Super Glue in Padlocks

[northcave]

Hi Chaps.

I'm writing from the technical department at a company in the UK called Nothing But Padlocks. We're basically are the only specialist in Padlocks this side of the pond. Anyway we get a lot of customers having problems with vandalism is padlocks in terms of super glue inside them.

We're doing an article on the subject for submission to a few magazines and sites in a hope we can find some sort of a solution. We're already spoke with ABUS who have thought around the subject with little success so i thought i would pose the question here and maybe someone fancies the challenge.

Ideally I'd like someone who knows a little about the workings of padlocks and has some knowledge of solvents or at least willing to experiment. If you up tot the challenge then a set of photos and notes from you experiments would be especially good showing how you super glued a padlock and then attempted to get it working again using any techniques you can think of.

I understand this isn't a paid for challenge and similarly we're not getting paid for it either. We're just doing it to further the subject and see if we can come up with a solution. When it does go to publication we'll ensure you get a mention and a link to a site or blog you might have.

If anyone has any ideas of fancies giving this a go then please get in touch. You can message me on here but ideal email us directly through our site. Just google our name.

Cheers guys!

Tim

[nostromo]

The best solvent is nail polish remover (acetone). The best technique is high heat applied with a butane pencil torch, which takes times. But for a working locksmith on the hustle, the WORKING solution is removing and replacing the lock in question, writing up the bill, and moving on to the next service call.

[EmCee]

Hi Tim

There's nobody at your company or at ABUS who knows about Superglue in locks? That's hard to believe since it's a pretty well covered subject - which means it's not unreasonable to suspect the purpose of your post is more about advertising your company on the site.

On the off-chance it's a genuine request the resulting article would be very short. There are various techiques that can be tried to allow a Superglued lock to be opened with a key or picked, but once open the lock has to be replaced because the time, effort and cost of cleaning and repairing it for further use would not be economical.

In the case of padlocks the best solution is to cut them with bolt cutters or a grinder and replace them - it wouldn't be worth the time to open them since they'd have to be thrown away afterwards.

Cheers...

[Wizer]

Well, I just had to try this.
I took the cheapest lock I´ve got, Tricircle 261. Its a tiny 3-pin luggage lock. I dropped three drops of Forte plus (Spanish cyanoacrylate superglue made by Grupo D.M.) into the keyway. It effectively stuck the pins and blocked the keyway.
I let it harden for 10 minutes.
Then I put a centimeter of solvent for cyanoacrylate adhesive (made by Aft international) in a cup, and put the lock in bath.
5 minutes later I was able to insert the key, but the pins stuck up in oversetted position, so the lock didnot open.
I tried it several times, and after about an hour the lock opened. Barely.
Now that the solvent is drying its getting harder to open the lock.
So yes its possible, but the lock would have to be really expencive or rare before I would do this again.

-Wizer

[Engineer]

If this is genuine, then I've tried nail varnish remover (acetone) without any effect at all, but the glue was very hard.

You can buy releasing solvent for skin, which will work, but is ruiniously expensive to soften dried glue. Even then it need to be disassembled and washed in the stuff to remove all last traces. Really speaking, the lock is ruined, it just isn't worth salvaging.

Heat from a butane gas torch is the usual method. Really it is a case of removing the lock and replacing it.

[Squelchtone]

The op would do well to search a little next time:
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=44311

Squelchtone

[greenman]

The best thing you can use is heat try a pocket torch or something heat will soften up the glue then try a solvent like acetone. Try your local warehouse they might have something specifically for this problem.

[Scope]

I'm writing from the technical department at a company in the UK called Nothing But Padlocks. We're basically are the only specialist in Padlocks this side of the pond.

Can't be that good at it if your asking for help, the technical department should know this stuff already, or maybe your trainer/training department should relook at what they teach you. To specialise in a subject is to "know all there is to know".

For example, I was once apart of a top phone company in the UK (4 years ago). I was a sales person & Pay as you go technical support expert for the store i was in, it was my job to know everything about PAYG, if i didn't know, id go find out and made sure i knew for next time, id also put it in my folder called "the PAYG bible". This was basic stuff that i was taught at the training academy.

My advice: Obtain a folder, write a list of complaints & questions your team have had, see what you didn't know or was unable to answer, then go find answers & file them. The internet is a fantastic resource!

Just a thought..... Not a slate/dig, its constructive critasism!

[zeke79]

certain paint thinners work. I would assume that if those would work laquer thinner would work the best but I have never tried that route. Might be worth a shot though.

[globallockytoo]

modern day nail polish remover usually has the acetone removed, so it is not effective anymore.

I agree with zeke, drop the padlock in a can of thinners, leave in there for 8 hours or overnite. Remove from thinners. Place in a can of diesel fuel or kerosene for 3 hours. Remove and flush padlock with teflon lubricant.

[horsefeathers]

not so easy to put padlock in a 'bath' or 'can' of solvent if the padlock is still attached and locked to a container/shed etc for example. How many vandals attack a padlock that isnt locked to anything!!!

The reality is that the padlock is effectively destroyed and not economical to strip and clean fully - even after managing to get it unlocked. Butane flame from a small heat gun can be effective, but avoid breathing in the cyanide fumes doing so gives off.

Almost all working lockies would remove the padlock in the manner of their choosing and replace for a new one

[northcave]

Hi Tim

There's nobody at your company or at ABUS who knows about Superglue in locks? That's hard to believe since it's a pretty well covered subject - which means it's not unreasonable to suspect the purpose of your post is more about advertising your company on the site.

EmCee,

Advertising here really wouldn't yield any customers and i also ensured i didn't stick any links in my post. Not only for the fact that forum links can actually work against you in terms of SEO nowadays but also to ensure you guys didn't think we were spamming.

Anyhow thanks for the advice but the fact that it easier to cut locks off than try and get the glue out is the whole point really. It is costing some companies such as National Rail a fortune and kids don't seem to tire of it. Bottom line is that there are enough enquirers on the topic to warrant an article whether or not a suitable solution (excuse the pun) is found.

By the looks of the replies we have come to the right place as i have not been able to achieve decent feedback like this anywhere else, including the actual technical guys at the Abus factory.

[Generally_Nice]

Hi Tim

There's nobody at your company or at ABUS who knows about Superglue in locks? That's hard to believe since it's a pretty well covered subject - which means it's not unreasonable to suspect the purpose of your post is more about advertising your company on the site.

EmCee,

Advertising here really wouldn't yield any customers and i also ensured i didn't stick any links in my post. Not only for the fact that forum links can actually work against you in terms of SEO nowadays but also to ensure you guys didn't think we were spamming.

Anyhow thanks for the advice but the fact that it easier to cut locks off than try and get the glue out is the whole point really. It is costing some companies such as National Rail a fortune and kids don't seem to tire of it. Bottom line is that there are enough enquirers on the topic to warrant an article whether or not a suitable solution (excuse the pun) is found.

By the looks of the replies we have come to the right place as i have not been able to achieve decent feedback like this anywhere else, including the actual technical guys at the Abus factory.

Surely it would be more productive for British Rail to invest in some sort of lock protector? I believe a Dutch company developed one some years ago. Then again, this is British Rail we are talking about...

[Scope]

Thats all to do with politics, common sence should prevail with most companys, well id like to think so........... Think this day in age that goes outa the window with some people. Not hard to spend money to save money on such a useful device that would save a bit of cash, and the lock for that matter.

[pin_pusher]

have you tried putting MORE glue in the lock? maybe there's some sort of overload point where it just negates itself...