Lost trunk key please help

[Bird99]

Hello,
I am new to this forum, and would be grateful for any help I can get opening this American Hardware Co. Inc., Petersburg, Va. trunk without destroying the lock. I lost the key over 10 years ago in a move. I have been patient and not broken the lock to get it open. I search for a key periodically online, but have had no success. I’m hoping someone here knows how to easily pick this type of barrel key lock, or knows where I might find a replacement key. Is there such thing as a master key? I checked with what looked like a major online key seller. He has a book for this brand of lock and the number clearly stamped on my lock is not listed. Would there have been a special set of numbers for the military? I have keepsakes and semi valuable items that I have collected over the years inside. There is nothing inside that I really have to have, but it would be nice to look through it all again. This is an Army footlocker and is stenciled as such. This belonged to my great uncle who died young in the early 60’s. He was a WW2 veteran and his souvenirs from the war as well as his medals and discharge papers are inside. It would be interesting to look though the papers and see where he was during the war. When I was younger I just liked looking at the medals and ignored the rest of the stuff.
Again, any help would be much appreciated,
Thanks,
Bird


[image][/image]


][/image][/image]

[Squelchtone]

Your best bet is to get a key from someone like this gentleman: https://www.stevensantiquetrunks.com/trunkkeys.html

Or bringing trunk to your local locksmith shop, and seeing if they have trunk barrel keys hanging on pegs already precut to different codes or if they could "impression a key" (that's the phrase you should use when asking) for $25 bucks in their down time and then pick the trunk up a couple days later.

Squelchtone

[Bird99]

Thank you Squelchtone. I have tried the key seller you recommended, as well as a few others to no avail. I have thought about taking it to a locksmith, but it is very heavy and would take two people to carry it in. Also, my coin collection is in there. I guess I am not that trusting. I was hoping i would be lucky and it would be an easy lock to pick. Back to the drawing board.
Thanks again,

[sisk]

From looking at it I'd guess it's probably a lever lock. If so it'd require different tools and skills than what a beginner is likely to have because lever locks are somewhat uncommon these days. About the only place I know of where they're common is on safe deposit boxes. That said, most if not all locksmiths should have the skills and tools to handle it.

Locksmiths in general are good and trustworthy sorts. Even if they weren't so inclined naturally (which all the locksmiths I know are) it's just simply not in their best interests to steal from their customers. I can't imagine a locksmith who can't be trusted with a trunk full of their customers valuables staying in business for long. But if you're really reluctant to drop the chest off then call around and ask if any of them will do a house call and impression a key for you. Most of them probably will. After all, it's pretty common for them to get called to fix things that can't easily be brought into their shops.