You do realize that once this discussion is finally over and we've gotten all these amazingly detailed specs for all the keys, locks and pinnings, we can all have one of each key made and put that collection on a keyring. We can pick one for our personal builds and have a locksmith pin the appropriate lock to match the key.

And then...

As we travel around the country (or world), whenever we come across a TARDIS/Police Box replica, all we have to do is try each key in the lock until we find the one that works - since we'll all have the same key replicas and one of those locks pinned to match the key - and then let ourselves inside and make off with that TARDIS (provided that works as well ).

I am finding all of this fascinating. Please keep the details coming. (hb88banzai, you weren't a locksmith in a previous incarnation, were you? Or do you just happen to know a locksmith or two? Same question for you, Nate. You both seem to have an extended knowledge of keys and locks that reaches beyond the 'Who' range.)

Dino.

Those thoughts about being able to open friend's TARDISes have occurred to me. Not only am I trying to build my own TARDIS, but I'm also working on a friend's TARDIS. It would be kind of cool if my key fit his lock. I doubt that anyone of us here will walk on set and try to open the current TARDIS lock, though that would definitely put the fear of Rassilon into them.  

My knowledge of locks is from having duplicate keys made from time to time at the hardware stores, knowing about Skeleton Keys(oddly more obscure knowledge that I thought - ask a young person in a hardware store), I know some Police forces use a kind of key gun, a device that penetrates a lock and then fits the tumbler combination of that lock(they are rather expensive), and I've played computer games where you have to attempt to pick a lock. But as you can see - this is a very comic book understanding or kiddie's junior encyclopedia understanding of how locks work. hb88banzai has gone the step further in his understanding he has turned magic into science. He has given us understanding of how the theory works.

*edit - Pictures of Tom holding the TARDIS key in Full Circle.


still hard to make out.

*edit- close up of a similar image printed in Doctor Who Marvel Monthly #53 June 1981

doctor-who-tom-baker-as-the-doctor-K3688H.jpg

I played around with the brightness, contrast, highlights and shadows of this screengrab from The Eleventh Hour to bring out more details from the Eleventh Doctor's key.



Hopefully this will be useful to someone wanting to have a screen-accurate TARDIS key cut (or at least the Eleventh Hour version, anyway .)

Kind regards, The14thDr

Just as a thought, and I have no actual figures to hand, buy let's presume a Yale type lock is £10 and having an existing lock re-pinned to match an exisiting key is £5. I don't believe that a prop/set building company would have it done, especially when they wouldn't expect people to take much notice of the key's notches.

So if this is correct then each TYJ box would have two different keys (front and back doors) and we know there are at least two TYJ boxes (Tony I am eagerly awaiting your article!) meaning that there are potentially a minimum of four different keys just for the 80's and early 90's Who.

I can't remember how many hero/stunt boxes were made for the 2005 relaunch but it would figure that each also had a different lock too unless you can order a particular lock straight from the manufacturer? The previous picture showing spares behind the corner post seem to suggest each box had its own specific key.

As I said, just a thought.

Quote from: Mark on Aug 22, 2016, 10:20 pm
Just as a thought, and I have no actual figures to hand, buy let's presume a Yale type lock is £10 and having an existing lock re-pinned to match an exisiting key is £5. I don't believe that a prop/set building company would have it done, especially when they wouldn't expect people to take much notice of the key's notches.

This could be why there are so many different key notch patterns in all of the New Series TARDIS keys. (There's a thread on here somewhere - could even be this one... ah! and so it is! - where someone has captured as many variants of the key from the New Series as possible, and there are quite a few!)

Also, I learned from researching locks and keys (after learning that my son's house key opens our front door, and our key opens his) that there is a limited number of key-pin combinations that can be made. Some keys will repeat, and chances are that one of your house keys will open a stranger's house somewhere. When it comes to keys and pinning locks, unless you manage to get very lucky, your key is not going to be totally unique; somewhere there will be another key that will fit it and unlock it.

So it may be best to just take the key that comes with your Yale/ERA lock and run with it. If my research is correct (and there are locksmith forums out there with details that will make your eyes bleed) and key-pin combinations are finite, check your keys; one of them just might match one of the existing TARDIS prop keys already.

Dino.

Dino.