american 200 series

[devnill]

I just got an american 200 series padlock, and its proving extremely challenging. Not only is it a well made lock, its about corroded shut. Does anyone know where i can get a new cylinder For it? ive looked online, and i cant find much in the line of replacement parts im sure after enough time i can get it open, but im not sure if theres any hope of cleaning such an old lock

Thanks for the help
devnill

[p1ckf1sh]

Have you looked on www.americanlock.com ?

They offer replacement parts for some locks, but I could not find a Series 200. Sure it is not 2000? Maybe the series has been discontinued...

[devnill]

yeah, its a 200 alright. I already checked the site too. The lock deffinately is discontinued (im guessing its atleast 30 years old)

[yng_pick]

is the shackle corroded shut or is the cylinder (or both?)

I would suggest soaking it for a night, a week, however long it takes- in a lubricant (when I soak locks I generally use a cheapy 1$ store can) or a cleaner- i use auto kroil (i think thats how its spelled).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F0 ... n=15684181 is of similar name- supposed to loosen metal parts.

after you have soaked, if you don't want it all slippery and such, you can spray clean with something like the cleaner, and then use canned air to force out extra liquid, and let dry.

i know some people do not like picking lubricated locks, but i find it just fine, and sometimes easier (though occasionally more difficult).

[devnill]

the lock is actually in pretty good condition on first sight, but the shcakel seems corroded a little (when i work it in and out a bit rust comes out) and the pins are very stiff. i tried a little silicone, but its still a bear.

thanks for the advice, i never though of soaking an entire lock

[raimundo]

the least likely part of an american lock to need replacement is the cylinder, its protected well from all the brute force tools that might be used, if you can open it, look in the shackle hole for the screw that lets the cylinder out, you can find a thick barrel plastic advertizing pen that will fit perfectly for a follower for these locks, put a piece of wadded paper in the pen tube to keep pins and springs from dissappearing through the tube and out the other end, If you don't like the current combination you can recomb it just by rearranging the pins, but if the lock comes from a set that may have been ka keydalike, you may want to make a key to the present comb. if you don't have access to blanks, you could set it up to an old key if you find one that is cut higher than your cylinder needs. Taking the cylinder apart and cleaning, lubing, etc will help a lot, some of these american locks will not readily open even with key or after picking, and require a sharp rap on the shackle to lock body interface. Also, rusted american will not easily tell you when they are picked, so before dropping tension, try to turn the plug with a small straight screwdriver.

[raimundo]

one more thing, if you find an old american padlock that has been thrown out even if the shackle has been cut open, you can pick it and take it apart and use the cylinder, springs pins and all removable parts to help out your other old american lock, so keep this in mind if you see a thrown away lock of the american type, the cylinders are fully interchangeable, so any american lock has parts to use on yours.