Yale and ERA Tardis Key Research (Info for the 1963-present keys)

[Straker]

On the first key I see the points you are making and I do believe you are right. With the second keys I feel there are a few things here, one, it could be a molded copy. One of those sold to fans or one that may have been used, who knows, you and I have previously discussed the top cross bar on the Baker key which has already made us start thinking that some of the stories that have been debunked may actually be true. But, I'd love to get a better picture of the Aldritch mainly because I am skeptical about the brass tone, while it could have been a brass key that has been plated silver and is now wearing, it's hard to tell from one pic. Mainly because I remember when "Utopia" aired everyone thought Yana's watch had a gold lid which turned out to actually be overhead lighting. The Aldritch key seems to have a lot of yellow in it in different places which could be wear or could be the lighting it was taken in. Do you think there is any chance we could ask for a better picture?

Hold on now. I think you misread what I typed. I never said it was a brass key that was plated over, I said the patterns on the front were brazed on. Brazing is just like soldering but with more heat and using brass alloy material rather than solder. It flows very liquid and goes on thinner and is much harder when cool but still has a brass color to it. It's what was used to put the blades on the original Freddy glove. There's no plating involved on this and regardless, if there were the plating wouldn't have worn off right next to the patterns, it would have worn on the edges and raised surfaces, nit between raised patterns. I'm saying the key is steel, and the patterns were brazed onto the front of the key. Not that the key was brass and then plated. both pics support this information because of the gold tone and the green patina on the older pics. Sophie doesn't own that key, as far as I know it's not a copy, the owner brought it to show her at her home or at a convention or something. It's the same key, just cleaned up a bit. And yes, while the lighting can play tricks, I find it highly dubious that the patch of brass around the patterns is darker gold than the patterns themselves and doesn't extend to the rest of the key face. That tells me that the metal there is tonally different than the rest of the key. It's circumstantial, sure but there's only so far that goes before circumstantial evidence becomes actual evidence.

So far, I have the information provided to me by the key's current owner told to me back in 2009, auction pics from 2000, and the pic of the key now from 2013. All of which tells me the same basic story is the same.

 

[Terrasolo]

No, sorry I wasn't saying you said it was brass and then plated - that was speculation - but you did say "The key also looks like it was recently cleaned and the area immediately around the patterns looks to be more brassy in color" . My main point was that it could look brassy because of the braising like you mentioned on the original but I still would like to see the key in different lighting and angle because of how Yana's watch faked us out. But since it is not hers it makes since that it wouldn't be possible to get another pic.

 

[Straker]

No, sorry I wasn't saying you said it was brass and then plated - that was speculation - but you did say "The key also looks like it was recently cleaned and the area immediately around the patterns looks to be more brassy in color" . My main point was that it could look brassy because of the braising like you mentioned on the original but I still would like to see the key in different lighting and angle because of how Yana's watch faked us out. But since it is not hers it makes since that it wouldn't be possible to get another pic.

It could be lighting but I don't think it is all lighting. The parts of the key that are still silver in color are lighter warm toned lighting but the brass is a darker gold than the warm lighting washing over the rest of the key.

On a different note, I was never under the impression that the Master's watch had a gold lid on it. I'm one of those people that said it was just the warm lighting.

 

[Terrasolo]

Yeah, I'd still like to see a better picture, which I know can't happen. The angle of it makes it seem not as wide as the real one either. Probably just perspective but still something I'd like to see more of.

 

[Straker]

Yeah, I'd still like to see a better picture, which I know can't happen. The angle of it makes it seem not as wide as the real one either. Probably just perspective but still something I'd like to see more of.

Oh it's definitely the same key. I can point out three details from both pictures that match.

One is a slight bit of the arm that is scraped off from the original damage, another is the chip in the neck and the last is a chip in one of the front patterns. Have a look:

 

[Terrasolo]

I hadn't realized you meant Sophie Aldred, I thought this was a fan who had posted a photo which is why I wanted more detail. That and the angle making it look longer than it should be. But I saw her twitter a couple of days ago and realized that's who you meant before. I did wonder but you had misspelled her name so I figure it was someone else.

 

[greatwazoo42]

Good eye.

 

[Straker]

I hadn't realized you meant Sophie Aldred, I thought this was a fan who had posted a photo which is why I wanted more detail. That and the angle making it look longer than it should be. But I saw her twitter a couple of days ago and realized that's who you meant before. I did wonder but you had misspelled her name so I figure it was someone else.

Yes well, my spell check corrected it to that spelling, lol. But no, not a fan picture. Still though...how many Sophie Aldred's are there that I'd mean regardless of a simple spelling error? Can't be TOO many. :rolleyes

Good eye.

