Very Old BiLock Keys

[adi_picker]

Gday Guys,

Recieved these in the mail yesterday.





When I first spotted them for sale in a low-res picture, I couldn't make out any of the logos on them, and combined with the fact I had never seen any genuine BiLock keys with a head shaped this way, I assumed they were for a Chinese copy. Now that I have them, I can see they are definately BiLock originals, but not like any I have ever seen before. Does anyone think these are just really early made keys, given what I am assuming is a low serial number on them? Or could they possibly be prototypes or something? Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Either way, I am stoked to have them, Ill have to keep an eye out for a equally early BL Padlock with the old logo to match them to.

adi_picker

[gumptrick]

Very cool! Those are certainly a different design than the BiLock keys I am used to seeing. Not only is the plastic bow a different shape, but there is no active element in the key either.

I'm afraid I don't know much about the history of BiLocks, but it appears that those keys are marked with the name and phone number of the locksmith who sold them? Perhaps it would be possible to contact John Barnes Locksmiths and ask them if they can shed any light on it? Or perhaps contact BiLock and ask them?

[Ralph_Goodman]

Awesome share!

I wonder if that locksmith would still be around, but that would be extremely interesting if you could reach out to him and find out more.

[billdeserthills]

You could ask Global locky2, he sells BiLock products
I'm afraid that isn't his correct spelling for his actual name though
I'm sure a mod can tell you what it is

[gumptrick]

I wonder if that locksmith would still be around, but that would be extremely interesting if you could reach out to him and find out more.

I tried googling that name to see if I could find anything to help TC and I had the opposite problem: there were many hits for "John Barnes Locksmith" in various parts of Australia! Perhaps the company has multiple locations? Or there is simply more than one locksmith with that name?

[adi_picker]

Thanks for all the input fellas.

Have found out these were common up until the late 90's early 2000's for BiLock. This makes sense as I have seen the same old Logo marked on BiLock padlocks from around that time, so I guess they were around at the same time. I was busy going to school around this time, so I guess I never got to see them

The Locksmith that made them is still around see them here --> https://www.johnbarnesqld.com.au/. I didnt call them because I find its often hard to get a hold of the older locksmiths on the phone, they generally tend to let the young fellas take the calls and give the answers, and they tend to give an answer based on thier limited knowledge.. I guess thats business, they dont have time to talk about the past.

adi_picker

[billdeserthills]

Tell ya something about putting your phone number on keys,
For over 30 years my Dad stamped every key he cut (except the DND keys)
with the shop stamp, which had our business name and phone #
I have received hundreds of calls from people saying "Hey we found your keys"
then I'd hafta tell them those keys weren't really ours....

[globallockytoo]

I still have a couple of FG (first Generation) Bilock systems in America. Non QCC. No triggers. 1 part head used a different head crimping tool.
I used to work for John Barnes in Bentleigh Victoria and their original head office in North Melbourne. The Original founder John Barnes himself, moved his family to Queensland many years ago and started his own John Barnes and Co Locksmiths in Qld. That's why there are multiple locations across the country

[peterwn]

Very cool! Those are certainly a different design than the BiLock keys I am used to seeing. Not only is the plastic bow a different shape, but there is no active element in the key either.

I'm afraid I don't know much about the history of BiLocks, but it appears that those keys are marked with the name and phone number of the locksmith who sold them? Perhaps it would be possible to contact John Barnes Locksmiths and ask them if they can shed any light on it? Or perhaps contact BiLock and ask them?

The active element was added in more recent times as the original patent was about to expire. This may have extended the life of the original patent but I am not sure on this.
I think I saw some older Bilock cylinders in Sydney marked Bilok.
The Bilock was originally developed for gaming machines (aka one armed bandits or poker machines) where wafer cylinders were found wanting. Since the whole mechanism is contained in the half inch diameter plug, the external dimensions would have been the same as the wafer locks they replaced. The makers also produce a wide range of shells - Australian oval, Euro, screw mortise, nightlatch, Schlage KIK, etc, etc. There seems to be no retail sales of factory assembled Bilock's - they supply the parts to locksmiths who key them as needed to customer requirements. The blanks are 'L' shaped AFAIK, the cuts are clipped (12 cuts 4 levels) then bent into the 'U' shape with a special press. Franchised locksmiths purchase the clippers and presses. Masterkeying needs to be by rotating constants (or one row of 6 pins constant for smaller jobs) as two 'gates' in each of the 12 pins would unduly degrade security.
The makers even make 'bicentric' mortise locks. They have two Australian oval cylinders side by side - so one could be a standard 'C4' keyway and the other a Bilock.