Lock lubricant a blessing and a curse

[Squelchtone]

Ok feature this fellas after putting say 20 hours of picking on a schlage 5 pin sc4 it started feeling scratchy when I moved the pins so I go out and buy some "CRC heavy duty silicone spray" from the auto parts store I give my locks one small spray each. Wow I'm picking locks like a wild man like I was born to pick locks, like the locks and I are one entity, Like the locks are inviting me to open them. So I think to myself if a little silicone is good just imagine what a lot of silicone would do. The locks would probably just fall on the ground opened and worship me. So I blast a lock five or six times things are spectacular imagine fireworks here. The next day I have fallen into disfavor with the lock G-D's my lock is dead inside no feedback nothing its like picking an apple its just slow no feedback and no pins are setting. This is of course an outrage and affront to my abilities as the binding order is burned into my soul by now and no pins are setting. I was a lock picking legend in my own mind and overnight I have been cast back down into the pit with the newby lock picking masses. I am in a cold sweat imagining that I am in a pit surrounded on all sides by lock picking zombies.I do much soul searching,contemplate suicide, and sacrificing my dumb as dirt pit-bull to the Lock G-D's. Instead I decide on a more practical approach I would gut that lock that had betrayed me and either find the problem or begin fasting the pit-bull for the final offering .So I open the 5 pin lock and what did I find? I found five pins where there should have been ten total. The top pins were actually stuck very tightly to the bottom pins. I think to myself how stupid am I? I could have gutted this lock five hours ago and forgone the tell tale injuries of a binge lock picker which is a bruised index finger tip and thumb caused by relentless hours of picking and self doubt. The moral of the story is less silicone is more unless you plan on gutting and cleaning the whole lock after using a lot of silicone.
Now go forth lock picking brethren and cast all self doubt to the wind and conquer the locks. This is our time!
I'm out peace.

[deolslyfox]

I don't use silicone for lubing / cleaning locks. I learned the same lesson as you .... I just give 'em a douse with WD-40 and let 'em drain. Give 'em another small shot and work it into the pins with a pick. Let the lock set overnight and then pick away.

If its a lock that I plan to keep or repin and pass on I'll give it a good cleaning with alcohol while I have it apart ....

Live and learn !! Thanks for sharing !!

[sentientsentinel]

Mo great information from the brethren thank you!

[Squelchtone]

If I hear about lubing locks with WD-40 one more time..

You guys need to step up your handy-man game past reaching for good ole WD40 from your tool box every time, like you're fixing a lawn mower or something. Yes, in a pinch, it's good enough, but if you're serious about lock work or this hobby, get some real lock lubricant such as Lock Saver from Mil-Comm.

http://mil-comm.com/lock-saver

Squelchtone

[sentientsentinel]

Thanks Squelchtone I don't think our sponsor carries it but I managed to find it on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CYR ... BZ7T5AJRAA

[Squelchtone]

Thanks Squelchtone I don't think our sponsor carries it but I managed to find it on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CYR ... BZ7T5AJRAA

you can just buy it direct on the page I linked earlier, there was a big green Buy Now button.. http://mil-comm.com/component/virtuemar ... Itemid=194

[blue60]

Mill-com makes great lube, in a pinch I have used the TW-25 in a lock (its way better then WD-40) that reminds me I need to order some LS and some more TW-25...

[Mitchell S]

If I hear about lubing locks with WD-40 one more time..

You guys need to step up your handy-man game past reaching for good ole WD40 from your tool box every time, like you're fixing a lawn mower or something. Yes, in a pinch, it's good enough, but if you're serious about lock work or this hobby, get some real lock lubricant such as Lock Saver from Mil-Comm.

http://mil-comm.com/lock-saver

Squelchtone

As a newcomer, I love posts like this. No ambiguity. Just shut up and buy this product. Cut, dry, the end. They won't ship to me in Australia but nevertheless good post!

[GWiens2001]

Tri-Flow is great, too. That said, Amazon undoubtedly ships to Oz. (And I just ordered a can of Lock Saver).

Gordon

[Comrade627]

This is where I say something insightful or helpful, but I can't get past "it's like picking an apple".

[deolslyfox]

Use the products you like best !! For initial cleaning and free-up, i am happy with WD. I wouldn't recommend it as a "lube". As others noted, there are better products for that task.

[nick08037]

Everyone has their product of choice to lube and protect the internals of good locks, but for flushing out a lock even the generic store brand WD product is useful.

[GWiens2001]

Agree that WD-40 works for flushing out crud. Will give it that much credit. It also works great on lawn mowers.

Gordon

[Squelchtone]

Agree that WD-40 works for flushing out crud. Will give it that much credit. It also works great on lawn mowers.

Gordon

I don't like cancer, but I like how well CRC's Brakleen works to degrease and clean near everything.

[Mitchell S]

Tri-Flow is great, too. That said, Amazon undoubtedly ships to Oz. (And I just ordered a can of Lock Saver).

Gordon

Apparently they won't ship aerosol cans! I tried. Australia's isolation is annoying sometimes, I can't get Lock Saver, I can't get Houdini. I have the same problems getting my hands on American Padlocks which you guys have coming out of your ears!

They sell tri-flow here though, is this the one everyone uses? Or do you Americans have a fancy lock specific product? I use tri-flow on my bike!

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TRI-FLOW-SUP ... 566940dc92