Falcon padlock extra pin in plug?

[cheerIO]

First post, hope I do this right...

I got this lock off a container ship. It is brass bodied stamped with Falcon on the body front and back and has "hardened" around the circumference of the shackle close to the body on one leg. I searched but could not find any info on it. In the snap test I thought I heard 7 pins. I was a bit surprised when it raked open so easily. Probably because of all those master pins.

But the interesting thing was there were seven holes in the plug and seven pins in those holes. When I looked in the bible, there are only 6 holes. What, if anything is this seventh pin for? It is the last pin in the back. Is it just so they could claim it is a "7 Pin Tumbler"?

[GWiens2001]

It reminds me of the large pin at the tip of the key on the old Yale PKPT padlocks. The large pin can not be raised above the plug level, so the key can not be fully inserted unless the tip of the key is cut to not raise that pin above the shear line. It may be the same reasoning in this instance.

This is not an actual factual answer to your question - it is a theory that I am offering. If someone knows a better answer, please let us know!

Gordon

[Raymond]

Who knows why they drilled the 7th pin hole in the plug but the lock is definitely only a 6 pin lock. Notice that the retainer pin lines up with the 7th space so that may have been part of the original manufacturing process. Sometimes a manufacturer has more variations on the use of a specific lock part and will make everything according to one plan, even if that feature is not used on this specific product. Some where there might be a 7 pin padlock that retains the plug in a different manner on which the bible is drilled for the 7th pin. Just a thought.

[smokingman]

Does the key come out when the lock is open or only when it is closed and locked?

[cheerIO]

Thanks for the replies. The last pin is pretty long. .240, about the size of a kwikset #4. So it may be another measure of security.

Smoking man, it is a key retaining lock.

Thanks.