Sticky locks, advice?

[nine4t4]

I was playing around with a cheap padlock (5 pin)this morning and it took longer than normal. I can ususally get them in seconds with a bogata style pick. The last attempt was a 1/2 hour

Turns out that the lock is one of those 'sticky' ones. I.E., even with the key it takes some jiggling to open.

So I spent 30 minutes trying to pick a lock that I sort of had done already. I didn't want to force the TW too much, and wiggling it would have reset some pins. On the plus side,my temper seems to be well under control. I'm surprised I didn't launch the lock across town when the key wouldn't work either.

Any advice on recognizing this situation and the best way to deal with it? What do you do when the best key for a lock is a hammer, but you want to pick it?

[GWiens2001]

Some of those cheap locks also have plastic shells. Look into the keyway at the outside edge (opposite the pins). Is it gray or white? If so, it is most likely a type of plastic. Even keys don't work well for long, and picking quickly deteriorates the lock to the point of being unusable.

Picking, especially if a fair bit of tension, can degrade any lock, but cheap locks can be affected faster.

Also, some cheap locks, no matter the material it is made from, can have tolerances so sloppy that it can be difficult to pick them consistently. 5 seconds one time, 5 minutes the next time, etcetera.

Gordon

[alockguru]

Spray it with some teflon spray or wd40 you may have just gotten some debris in there.

[Whittler]

I'm new to this but first you should check if anything is stuck int he lock, a bit of a pick having broken off or something similar. If that isn't the problem then I believe graphite based lubricants are recommend as they won't damage the lock like WD40 and things like that can. If it still doesn't work properly then maybe it's just because it's a cheap lock and it's either worn down from picking it or because it's badly made the tolerances are pretty awful and it's just one of those things.

Good luck with it anyway.

[LockDocWa]

I rely on TriFlow. It is a Teflon based lubricant.
Been using it for over 20 years.

[Whittler]

Someone please correct me but isn't it that dry lubricants are good for locks (teflon, graphite etc) and wet lubricants are bad (WD40, oil etc). Just want to make sure I have this right for when I have to use some.

I know WD40 and stuff can be good for completely seized locks.

[GWiens2001]

Whether a particular lubricant is good or bad for a lock depends on the lock and the environment it is used in.

In dry climates, a dry lubricant is usually preferred (as long as all other lubricants are removed) because dust will stick to a wet lubricant, gumming up the lock. Also, some wet lubricants can evaporate in an arid environment, becoming thicker.

In a wet or humid environment a wet lube is preferred (again, as long as all old lubricants are removed) because a dry lubricant will get gummed up by the moisture.

WD-40 is not really a lubricant. If I use it to free up a sticky or dirty lock, once it is clean, I remove all WD-40 and use an appropriate lube.

Some people have no problems with WD-40, some do.

Also, any lubricant used to excess will cause problems. And do not mix wet and dry lubricants.

Hope this helps.

Gordon

[Evan]

Turns out that the lock is one of those 'sticky' ones. I.E., even with the key it takes some jiggling to open.

Sounds more like the problem is with a poorly cut key, even if it is an original factory provided one -- even the factory makes mis-cuts every now and then... Unless of course there is some physical defect to the plug or shell like a severe burr... But my bet is on the key being out of spec whenever someone says the key needs to be "jiggled" it usually indicates bad spacing on a key cut to the correct depths or one or more bittings being slightly off on a key with correct spacing...

~~ Evan

[dll932]

Whether a particular lubricant is good or bad for a lock depends on the lock and the environment it is used in.

In dry climates, a dry lubricant is usually preferred (as long as all other lubricants are removed) because dust will stick to a wet lubricant, gumming up the lock. Also, some wet lubricants can evaporate in an arid environment, becoming thicker.

In a wet or humid environment a wet lube is preferred (again, as long as all old lubricants are removed) because a dry lubricant will get gummed up by the moisture.

WD-40 is not really a lubricant. If I use it to free up a sticky or dirty lock, once it is clean, I remove all WD-40 and use an appropriate lube.

Some people have no problems with WD-40, some do.

Also, any lubricant used to excess will cause problems. And do not mix wet and dry lubricants.

Hope this helps.

Gordon

WD40 is oil based-it will dissolve certain plastics, but not delrin, abs or nylon (what you would likely encounter in a very few locks). I live in a mixed climate, almost never very dry. I have been using WD for about 30 years with no problems (including my OWN locks). Tri-Flow IS better. Poxylube is good where you need something dry, Medeco and Best recommend it.