Rekeying an Abloy Lock

[GringoLocksmith]

My boss handed me two Abloy cylinders and asked me to rekey them such that one key will open both. I'm thinking about opening them both up and laying the disks out, and using Lock 1 as the template. I then plan to find all the disks from Lock 2 that match any from Lock 1, and put them in the corresponding position. Then I'll modify the remaining disks from Lock 2 -- those that I can't match up to disks from Lock 1 -- to fit the key from Lock 1.

I think there are two ways of going about this last part:

Option 1: From looking at the locks, I see there is a groove (for lack of the better word), sometimes rounded and sometimes squared off, placed at some position on each disk. Using my multi-tool, I could create a second groove matching the shape and position of a corresponding disk of my choice from Lock 1.

Option 2: I could take each remaining unmatched disk and grind all around it, down the lowest point on each groove. In this way they will serve as nothing more than placeholders so that the disks that do match can stay in their positions.

Any thoughts on this?

[Riyame]

Security wise it would be better to just cut/grind a corresponding groove in the unmatched disc. Then it would basically just be a mastered disc. If you ground down the entire disc it would really reduce the security. And seeing as that has to be an knockoff disc detainer it isnt that great of security anyways.

[GringoLocksmith]

A knockoff, you say? What gives it away?

[GWiens2001]

For the discs that do not match the cuts on lock #1, try flipping them over. Abloy, as I understand it, only makes three actual gate positions, and the other three are achieved by flipping over the disc.

Gordon

[GringoLocksmith]

Some more questions. To what extent do I need to worry about the depth, the width, and the shape of the grooves that I cut? I figure if I go too wide, I'll sacrifice some security but it won't affect functionality. If I cut too shallow it won't work, but what if I cut too deep? Will the lock get stuck in the open position? And how closely do I have to replicate the shape of the cut?

Thanks in advance!

[GringoLocksmith]

That's going to make things a heck of a lot easier. Thanks, Gordon.

ETA- Actually, now that I look at them, I see that you're right about the three positions. But the empty part in the center of each disk is not symmetrical, so flipping them wouldn't work.

[Riyame]

A knockoff, you say? What gives it away?

The discs. Abloy does not make ones like that.

If you cut a bit too deep it should not really negatively effect the lock as the sidebar will be supported by the spacers and other discs anyways.

[GringoLocksmith]

Well, I finished it. I only had to cut three new grooves with the multi-tool fiberglass grinder and it came out well. One set of keys opens both locks and the other turns just one of them. The hardest part of the whole job was putting the locks back together, especially spiraling the little washers into the backs of the cylinders. The whole job took about three hours, but next time I reckon I could do it in one.

[Gregted]

I have also just acquired some Abloy locks and am interested in finding out more about these.

I have attached some pics of mine and would like to dissamble them.

I assume I will have to pick them first before I can pull them apart as I didn't get any keys.

I found out they are disc locks and I need to buy or preferably make a tool to rotate the discs and then drop the side bar to open the lock.

Any help appreciated.

Greg

[huxleypig]

Good luck!

The 1st is an Abloy Classic with a profile. The 2nd looks like an Exec or Disklok? But whatever, neither are an easy proposition when it comes to picking. If anything, I think the Classic poses more problems to picking.

If you want to make a key then I believe you can impression the classic using a copper pipe then transfer the cuts to a blank. I do not know about impressioning the 2nd one.

As you have access to the locks, you can take them apart and have a look at the discs. That will tell you what cuts need to be on the key. You could even move the discs about...

Btw, you don't need to pick them to dissasemble.

[GWiens2001]

Huxleypig is correct - the first is an ABLOY Profile, the second looks like an ABLOY Disclock.

Both can be disassembled without a key!!!

The Disclock will be easier. From the back, the retainer clip is round and layers over itself. Find the end, and using a sharp pick (like a dental pick) to lift the end barely high enough to clear the plug. Use another tool to hold the end up, then carefully work your way around the plug, gradually lifting more and more of the clip up the the back of the plug. Twice around the plug, and the clip will be out! Just be careful not to bend the clip when removing it. Once the clip is removed, hold the lock with the keyway up, and lift the body of the lock off the plug (properly called a carrier with an ABLOY).

The Profile lock has a slightly different process to disassemble. The clip will need to be turned. Get the end of the clip lifted into the gap you see in the back of the lock, then carefully rotate the clip in place, feeding more and more of the clip into the gap until the clip is entirely out. Then, like the Disclock, hold the lock keyway up, and lift the lock body (also called a shell) off the carrier.

Once you have the clip off, the Exec should come apart like the Disclock, with the same type of parts inside. There is a writeup on the guts of the Disclock here.

Have fun, and keep us posted. If you want to trader or sell that Australian oval Exec lock (the bottom one in your pictures), send me a PM!

Gordon

[GWiens2001]

OK, here is some info on taking apart and rekeying an ABLOY Classic lock.

Gordon