Jail Locks

[GateTwelve]

I had the displeasure of touring (yes, touring...) a jail recently, and was quite impressed by the locks. Does anyone have information about them. The keys themselves were about six inches long, and looked like some variation of a lever lock. The locks had a very warded keyway, and you could see through them to the other side.

I was hoping someone might have some advanced information on them.

[n2oah]

I know that some jail locks are normal pin tumblers. They are absolutely HUGE and they look like a moritse cylinder, but much larger. They have large pins and stiff springs. I've never seen a jail lock like the one you described.

[SFGOON]

The locks you saw are lever locks and are quite difficult to bypass, or mutilate, destroy, etc. If you think those are impressive, you should see the keys....

[GateTwelve]

I did see the keys. They are enormous.

The sheriff said that they (the cops) were not allowed to have clubs, guns, mace or any other weapon on them while in the jail. The entire time I was picturing him bludgeoning someone with one of the keys.

Oh, he said that they (the keys) are made somewhere in Texas - the only place that manufactures them...I don't know if he was full of it or not.

[Chucklz]

My cousin is a corrections officer. Yes, no weapons while walking, but many guards don't feel as though they need them. I am aware of two kinds of locks in prisons. 1. Lever locks on cells. These are the ones with the HUGE keys. They are often Folger Adams locks. You can see a great shot of the lock, and of the key in Silence of the Lambs. 2.) Mogul cylinders, which are very large cylinders that would be called Mortise cylinders. I don't have any real information about their pick resistance, but I dont think I ever want to find out.

[chopitup]

Would be fun to pick one of those up and try to pick it with home made tools

[Minion]

I'm pretty sure they're restricted due to the obvious purpose...

Security through obscurity.

[chopitup]

I'm pretty sure they're restricted due to the obvious purpose...

Security through obscurity.

I've seen a few in peoples collections. I think they are possible to get when the jails are decomissioned sometimes.

[GateTwelve]

but many guards don't feel as though they need them.

Keep in mind, though, that this is North Dakota ("The Meth State"). Most of the prisoners in the jail are there for meth related crimes, or are high as a kite when arrested, and thus very violent.

[oldlock]

maker is Folger Adams - owned by Chubb Custodial locks (assa Abloy)

Paul

BTW - be very carefull if buying keys etc of this type as there are a lot of fakes around .

[raimundo]

I remembered it was something like adams rite, its folger adams, and the mogul from an expanded drawing I once saw has pin tumblers in the normal way and a second set that seem to come in at an angle like dimple key pins, and from something I saw on one of the cable channels, there was a type of folger adams key with a type of brass cover over the key just so inmates couldnt make out the depths by looking at the key, it was like a jackknife arrangement to hide the key from observation. (Eamon Devalera escaped from a death sentence in kilmainham jail in dublin with a key made from pressing a jail key into a candle, and having the candle smuggled out to someone who duplicated it.)

[GateTwelve]

Wow...
But how did he get a hold of the key so that he could press it into a candle? And once it was duplicated, how did they get it back into him. If they could bring him back a half-foot key, they should have brought him something more useful...like a shotgun.

[Chucklz]

*Insert picture of Christopher Walken in uniform, holding a watch*

[keysman]

Pictures of folger- adams jail lock and key


http://lockshop.us/Jaillkey.jpg
http://lockshop.us/jailkey.jpg

[n2oah]

That looks like a safe deposit box and key except that most safe deposit keys are totally flat without wards.