How on earth do these windows work?

[ThePurpleOctopus]

My house has very old and poor quality wooden windows. They're on the list to be replaced, but not something we can afford right now.

Anyway, they have holes at the top and bottom where they seem to be lockable. But what on Earth do you put in these holes to activate the lock?

Anyone know how these windows lock/unlock?

Thank you!

Those usually have a key that mostly looks like a cylinder. Anything like that you can see/find?

What you need is this sort of key. It's like a glorified Allen key. www.replacementkeys.co.uk/chubb-yale-8k109-window-key.html?msclkid=adc84c4cdbe6102202d72ecfa78d10b8&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20Campaign&utm_term=1100702224697&utm_content=Shopping%20Ad%20group%20%231

We used to have these and ended up having to order new keys as we couldn't open them! We left our keys with the new owners of our old house!

If you look online for replacement keys you should be able to find and order replacements. If not, you can usually email the key company for advice.

Good luck!

They are probably rack bolts.

You need a key that looks like a ridged allen key with a point on the end like this

www.amazon.co.uk/Yale-YALE-8001-8002-Key/dp/B01DF8GZVQ/ref=sr_1_35?crid=BCRUUPOFZRO4&keywords=window+lock+keys+replacement&qid=1652785019&sprefix=window+lock+keys+replacement%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-35

There are a couple of very similar designs but they don't all fit every lock - Chubb & Yale ones tend to be the same, but there are some that are pretty much just a standard Allen key shape so might be worth trying one if you have a set to hand first.

You just stick the key in & twist to lock/unlock & one key will do every single one if they were all fitted at the same time.

They have a little key like this one but more round than forked.

My nan had windows like those, it had a key that looked like an allen key.

We had these on a conservatory that we've just demolished. They used ridged keys like snugglepumpkin posted. Same key worked for every lock.

Snugglepumpkin is correct. It's a long ridged key that you need. They are either from the 1960s or the 1930s. That is they were in my parents' 1930s house that they refurbished in the early 1960s.

Yes my mum has those on equally temperamental French doors and they look like the ones in @Snugglepumpkin post

Beware, though, if you do open them you may potentially have a devil of a job closing them again as the wood frames may have warped / swollen. So don't open them if you are needing to go out shortly afterwards in case you can't secure them again. We had to lathe a bit off the bottom/top of the door to make them shut again. You may be fine, but just worth bearing in mind.

We had to lathe a bit off the bottom/top of the door to make them shut again.
Plane a bit off, probably. Odd shaped door if a lathe was needed!

Those windows bring back memories!

I had locks like that in the 1980s

They had a key like the one in the link

www.locksonline.co.uk/Chubb-Window-Keys.html

A different time when I needed a window key I got one online, the company took my credit card details, sent me 3 possible keys and then I sent the ones that didn't match back.

This is where I got mine from, it's the same company as someone up thread linked

www.replacementkeys.co.uk/

You are all so helpful, THANK YOU!!! I'm on a hunt for that kind of key, but will order some if I don't find anything.

I love Mumsnet.