Lauren's Antique Padlock Restoration

[MBI]

Most of my experience is with current, or at least relatively recent locks. Intricate mechanical devices have always fascinated me so I like these posts exactly because of the detail you give, and like you say, they're something like a puzzle. Your posts give a refreshing change of pace.

It's emblematic of why I love this forum. We have so many people from so many specialties here, sharing knowledge, so we can all improve our collective experience and skill sets. I don't like to see knowledge die; it's nice to see this kind of information getting spread around for others to soak up.

It reminds me of a documentary I was watching other day about blacksmiths. Unfortunately I didn't write down these figures, but I think I'm remembering them in the right ballpark. A hundred years ago we had something in the vicinity of 250,000 professional blacksmiths in the USA, and today it's closer to around 500. Basically, every single town had at least one blacksmith and bigger cities had many of them.

He was the go-to guy for making tools, metal construction materials, repairs, etc. You couldn't just order a new... whatever. You had to see the blacksmith if it was something you couldn't make yourself. If an EMP or something were to take us back to 1800's level technology, we'd sure be scrambling to relearn old skills that are dying in our society.

There is knowledge out there we need to preserve. But now I'm rambling, so I'll shut up now too.

[Lauren]

I have made many homemade barrel key for AMES SWORD padlocks. The keys worked, but not to the manufacturer's specifications. My keys were always decoded up to the ten o'clock position using counterclockwise rotation. It always bothered me knowing the keys would not rotate and open the lock via clockwise rotation. Rarely, are original keys sold with locks, so I had little basis to go on. Actually, a proper cut key should open the lock in either rotation with the slightest of friction between all eight interlocking lever tumblers; nothing like the hard forces felt when opening a similar SAMSON lock by CORBIN.

Well, now that I have truly mastered these AMES SWORD padlocks, my $95.00 investment payed off. This massively, huge padlock ( 1.050 inch in thickness) was obtained without a key in the closed position and I machined a barrel key from cold rolled bar stock. I used an 11/64 drill bit for the barrel pin (perfect!). My working key feathers the tumblers as the shackle springs open. This lock is in amazing condition with an original galvanized chain.




SHACKLE STAMPED: AMES SWORD CO. CHICOPEE MASS, U.S.A. PAT. SEPT. 19, 1882, (SHACKLE TOE STAMPED: 78)

[Lauren]

Here are some recent acquisitions of some interesting YALE STANDARD padlocks. Each lock was purchased locked and without keys, and techniques described in my book were used to makes these padlocks whole again. Two keys were homemade and the third one is an ILCO 611.

From a collector's point of view, the smallest lock has all the patent dates, and the lock shown in the center has a more rounded body just below the shackle, and the lock shown on the left has a spring loaded key hole cover. These are all features which make these locks more desirable.

[Lauren]

I obtained this SMITH & EGGE padlock back when I used to post at LP101. I made a key blank from a picture and made it into a working key. In the back of my mind, I was always hopeful of finding an original key on EBAY. My lock has a beautiful chocolate patina with an original chain, and the mechanism works flawlessly. Keys sold on EBAY are rarely offered and I have been lucky to snatch the last two of three listings in the first day (thanks "BUY IT NOW"!). These padlocks sold with keys are now selling close to $100.00 (especially around refund tax season). This just goes to show how key collectors help padlock collectors. I just find the ability to do both religiously too expensive, especially when it comes to railroad barrel keys.

[Riyame]

Congrats on getting the Smith & Egge key. The Yale with the dust cover is interesting, I have never seen one like that before.

[MBI]

I like that Smith and Egge. Like you said, that patina is gorgeous.

[Lauren]

Thanks to Doogs for posting the link to the No. 26 YALE catalog. The model number of the 2 inch wide Yale padlock with the dust guard is D853 1/2. The "D" prefix standS for "dust guard" and the "1/2" stands for 8 inches of 7B chain. Had this lock never been fitted for the dust guard and chain, the model number would be 853.

I was also never aware of the dust cover design, and my lock is the only one I have ever seen. I am surprised a seller out of Washington state had this lock for sale. I usually find rare padlocks on the east coast or mid west.

[Lauren]

This BARNES & DEITZ, three lever padlock may look like your typical antique on the outside, but the inside is what continues to let me down. Once again, I purchased a broken lock. The second to last DEITZ lock I had purchased had two broken lever tumbler springs and a shackle trip lever spring. There is only five springs total on these locks, so "broken" doesn't get any better.

Nevertheless, I thought I would give Etsy a try. This appears to be a company where sellers come off as artisans, take fancy pictures, use fancy words, and like to charge higher prices. The only thing troubling me is how a seller would deal with a knowledgeable buyer like my self should the lock be broken. So, I gave the seller a sort of "heads up" message about the lock and my background, just after receiving verification of shipment. I described how I was well versed with these locks and developed a special technique for opening these locks in under ten minutes, and stated there was a high probability the lock had spring damage.

When I received the lock, I immediately did a shake test while holding all the loose components. I heard a distinct loose parts noise. The lever tumblers all had spring action and the shackle had rebound, once pressed and released. This left only one spring - the bolt and fence torsion spring. This spring is what displaces the bolt into the shackle toe once the shackle is closed. I got the lock open in under ten minutes, decoded the lever tumblers for purposes of making a working key, and then attempted to close the shackle. Nothing! The shackle just popped back up. In cases like this the best way to lock the shackle is to sweep the key as if trying to open the lock, but while holding the shackle down, and also while tilting the lock to one side. This technique simply uses gravity to free the fence and bolt away from the tumbler stack and into locked position.

The problem with Etsy is most of us like to use Pay Pal. In order to get money back, you have to open a case with both companies. Don't ever close a case until you do, because the case can not be reopened. From a seller's point of view, he or she has to use other funds payable to a designated Pay Pal account to refund the buyer. Once funds are received. The buyer should immediately close the case with Pay Pal so the funds become available to the seller and should wash out the cost of the refund on the seller's end. What a pain in the ass! And, then close the case with Etsy.

I'm beginning to think Etsy is a grave yard for broken junk. So, just be careful. Funny, I have seen cases where sellers are listing the same antique padlock concurrently in both Ebay and Etsy. I think I will stick to Ebay. The customer protection and refund process is much smoother.

[spuds]

Sweet love your work Lauren

[Lauren]

And, why not-- one of a kind, eight lever decoder. For your viewing pleasure.



Outer pins can be replaced with short ones to work on six lever locks as well.

[Riyame]

Hey Lauren, I noticed that in the earlier parts of your thread your images are gone. Did you recently delete or move them?

[Lauren]

Years of work was deleted across multiple forums by my own doing. Some of it conflicted with my book. Sorry...

[macgng]

Lauren, is there a final version coming out or will continue to update the book? I have wanted to buy it since it came out but then a new version came out at the same time i was finally gonna buy it.

let me know and please post the link again for purchase if this is an edition i should get since i am really getting into these kinda locks now.

Thanks again.

[GWiens2001]

Lauren,

When making a bit and barrel key from solid stock as you do, how do you make the barrel keep the same roundness where it extends over the bit area?

Gordon

[Lauren]

I obtained this Norfolk & Western Railway padlock in the locked position and without a working key. The lock was made by YALE (stamped on the back). Two of four lever tumblers may be tumbler trapped. This assisted with picking the lock open more easily using a .020 inch diameter Z-wire. A heavier gauge Z-wire was inserted through the rear of the key-way to tension the cam behind the tumbler stack. Picking multiple tumblers at once was more successful than individual tumbler picking. The key was make from tool steel.