Buying Locks

[Skips]

I live in the UK as is shown by my location and if this is in the wrong place could a mod please move it, but Ive just spent a day in town looking around various shops for some locks and failed completely.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where in the UK I could get some?

I would rather not import from overseas and I dont really want to pay retail prices as they seem exorbident.

[Shrub]

Wheres apple county?

Anyway try your local B+Q, Wickes, Focus, local markets, family hardware stores, even local super markets will sell some padlocks, lockies in the area may let you have removed locks etc, you will also be supprised how many cylinders your local scrap yard come by if its a proper scrap yard and not a car dismantlers,

Ebay is a very good resource and as and when you want to start getting things that are hard to find or locks that are sold abroad then its your best bet,

[Skips]

Apple County would be Zomerzet, home of the cider apple. and the Wurzles.

Been into both Wickes and B+Q and the only locks they appear to sell are in the £20 range, dont think there are any Focuses around and the markets Ive seen dont sell them. Can't think of any family hardware stores and the supermarkets dont, guess Ill have to talk to the lockies. I think all the scrap yards are mainly car dismantlers and Im planning on getting some wiper inserts from there as the ones they use at work appear not to have them.

Hmm Ill try the two in my nearest town.

[jb68]

If you go into Homebase, they sell yale cylinders seperatley (ie not as part of the backlock, don't remember how much tho'.
But like Shrub said, lockies normaly have dozens that they've taken off.

[Skips]

Those Yale cylinders are £12.99 dull or £13.99 chromed. Also the packaging has about 100 stickers all over it saying GUARENTEED ANTI-PICK, great security features, yah de yah. Actually Im not sure they were Yales, but they were the cheapest cylinders there but combination of price and supposed complexity worried me.

I was ordering some picks from the states anyway and I think I managed to pick up a cheaper lock than that online. (waiting for it to arrive at the moment, been waiting a week now and getting a little impatient, says 14 days so Ill wait till then to chase it up. Just dont particularly want to get all my locks from America.

[pinky]

find yourself a local upvc firm, these guys are fitting new upvc doors every day, they have loads of old wooden doors in their yard all to be skipped, have a word and most will let you help yourself to all the old locks in the old doors.
failing this, pop down to council tip, and they will have stacks of old doors with locks in, ask nicely and im sure you will get plenty

[Chris B]

Good morning,

Just to add to Martin's post, we believe that Somerset has quite a few Reclamation & Recycling Centres, there must be loads of doors stacked up here? We know someone who revamped all of the doors to their home using recycled doors with old fashioned locks, and they look really good, and exactly right for the age of the house, and that was in your home county of Somerset.
The centres are listed under Yell.com so you can let your fingers do some walking before trekking half way across the county.

good hunting
Chris B

[Rockford]

Check out your family/friends door locks, and offer to upgrade them at cost - keeping the old ones for practice on. There's a million and one ways of obtaining old locks for practicing on - you just need to use a bit of brain power and use your legs.

[Keyring]

Although you'll soon outgrow them, Poundland usually have padlocks which are great confidence boosters when starting out. It's been a while though, so I don't remember how much they were...

[Skips]

Although you'll soon outgrow them, Poundland usually have padlocks which are great confidence boosters when starting out. It's been a while though, so I don't remember how much they were...

Ihope your joking about not knowingthe price...although they never have the prices on the packet so I might have to ask, hope its not too much,who is Michael and I will check the reclamationcentres.

[Shrub]

Yes the £1 locks from poundland will be a confidence boost im sure,

[certo_uk]

When I was first starting out I went to screwfix they do 5 and 6 in euros pretty cheap (think I got 6 for £20). Also found loads of good gear on eBay but be careful of feed back etc. Also its easy to blow some serious $.

[alex20005uk]

dont forget SELCO - you need to know someone that owns a business of some sort to get a free membership on the spot - or just borrow their business card. But i got 5 pin locks as cheap as £2.90 and also a 5 pin yale with 2 spools for £4.50. Not sure about quality but im having fun with them still.

Im starting out too and the best places ive found are the above, ebay(some really good deals but you have to hunt for them) and screwfix. Still looking.............

Not sure about your B&Q but i went into mine (London) and there were loads!!!! although a bit pricy.

[boroboy41]

I got my first locks from my local B&Q. The one here sells only Yale and ERA brand locks.

In terms of replacement cylinders for nightlatches:-
The ERA 863/864/865 are simple 5 pin cylinders.
The Yale P1109 is a 5 pin cylinder with 2 spools.
The Yale X5 is a 6 pin cylinder with 4 spools and various other bits and bobs.
All of these cost about £9 each for a pack with 2 keys.

The Euro profile locks they sell are very expensive (£25+) compared to the ~BuyItNow~ prices on eBay.

[UNFORGIVEN]

i agree with alex20005uk
selco is cheep as chips not only for locks but on all building materials