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Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

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Lauren

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Post Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:23 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

I know all about the desert. Living in the Mojave Desert sucks. Got rain today. WOW!
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g_kinz

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Post Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:58 am

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

man i love houdini i use it on every lock i come across. before i make a key on a car or pick a house lock i use that stuff!!!

Papa Gleb wrote:fully agree Jeff. I would never start cleaning a lock that doesnt work. Im going to order that Houdini spray. Gotta see what the hype is.

What type of wire wheel? steel or brass?
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Papa Gleb

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Post Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:59 am

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Wanted to share a personal discover. I bough a lot of padlocks of ebay and one of them was rusted shut beyond recognition. So naturally I started reading and watching how to remove rust and finally decided to save my money and try plain white vinegar. There are a few videos on youtube showing its power but until I seen it with my eyes I didnt believe it would be so good. The results are just astonishing. I was like a cartoon with my eyes popping out. Here are the before and after pictures. Kept in vinegar for about 35 hours. Its so strong that I dont think I even needed to wire wheel it but I did with a very fine 0.003 brass wheel on my dremel at super slow speed.

After the vinegar, the rust just came off with my fingers lightly rubbing it but the shackle was still frozen so I soaked it in penetrating oil with little results. With a mullet I started to lightly wake the lock which made all of the rust inside to loosen up and fall out. More oil and the shackle started to have some give.Looking inside and seen 2 wires which were still spring load so I took 2 prybars together acting as one warding key and the lock popped open. Was very surprised to see the shackle spring still working.

The lock has something on the back which I can pick out as "USA" and I believe the other word is ford co. or something like that but the top row is unreadable at all. If anyone has any info on this lock, please do tell.
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Doogs

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Post Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:13 am

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

OOPS! tTis is in reply to Papas post


Could be "Stamford Conn." Which is of course home to Yale & Towne. Not sure if they made a Titan lock though or if it's an offshoot or competitor/disgruntled employee. Here's something that looks like yours.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-TITAN-p ... 339a7045c9


"Antique 1800s TITAN padlock. Early Yale lock, before Townsend. No key. 1-1/2" x 2". A family item, stored for decades.
Yale is written at top center of second photo, inside oval box."
Last edited by Doogs on Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Papa Gleb

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Post Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:22 am

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Thanks Doogs. Those ebay pictures look horrible but I think you can see the YALE logo on the back of his while there is no such logo on mine.
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Papa Gleb

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 1:16 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Yes it is a Yale. I took a close look and I can clearly see "Yale &" with enough space for "Towne".I also got a safe deposit key blank and made a key from it. Gotta say love a nice smooth piece of metal. I didnt realize but my needle files are done which didnt allow me to get as nice cuts as I planned.

I see one in a bit better condition with no key on ebay so Im curious if anyone will buy and for how much. I also want to stamp the blank "Yale & Towne" so gonna make a little jig to make sure all is aligned.
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jones

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 1:35 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

IDK about stamping Yale & Towne on an S&G safe deposit key, it just doesn't seem all that kosher to me,
I don't suppose You are jewish though so prolly just fine for you
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Papa Gleb

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:34 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

No matter of fact I am a Jew :) and how do you know its a S&G blank? Not a single letter or any indication on it. Its just a piece of metal to me. a nice shiny piece of brass which cost me $2.50 which is why I didnt get a new one and perfect it. I also want to round out the tip so it look parallel to the right side of the last pic.
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jones

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:59 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Papa Gleb wrote:No matter of fact I am a Jew :) and how do you know its a S&G blank? Not a single letter or any indication on it. Its just a piece of metal to me. a nice shiny piece of brass which cost me $2.50 which is why I didnt get a new one and perfect it. I also want to round out the tip so it look parallel to the right side of the last pic.



I can tell by the tip of the key, whoever is charging you $2.50 a key? Seems kinda high to me, but I haven't bought any in years
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Papa Gleb

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:20 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Honestly speaking it felt a bit high for me too but this is my local guy who gives me blanks for free. every once in a while or if its something outside of a $1 range he will charge. Picked 3 Y11, 2 KW1, 2 M10 (not master), 2 AM3 and all for free. so if he did over charge a few cents on it, I dont care.

Jones, Ill shave that tip off and stamp Y&T just for you :)
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GWiens2001

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:35 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

If the blanks for any flat key seems pricey, you can do what I do for harder to find flat blanks... go to Ace Hardware and in their 'specialty' or 'hobby' tubing metal section, you can find varying thickness and height flat metal stock in different metals. Then cut it to shape/size. Just picked up a couple pieces today for some antique locks that a local shop asked me to make keys. ;)

Also, if you look at the drawers of nuts, bolts, and specialty hardware, they typically have a drawer with keys they call 'furnature locks'. These are both solid core lever lock cores and bit/barrel lever lock keys. A bit of filing and sanding, possibly drilling the hole larger, and you have an easy blank. :mrgreen:

Gordon
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Papa Gleb

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:40 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Gordon thats a great point. I only realized after that I have a nice piece of steel stock that is actually perfect thickness but its not worth cutting just to make the key 100% perfect. It doesnt look that bad so Im happy with it.

Hmm a drawer of keys? I'm on my way to my store now then. Later gents.
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GWiens2001

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 6:33 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Here are five of the sizes they have. Try to keep a few here for when odd jobs come in.

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Got this in to make a key for a few days ago as a Christmas rush job...

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Blank from Ace Hardware did not fit at first...

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When done, it works. Two levers.

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The before and after (after grinding, filing and sanding, then impressioning):

Image

Yeah, it certainly ain't up to Lauren's level, but it is fairly quick. Oh, and when unlocked, the top pivots to either side.

Image

Gordon
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jones

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 7:41 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

That's nice Gordon, so what is it?
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jones

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Post Wed Dec 17, 2014 7:45 pm

Re: Lock Restoration: How do you Restore?

Papa Gleb wrote:Honestly speaking it felt a bit high for me too but this is my local guy who gives me blanks for free. every once in a while or if its something outside of a $1 range he will charge. Picked 3 Y11, 2 KW1, 2 M10 (not master), 2 AM3 and all for free. so if he did over charge a few cents on it, I dont care.

Jones, Ill shave that tip off and stamp Y&T just for you :)



I guess the $2.50 is OK then, just so you know keys that color are made out of nickel silver, they are harder to cut than brass and stronger
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