tried his key on my set and - voila, mystery solved.

He has since made a crude, but well-working key for me, but it is aluminum and probably won't last long (not that I use them a lot - I'm retired now and never was into the OTHER scene - sorry, if I have to listen to all those bad tired old S&M jokes everyone else should, too).

Contacted Mark to see if his "Home Office" high security key was the same, but he did not have any on hand to check with.

Was the Home Office key the same as the "high security" left-handed thread key?

Once this issue is resolved, I'll contact Ian to see what he can whip up that looks a bit better and doesn't leave a pile of aluminum shavings in the tube.

Unless, of course, somebody just happens to have a left-handed thread key laying around they don't need (yeah, right)....

Thanks,
Brad

Hi Brad

Your date are fine, but not broad enough, you could easily extend the dates either direction by 30 years or more. One clue are the markings on the cuffs. What are the markings.

The left hand threads have nothing to do with the home office pattern, it does not have threads it all. Instead there is a screw inside the cuf that the key turns via notch cut out.

Ian should be able to make you a left handed key. I have two and one of them came from Ian (I think).

Joe

Hi Joe and all,

I have a set of "high security" darbies identical to your set at p.37 of your book, except that the swivel is slightly different. Mine does not have the small skirt on the bottom of the loop on the male side of the swivel. Everything else is a match for yours including all the markings.

Mine has the number "2" on them. I think that was Hiatt's favorite number. Half the Hiatt's I have are serial number 2.

Questions:

1. Gaging from other info in your book, these must have dated from around 1880-1900?

2. Keys. I actually got two pair, both without keys, quite a few years ago and never could get anything to work in them. I traded one set to a buddy who is an amatuer machinist and he fooled around with it until he discovered the left-hand thread and figured out a workable thread pattern. Years later I tried his key on my set and - voila, mystery solved.

He has since made a crude, but well-working key for me, but it is aluminum and probably won't last long (not that I use them a lot - I'm retired now and never was into the OTHER scene - sorry, if I have to listen to all those bad tired old S&M jokes everyone else should, too).

Contacted Mark to see if his "Home Office" high security key was the same, but he did not have any on hand to check with.

Was the Home Office key the same as the "high security" left-handed thread key?

Once this issue is resolved, I'll contact Ian to see what he can whip up that looks a bit better and doesn't leave a pile of aluminum shavings in the tube.

Unless, of course, somebody just happens to have a left-handed thread key laying around they don't need (yeah, right)....

Thanks,
Brad

Click to expand...

Hi, I can make a left hand threaded key for your darby cuff but I would need the cuff to work out the thread. Both the TPI and the minor, major diameter of the bolts can change. (as they do in the RH threads)

The Home office key is approx 8mm outside dia. 5mm inside dia. with 1.6 x 1.6mm projection inside to fit the keyway slot in the bolt. Totally a different key.

Ian