The easiest solid brass padlock rekeying method

[skold]

hi guys this is a way i was taught ( by Hojo ) to remove the retaining bar ( keeps pins in on smaller brass padlocks )

*thanks Hojo the method works fine*

well first you have to heat the padlock up( on a stove it takes about 7 - 8 mins but a blow torch is best ) until its black or turning white hot..then put it in some cold water - a sink is the best.

what it does when you put it in the water , is that the steam build up pressure and shoots the retaining pins ( or bar ) out of the top of the lock.

here are some pics after i did one this morning :


the retaining bar and cylinder retainer ans spring:



the padlock: top *the furthest pin shaft to your righ is where the cylinder retainer goes



the padlock:




the cylinder and other things:


then you have to re-key it, put back the cylinder retainer and the pin retaining bar and its all done

[skold]

i forgot to add, that groove on the clinder is where the retaing pins sits and restricts movement

[thertel]

That is ingenious, simple thermodynamics at work. Well now I'm gonna have to give it a try.

Thomas

[Chucklz]

Becarefull of course. White hot metal+skin=Emergency room Also this treatment will probably stuff the springs in the lock.

[Hak]

Lol, white hot metal+skin sure does hurt. I've accidentally brushed my thumb against a burning piece of metal i was trying shape into a tension wrench. Needless to say, i ended up in the emergency room with a 3rd degree burn on my thumb Its been 4 months since that incident and my thumb still is numb from it. Now anytime im handling blow torches or anything burning hot i wear flame retardent gloves.

[skold]

nah, doesnt stuff the springs..works fine

[Guitar_J]

what it does when you put it in the water , is that the steam build up pressure and shoots the retaining pins ( or bar ) out of the top of the lock.

Are you sure it is the pressure buildup? after all in order for a good deal of pressure buildup wouldn't the lock need to be completely sealed, where as now it has several holes, (Keyway, and holes for the shackle)


I hate to nit pick.. and perhaps it is the pressure... I see that obviously it does work.. I Just wonder why...

my theory is that perhaps it is, instead of pressure buildup, the expansion of the metal when it gets so hot, and the the rapid contraction of the metal when you plunge it into the water lodges the plug loose.


just a thought... interesting method BTW.

[thertel]

If I had to apply some science here I would say that what is occurring is that when the burning hot lock is dropped into the water the water traps the air inside the lock and also creates steam as the water quenches the metal inside the lock thus causing the popping effect.

It has been awhile since my thermodynamics class, and I'm no longer an engineer either so

[skold]

maybe, but there was a round disk, on the side that the shackle is fixed (holds in the spring) it kinda left the sink..the only thing that expands is the plug retainer..have no idea what type of metal it is but its light like aluminium, also the pin retaining bar gets shot out of the lock with some speed, only to be slowed down half a sec later

[Guitar_J]

Hrmm... perhaps it is pressure then... interesting... I will have to try it...

But skold's post should serve as a warning....

Just remembere it's all fun and games until someone gets an eye put out... Safety glasses might not be a bad idea if things are projecting out of the sink... hot metal + eyes == bad

[skold]

the missing shackle spring it me near my eye

next time i will were eye protection

[skold]

im going to do the heat + water method again.

[Jenova]

someone needs to make a video of this hey ???

if someone does tell me and ill host it for lp101

[skold]

any one else has success with this method

[Mad Mick]

The more I think about this, the more I'm inclined to believe that the heat build-up in the lock body is diminishing the interference fit between the plate and the body. The result of this, is the combined spring force pushing the plate out from the lock, and not the effect of steam.