Buying interesting locks..

by **absynthe** » 4 Aug 2007 23:39

Hello everyone,

I have been interested in buying an EVVA 3KS and a Kaba Star for a while now. I lived in Japan for a year and it was no problem buying Kabas but I never did because I assumed I could find them on the internet somewhere later.

I live in the US and as many forum members here seem to have mentioned, it is not so easy to get decent locks here.

So I have a question for all of you that seem to share an interest in locks:

Isn't there SOMEWHERE that sells a wide majority of locks produced? Or at least has contacts? I don't want to bother anyone who is a collector and try to get them to send me locks. It just seems that there is a good amount of interest in finding some of the interesting locks from around the world.

I saw a post from someone at tools.nl requesting American locks. It seems really sad how we have to fight to find locks that are so easy to purchase if you are in the right country.

So to summarize, is there a good online retailer that sells a wide variety of european locks to the US?

by **JackNco** » 5 Aug 2007 2:54

Pretty much any online store will send things around the world. But you will end up paying a fair amount because the dollar is weak at the moment, plus you need to pay for shipping and probably import taxes.

You will have trouble getting an evva over there as euro profile locks are not that common, then again saying that one of mine was shipped from the states.

Just search round ebay. thats where i get most of my stuff

John

by **jamesphilhulk2** » 5 Aug 2007 7:48

i get most of my locks from screwfix and b&q

by **JackNco** » 5 Aug 2007 8:03

jamesphilhulk2 wrote:i get most of my locks from screwfix and b&q

That must cost u a fortune.

by **caffn8me** » 5 Aug 2007 19:05

JackNco wrote:
jamesphilhulk2 wrote:i get most of my locks from screwfix and b&q

That must cost u a fortune.

and neither does EVVA or KABA.

by **caffn8me** » 5 Aug 2007 19:14

JackNco wrote:You will have trouble getting an evva over there as euro profile locks are not that common

It's quite easy to get an EVVA in rim cylinder format (it's a direct replacement for a Yale 1109) although rim cylinders seem to be uncommon in the USA too.

by **absynthe** » 5 Aug 2007 20:04

It is easy to get it in rim cylinder format in the US?

This brings up another question. When I see the cylinders on EVVA's website, they have a sort of shape like the cross section of a level lock (if that makes sense) like a circle with a narrower rectangle coming off the bottom. This is a European style of cylinder?

My main aim is to put it in a deadbolt. Most US deadbolts have a circular cylinder about the same diameter as the lock mechanism itself. I am perfectly happy buying a deadbolt and installing the cylinder in it. It just seems like it would be easier to find an online retailer who could sell me the proper deadbolt than it has been so far to find an online retailer who can sell me the cylinder.

by **absynthe** » 5 Aug 2007 23:25

The lever lock shape I mentioned earlier I see now is present in the US... it is just hidden by the case holding the cylinder. I hadn't looked at locks in a long time.

So besides the shape... are most European cylinders incompatible with US deadbolts? Would I need to make sure to get a European deadbolt?

by **absynthe** » 6 Aug 2007 0:21

Sorry to make another post... I found a better set of pictures and maybe understand a little better.

This is the cylinder style I have seen:

http://www.lockinfo.net/cyl-knob.html

According to this same site... deadbolts used here are generally not interchangeable with cylinders from other makers. Is this true?

The shape I have seen the 3KS in is a rim type (don't really think I want this) and a "euro cylinder", Like the picture on the right near the top here:

http://www.bernards.co.uk/oval_euro_cylinders_faq.htm

From what I gather.. these are for mortise style locks?

So I guess my question is this... is there a way to get a US style deadbolt where two intersecting holes are drilled in the door? Or do I have to get a mortise style lock?

Thanks again and sorry for all the posts

by **Eyes_Only** » 6 Aug 2007 7:07

Don't understand 100% what you meant but all I know is that in the US a euro style profile cylinder in your second link won't fit most doors in the US. I know they're starting to sell doors that accepts them but they're not too popular or common here yet.

by **absynthe** » 6 Aug 2007 8:17

Yeah... I am not 100% sure of what I am talking about either ; )

I looked around last night and it seems that the best way that I could get the 3KS to work would be to get the euro cylinder and install it in a mortise lock box.

My landlord probably wouldn't like it so I should probably just replace the door ; )

by **greyman** » 6 Aug 2007 17:25

You can get an EVVA 3KS off ebay (Germany) quite easily - but you may have to send cash since a lot of vendors don't offer paypal. Kaba Star - I don't know - I've never seen one on ebay. You might have to contact a distributor for that and they might not like tp sell an individually-keyed lock to an overseas customer.

by **Eyes_Only** » 6 Aug 2007 22:52

You could always hit up every locksmith shop in your area and see if they might carry it. Who knows, you might get lucky. :wink:

by mh » 6 Aug 2007 23:32

KABA keyed locks simply don't seem to appear on ebay, but all the rest does eventually, just have a look at ebay.de or ebay.at (Austria) for the EVVA locks.

Cheers,
mh

by **JackNco** » 7 Aug 2007 5:22

mh wrote:KABA keyed locks simply don't seem to appear on ebay, but all the rest does eventually, just have a look at ebay.de or ebay.at (Austria) for the EVVA locks.

Cheers,
mh

I must have got lucky then, i got a couple of kaba GEGEs in there original packets on ebay.co.uk

Buying interesting locks..

Buying interesting locks..

Who is online