Keys have coating? Or are the pins rubbing off?

[demonslayr]

This is just out of curiosity. I've noticed that on the teeth of all my keys, the color is changing from a bright, silver color to a dull, coppery (like the color of new penny, except a little less shiny) color.

Is this because the keys are actually made of a metal with a dull copper color and they were coated with something else, or is it the metal of the pins is slowly rubbing onto the teeth of my keys (kinda like pencil lead)?

I'm inclined to think it's the former because if it was the pins slowly wearing off, two things would happen.
1. I would be able to rub or wash the coppery color off of the pins (I haven't really tried, but I don't think it will)
2. Wouldn't the locks start working less smoothly? They work perfectly.

This is appearing on my car keys (both of which are dodge) and on my house key (which is a copy from an Axxess+ blank). I doubt that will help, but hey, maybe someone here is an expert key maker and knows exactly what these keys are made of.

Thank you all for feeding my curiosity!

[5thcorps]

that is the metal that the keys are made of. Take a junk key and split it in half sometime. some are almost white in the center while some are that dull golden color.

[datagram]

Could be a couple things, but it sounds like your keys are just plated with something to make them look nicer, I'm guessing something nickelish with brass underneath. Also, that pencil lead type stuff is probably just lubricant from the inside of the lock, nothing to be worried about.

dg

[demonslayr]

My first guess was that the keys had a different coating, cool. I was kinda hoping there would be some really obscure, unexpected answer so I could be surprised but hey, it's just as cool to find out I'm right.

Although if anybody really wants to make up some ridiculous answer, I'm sure I would get a kick out of it.

I think I will find a junk key, it's something simple, but I would prolly be fascinated by it. haha

[WDPaladin]

Although if anybody really wants to make up some ridiculous answer, I'm sure I would get a kick out of it.

Well actually, the keys that you hold in your very hands are indeed the legendary superonium keys of the planet Schlagbar VI, meant to unlock the quantum wells in the planets core; you've just unknowingly unlocked hyper-light speed travel and our ticket to the 4th dimension. (Just by the way.)

[5thcorps]

Some keys are acutually made from stem cells collected from Tony Danza, grown in a petree dish then fused with an iron-brass mixture to give the iron-brass extra strength. Danza's dna gives unbreakable durability.

[WDPaladin]

And there's actually a Danza-Norris hybrid alloy out there too. Only problem is that the keys are too heavy for us mortal men to carry.

[demonslayr]

Wow, those are pretty good theories. Hmmmm...... I think the most convincing one there has to be WD Paladin's:

ell actually, the keys that you hold in your very hands are indeed the legendary superonium keys of the planet Schlagbar VI, meant to unlock the quantum wells in the planets core; you've just unknowingly unlocked hyper-light speed travel and our ticket to the 4th dimension. (Just by the way.)

Paladin won most convincing because just last night when I tried to drive to my friends house, I took out my Legendary Superonium Keys of the Planet Schalgbar VI and started the car... the trip went normally until I got stuck behind some old lady and I was thinking, "Wish I had warp-speed like star trek." Then I found myself in Manhattan... I pulled to the side of the road and got out, completely stunned by what just happened.

I was just about to climb back into my car when a UFO darted down and expelled several dozen 2 foot-yellow-skinned-triple tailed aliens. They tried to hit me with their blow darts (a little primitive perhaps, but hey, I guess they put all their money into buying that cool spaceship), yelling "Schlagbar six!" , but they were pretty bad shots.

I jumped in my car and floored it... only to find myself someplace in the middle of Oklahoma. This time I pulled myself together, did a U-turn, and floored it. I was finally back home, driving down the same street I had been on, behind the same old lady.

I had thought it was a daydream but now, thanks to WD Paladin, I know that it was an effect of the 4th dimensional properties of the Legendary Superonium Keys of the Planet Schlagbar VI.

Thank you for your enlightenment Paladin, now I have to go answer the doorbell with my 12 gauge shotgun... those little yellow dudes are strangely persistent!