Best day at the Flea Market ever!!! Military Padlocks!

[cheerIO]

So I was doing my weekly rounds at the flea market and a lady had a bunch of Master Locks and other cheapo padlocks. I was looking through them cause they all had their keys zip tied to them and I thought that was very nice. I was about to leave when a big chunk of metal caught my eye. I couldn't believe it, an S&G 831! With keys!!! I had never seen one in person and I couldn't believe my luck. I resumed breathing, picked it up and underneath was another behemoth I had never even seen before. I tried to settle down, put on my game face, and proceeded to negotiate an insane price for both locks all the while thinking that I was going to wake up from a dream at any moment. I got home and I still can't believe my luck. Here they are:



The second one is actually even more exciting than the 831. I found out it's a Navy Duel Control Padlock (DCP) Model 1381 style 3. Both locks seem to have their original keys. The 831 has two operating keys and one control. And the DCP has two keys for each core, the cores are not keyed alike. The DCP requires both keys to operate the shackle and can be opened by driving out the roll pin on the side once it is unlocked.







This was the greatest lock find ever at the flea market for me. It's awesome to have a nice thing happen every once in a while. I'll do a breakdown post of the DCP later this week.

[GWiens2001]

Absolutely amazing! Never seen one like that second dual custody lock. Congratulations! If you don't want it in your collection, let me know, cause I want it in mine!

Gordon

[Comrade627]

That's awesome. How much did that cost you?

[cheerIO]

That's awesome. How much did that cost you?

That's another thing that was so unbelievable about today. I have always wanted some locks like these but I don't really have a budget to buy them. When I turned over the 831 there was a price tag on it, $35.00!!! I couldn't believe it. I would happily have paid that right there, but this is the flea market. The DCP was marked $35.00 too.

I went up to the lady after I had composed myself and asked her if she would do a deal if I bought both.
She thought for a second, "I'll take 65 for both."
I said, "They are nice big locks, but that's a bit much. I have $40.00."
Her response was, "Let's meet in the middle, $50.00 for both."
"Done"

So I got them complete with keys for $25.00 each!!! I still can't believe it. Best day in a long long time.

[Squelchtone]

WOW.

This is going to go down in locksport history, I don't remember a better find for a better price in all my time here.

When I was real heavy into hunting down S&G military padlocks, I pretty much had a model from each year made, from the Miracle, to the Ingersoll, to the S&G's of the early 70's, early 80's and then the 833's that came out in 1990.

There were two models that were just rarer than rare. the 844 which was a variant of the 831 but had a .844 inch wide throat, and the dual custody NAPEC. shipboard padlock. I think I saw one once on ebay but it quickly sold and for an astronomical price. antique-padlocks.com always had a photo of one and I saw some old DoD papers that had a crude drawing of one. When I was at Lockmasters during Lockcon 2012, there was one hanging at the Harry C Miller lock museum in a display case behind glass, and it was my first first time seeing that model in real life.

Yours looks pristine, and if I was still into collecting those and saw it on ebay or something, I'd easily drop $400-$500 cash for it without even thinking twice. To get it it for $25 is unheard of, so congratulations and enjoy the moment!

what a time to be alive!
Squelchtone

PS. here's some interesting reading http://www.antique-padlocks.com/shared/ ... 381_01.pdf

[cheerIO]

Awesome. Thanks for the comments guys.

I'm still in disbelief I snagged such a deal. That document is really good. I'll follow the directions this week and do a tear-down post on the lock.

Well, to wind up the best Saturday in a while, the newest addition to my collection and myself are going to enjoy a few beers. Cheers.

[FancyPants]

I... don't even know what to say. Ouch, got me right in my jealousies. Those locks are in beautiful condition...

[deolslyfox]

You have made the buy of a lifetime !! I can't imagine outdoing that buy !!

Good on ya !! BZ !!

[nick08037]

Congratulations on the great flea market buy, well played! you hit the padlock jackpot for sure.

as a matter of curiosity, does the dual custody lock require any specific sequencing of the keys to open? or do both need to be turned simultaneously?

enjoy your good fortune! thanks for sharing the moment with us

Nick

[cheerIO]

as a matter of curiosity, does the dual custody lock require any specific sequencing of the keys to open? or do both need to be turned simultaneously?

Thanks Guys.

No, nearest I can tell, each key operates a separate bolt that locks the hasp. You just need to have them both in the unlocked position for the hasp to move. Order doesn't matter. I'll tear it down this afternoon and take some pictures for you guys.

[blue60]

great find IO

looking forward to seeing pic's of the tear down.

[MacGnG1]

Holy crap! I've been looking for a NAPEC dual control padlock for years. if you ever want to let that go please let me know.

WOW just wow! thanks for the pix!!!!!!

[cheerIO]

Thanks again guys.

I posted a disassembly of this lock you can see it here:

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=60378

[kwoswalt99-]

Hi,
I think I might have been to that flea market before. I really liked the one I went to, but spent most of my time at a vendor who sold machine tools. I only got to go there once, one summer. When I was there, I think they had a tractor show.
Kyle

[Sanji Himura]

I need confirmation on something. I noticed that the locks have Medico keys. Was Medico involved in someway to the current state of the lock?