Old weathered master locks
Im just now trying to open some of these gates. Old, rusted no 3 masters that just won't pick. I've sprayed them with penetrating oil and let them sit overnight, still no joy. Today, I realized the shackle was frozen and would not move at all. I finally picked up a chunk of wood and gave it a few good whacks to loosen the shackle. It will now wiggle a bit, but still won't pick.
Is it possible the pawls are rusted closed?
Or are these just tough because they haven't been opened in 20 years? Do they rust and corrode that easily?
I have an old no 3 sitting on my desk that was tough to pick the first 6 or 7 times, but now it's so smooth, my 6 year old son can pick it pretty easily.
Thoughts on opening these old locks other than lube? Should I just get some bypass tools instead to break loose whatever rust is inside?