Restoration of old locks and padlocks

[dicey]

Restoration of old locks and padlocks.



So how do you restore your old locks and padlocks? With padlocks it is sometimes not that easy. If you can take them apart you can just clean them part by part. If it is a closed body like with the old German padlocks it gets a bit more complicated because you can not reach the inner parts. There is a guy here in Germany who is very good in restoring old locks but I have no idea what he is using and also hadn't had a chance to contact him yet. So I tried to improve my restoration process myself for the last couple of years. Starting with WD40 followed but the Tunap oil MP102 and finally ending with Tunap 366 rust loosener in combination with the cleaner Tunap 117 Tun Solve and the Tunap MP102 synthetic oil again. Depending on the mechanism I also sometimes use the Tunap MP 101 synthetic grease on actuators and ball bearings etc.

So here is how I do it!


Cleaning process:

• I usually start with using Tunap 117 in order to get rid of old oil, grease and dirt. I usually put a lot of that stuff in the lock, shake it a little and then flush it out again. The result is rusty dirty Tun Solve liquid
• After that and if the padlock is rusty I will put Tunap 366 rust loosener on it and maybe also leave it on there for a while so it can take effect
• Using Tunap 117 again to clean it out
• I will repeat this process several times if necessary
• I will also clean the surface with the rust loosener and the cleaner
• (If REALLY dirty I will now put the MP102 synthetic oil on it and let it take effect over night. I will then proceed with the cleaning process the next morning or a few days later)
• I will also clean the keys and their inside according to this process (I would like to use small cotton towels instead but haven’t found a cheap supplier for those yet)
• I also use Q-tips to clean of dirt on the inside or remove dirt of the inner parts
• Toothpicks or a lockpicking hook also comes in handy from time to time. For removing old grease or dirt that is stuck (Be careful, a lockpick might scratch the surface where toothpicks won't!)
• The Sparrows tweezers and diamond tweezers come in handy when removing small stones or metal parts that are stuck in the padlock
• A decent Flashlight should be at hand I am using the Jetbeam M3 and will also be using a NiteCore MT1A soon

Preservation Process:

• I will use Tunap MP 102 on the inside of the padlock after the cleaning process. This will contain the inner parts and make sure the mechanism is going to work properly
• I will use Tunap MP101 for bigger moving parts such as the actuator and ball bearings etc

!!! WARNING: After cleaning the blank material will be exposed !!!
!! Covering it with oil for preservation reasons is necessary !!


I am not a fan of polishing old locks and padlocks. When done accurately there can be very neat results though. Polishing the levers of old safe locks or their inside is fine with me.

So how do you do it? Any suggestions?
Anyone know a supplier for small cotton towels?


Hope you enjoyed this small article and the pictures being provided
(More pictures and a video of a just started small restoration project upcoming!)

[MBI]

Nice post, thanks for sharing your process. Too bad we don't have easy access to Tunap products in the US, I imagine a few folks here would like to try them.

I like your tweezers, they look fantastic. Using crappy tweezers can be incredibly frustrating.

I'm not a big fan of polishing antique locks either. Most amateur collectors underestimate the desirability of having the original patina on an old lock. Not including rust of course, that needs to go, if you can do it without damaging the lock or the remaining finish.

I picked up a killer deal on some old padlocks on ebay a couple months ago. The seller decided to be "helpful" and buffed each lock with a wire wheel before shipping them. Grrr...

[jeffmoss26]

MBI, I wonder if we got locks from the same guy. Every lock was buffed to a pristine shine...lol

[GWiens2001]

Who was the seller? So I know who to avoid.

Gordon

[verz]

Nice post.

I recently found a few handfuls of old locks and made the mistake of putting 3&1 oil in them (I didn't want to waste gun oil on old junk)it loosened them up but now they stink.. so I haven't wanted to mess with them much, lol. Once in a while I get board and put on some latex gloves and pick one or 2 and throw it in the done bucket ready to go back to the grave I got them from.

Time to get some nice oil and throw out the 3&1.

[MBI]

Who was the seller? So I know who to avoid.

Gordon

I don't remember the name of the seller, but I did send him an email explaining what collectors are usually looking for, and what buffing can do to the value of a collectible lock. Hopefully he believed me and won't bastardize the next ones he sells.

[dicey]

I am actually using three types of tweezers, the Sparrows and the two you can see in the pictures.

This is a F. Sengpiels padlock which I recently acquired. I just started cleaning it and this one is REALLY dirty. I have found old metal parts and stones inside. Those parts made it hard to turn the key from time to time. I am still in the middle of the cleaning process.

A Video showing the padlock before starting the cleaning process is on its way!
Another video with some historic and technical background information will be on its way later. I want to contact the Museum in Velbert first to confirm the information given on those padlocks by a collector. (I have mentioned that information in Oldfasts thread)

Pictures starting with 010. showing the padlock after the tenths cleaning process. At a certain point it doesn’t make sense to continue the cleaning process. Sometimes the rust is just too thick and too old and can’t be fully removed. The other pictures show it at the first few cleaning processes covered with the rust loosener.

