Old Gardall 1812 - Know the combo, but it stopped opening!

[BigZ]

Not planning on kids anytime soon, but I do take on a certain amount of liability by not having it locked up even in my own place.

[Squelchtone]

You should probably take that lock apart and remove all the lube you sprayed, those locks are meant to work without any lubricants. The only points inside the door that should be lubed are the linkages and pivots of the bolt work, but nothing inside the lock case itself, especially not the wheelpack. Cleaning is another matter.. You can clean them real nice and shiny, but don't spray or grease up the parts after you clean them.

I'm sure there are differing opinions on this topic, but this is what was passed down to me by an old time locksmith/safeman.

Squelchtone

[EDIT: the more I think about it, I don't think your lever was as much stuck as the 2nd wheel gate wasn't in position directly under the fence which is soldered to the lever which stops the lever from moving if there is metal in the way (ie. the wheel pack, or an individual wheel) It is not too difficult to take the wheelpack apart and clean the fly's, which I would recommend doing. I'm not sure if you read this troubleshooting manual from S&G yet, but it is very handy: http://www.sargentandgreenleaf.com/pdf/ ... _locks.pdf They also put out a great video showing how to install one of their 6730 locks, maybe the video would give you some further insight.

[BigZ]

Thanks Squelchtone. I'll definitely tear into the lock for a cleaning next time I'm back home. I've seen that video before, and it is definitely a great reference tool. I havnt seen that pdf yet, though. Thanks for posting that! Should I just clean everything with brake cleaner, or is there something else I should use to degrease it?

[Mikeh727]

Thanks Squelchtone. I'll definitely tear into the lock for a cleaning next time I'm back home. I've seen that video before, and it is definitely a great reference tool. I havnt seen that pdf yet, though. Thanks for posting that! Should I just clean everything with brake cleaner, or is there something else I should use to degrease it?

Hey BigZ,

You can buy a degreaser such as Zep, and use Brasso on the wheels. Make sure you rinse everything off very well. I learned about using these products from Oldfast (another member here) who has some beautiful combination locks. The Brasso really shines everything up nicely.

-Mike