Military Hand Keys


J-37
J-37 Hand Key


JJ38

Countless number of these hand keys were made and used by the military.
JJ38 Hand Key

They are still very popular today with Amateur Radio Operators..


Flameproof

Flameproof U.S Coast guard

This key is new in the box with the Coast Guards orange stamp on the bottom. Many companies made these keys for the different branches of the service, this one was Mfg. by Molded Insulation Company Phila, PA. and stamped CMI 26003A on the base


This hand key came from a WWI Army set. The knob goes up, and the mechanism then is upside down from that of a normal key. The mechanism is normally hidden, except the whole thing hinges up to access the adjustments. According to Larry Nutting K7KSW author of the Military J-Series Telegraph key book, it is quite rare!


WWII era British Army Handkey

WWII British Key

Top : KEY.W.T. 8 AMP, NO 2 MK III
Bottom : ZA 28685

WWII British Key 2




Navy WW-2 Semaphore Blinker Key

This is a Navy Key used to control the Ship-to-Ship Semaphore blinker. The Key is mounted in a heavy duty metal weather housing painted Navy green. The lower part of the housing contains arc-suppression. The Key is called a Flameproof and is stamped CDM-26003A , according to my list of Military Mfg. it was made by D.P. Mossman Company. The knob says DO NOT CLOSE OVER 2 MIN. with a metal tag directly under it which reads WARNING DO NOT HOLD KEY CLOSED FOR ILLUMINATION PURPOSES U.S. NAVY. This was to prevent the shutter motor from over heating.

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