[Oldfast]

Great post! A much needed contribution actually, as there's not alot of 'how-to' on this.

The locks I have cleaned and referbished were all more modern day locks. I was very
happy with the results... but still couldn't help but wonder if some of the chemicals
I used were a bit too abrasive.

In fact, I often just leave well enough alone when it comes to antique/vintage
simply because of my ignorance and fear of doing more damage than good.

.... I picked up a killer deal on some old padlocks on ebay a couple months ago. The seller decided to be "helpful" and buffed each lock with a wire wheel before shipping them. Grrr...

AHHHHHH! lol. Shit

Thanks for this Adrian... very helpful.

[dicey]

I posted the same topic in the antique locks forum and oldbiscuit replied the following:

Dicey, I've used a ultra sonic with a good solvent for many years. Unfortunatly my machine shot craps and I haven't gotten around to purchasing a new one ($350 US). As for cotton rags, I wear white cotton socks in my work boots every day and it seems I always seem to wear out either the heels or the toes, so I always have a box full of used socks at my bench (clean of course) After cleaning my locks, I usually spray the insides with a good gun oil and wipe the outsides with the same oil. If it's a lock I plan on using, I never use oil in them, rather I spray the insides with Houdini lock spray, it dosen't gum up or attract dirt like oil. Mark
P.S. Nice job on your locks by the way!

And I answered with:

Hey mate,

The tunap products that I am using are very high quality and also very expensive. You can not buy them locally here in Germany but I have a neighbour who worked for the company
I am totally pleased with their product and can highly recommend it! The oild does not attract dirt such as other products and both the oil and grease are full synthetic.

A Sonic bath you say? Filled up with what?
I had the same idea but never had the money nor the guts to do it. But the idea would be to get a sonic bath and fill it up with the cleaner or the rust loosener and there you go! You can get both the cleaner and rust loosener in 20l canisters but they will probably be expensive same with the sonic bath

[Puritanen]

Anyone know a supplier for small cotton towels

I'm still using white spirits and wd40, so I have a lot to learn on this subject...thank you for a great post!
On IKEA (baby departement) they have cotton towels (approx. 20x20 cm) for EUR 0,1. If you want even smaller you can try the little ones used for gun cleaning.
(they are not cotton they are linen, but are perfect for cleaning)
//Puritanen

[darkhorse]

and just to show what crud is inside these old locks...heres a union 6 lever I dismantled for a reference listing

[dicey]

Hey Puritanen, thanks for the info mate! Where can I get the small ones for cleaning guns? The ones in Ikea are added to my list
We can all learn from each other here as you can see

Man darkhorse, that's a dirty lock too
Just what I am talking about

[dicey]

I was just talking with Eric in the keypicking chat and tried to explain that the Tunap has some kind of special certification and I just couldn't find the right words so he did for me:

"The new Tun solve is supposed to be quite a bit less flamable. The old stuff was basically a EU version of brakleen so they made a less flamable version to help prevent injuries and fires."

[Puritanen]

Hey Puritanen, thanks for the info mate! Where can I get the small ones for cleaning guns? The ones in Ikea are added to my list

The small ones can be bought in all gun shops, at least in Sweden . They are primarily for cleaning the barrel.

[dicey]

Dean of the antique locks forum has made an interesting response:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodablasting
http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/Rus...ctrolysis.ashx

As for what I do. If it is iron base I would look to see how bad the rust was and the metal type and figure if either electrolysis for removing rust or mechanical means like a wire brush or sand blasting with soda. I don’t like to use a wire wheel on things unless I intend to do a bushed finish for the final. I have had the best luck with the soda on getting stuff off but not damaging the base. Now this is ONLY on locks I can tear down as that is most of my collection. Electrolysis wouldn't care if you can take a lock apart or not but do a good job of drying with light heat and lube well after like you would with a cast iron pan.

Lubes I use are synthetic oils and grease http://lock-saver.com/ . I don't use WD40 as I have had it eat some metal/plastics on older locks and it might be a coincidence at a time of failure (why I am called out) but I don't trust it.

Keep in mind I refinish my locks so it doesn't matter to me what the “value” is. In my collection if I am going to keep it, I will make it presentable as if it was new with OEM logo head keys from that time cut in the right way to fit when that lock was made. Those locks are in my collection.... someone else can worry about the value once I am dead.

I have responded to it with this text:

The procedures you have mentioned Dean are very interesting but also very expensive and needs a seperate work environment. I would like to try it but do not have the money nor the space to do it right at the moment. As also said before I usually leave the locks like they are but clean the dirt and rust of as best as possible and oil them afterwards to contain them and keep them in a good working condition. I am however not a big fan of rust and would like to try your methods on locks which you either can take apart or have a second one to try. I think Oldfast has some some expierience with elctrolysis.

Did you ever use those methods and do you have any examples? Pictures?
I would also like to try the Locksaver you have mentioned but was not able to find a european dealer for it yet, any idea?