Thanks Wazoo.


Still, angle making the key look more narrow aside, I think that we can agree it's the same key. Details match from the original auction pics, to the recent 2013 pic as well as pics on that Doctor Who Props site that has their pic.

That being established and considering the story I think we can say that this key was indeed constructed with the brazing on the front. Now I just wish we could say for sure that this was used on screen, lol.

 

[Terrasolo]

lol fair enough. Though I do know a Christopher Eggelston which is why I didn't want to assume.

I wonder how Sophie was able to see the key.

 

[Straker]

lol fair enough. Though I do know a Christopher Eggelston which is why I didn't want to assume.

I wonder how Sophie was able to see the key.

Dunno. Best guess is that the guy that owns it took it to a con to show off or something. The key certainly LOOKS cleaner than it ever has.

 

[Terrasolo]

It's nice to see the interest she took in it either way.

 

[TimeyWhimyStuff]

So this may be off base from what's screen accurate, but I thought these 2 Yales were too cool & vintage-y not to pass up. Think I'll purpose them for my 1st Doctor & Susan key since they came as a pair. I like them a lot.

 

[greatwazoo42]

Now those are works of art.

 

[TimeyWhimyStuff]

Now those are works of art.

Thanks! I thought they were cool.

 

[Bluebox303]

Now those are works of art.

Those are indeed!
A bit of cleaning up and you could have one awesome key!

 

[TimeyWhimyStuff]

Those are indeed!
A bit of cleaning up and you could have one awesome key!

They were a lot more tarnished when I got them, that's about as good as Brasso could do, but I kinda like them having a little aged look to them.

 

[sycor]

Re: Yale and ERA Tardis Key Research (Info for the 2005-present keys)

BTW, I think someone here has already figured out this one but I also wanted to show Rose's key the Doctor gave her in "Aliens of London"

http://i50.tinypic.com/okzkhe.jpg

I found the 5/8th inch D-shackle works best.

Where did you get the chain? I've checked a couple hardware stores around me and cannot find anything close.

 

[Straker]

Re: Yale and ERA Tardis Key Research (Info for the 2005-present keys)

Where did you get the chain? I've checked a couple hardware stores around me and cannot find anything close.

I got this chain from Lowes in their key department. It was a one foot long key chain to clip your keys or wallet to your belt or belt loops. Each end had a slightly larger link in it that made it easier to hook the D-shackle to it. I just had to shorten the chain a bit. It was also mentioned somewhere that you could use a choker chain from a pet store they use for dogs.

 

[Terrasolo]

Last night I was checking out a scene in "Full Circle" for some Sonic Screwdriver research and I noticed about 8 minutes into episode 2 that we see Tom pull out his TARDIS key to find that the TARDIS has gone missing. We don't get a good look at it and screen caps of what I am about to tell you will do no good, but when he pulls the key out of his pocket we here a ding, like two keys or a key and key-chain hitting each other. Then we see Tom pulling them apart like you would keys on a key-ring. You get a quick visual of him separating what appears to be two keys. Then when he makes his way over to where the police box was he points the TARDIS key at it and we can tell it is a Yale type key - still assuming the same we see Davison with later - and in his hand you can see this second key, key-chain or possibly even string (though it move too freely and fast to be light string) swing back and fourth in his hand off the back of the key that he is holding.

If I had a guess, I'd say the props team had his key on a small ring with another key and when it came time for him to use one in the scene they just handed him what they themselves use. But, and again this is my guess based on the minimal information here, the Fourth Doctor's Yale type TARDIS key appears to be just that, two keys on a small ring.

 

[TimeyWhimyStuff]

Last night I was checking out a scene in "Full Circle" for some Sonic Screwdriver research and I noticed about 8 minutes into episode 2 that we see Tom pull out his TARDIS key to find that the TARDIS has gone missing. We don't get a good look at it and screen caps of what I am about to tell you will do no good, but when he pulls the key out of his pocket we here a ding, like two keys or a key and key-chain hitting each other. Then we see Tom pulling them apart like you would keys on a key-ring. You get a quick visual of him separating what appears to be two keys. Then when he makes his way over to where the police box was he points the TARDIS key at it and we can tell it is a Yale type key - still assuming the same we see Davison with later - and in his hand you can see this second key, key-chain or possibly even string (though it move too freely and fast to be light string) swing back and fourth in his hand off the back of the key that he is holding.

If I had a guess, I'd say the props team had his key on a small ring with another key and when it came time for him to use one in the scene they just handed him what they themselves use. But, and again this is my guess based on the minimal information here, the Fourth Doctor's Yale type TARDIS key appears to be just that, two keys on a small ring.

Just viewed that scene, yeah. All you can really make out is the key-ring.