What is Inside A BEST Padlock? - PICTURE HEAVY!!!

[Sinifar]

Nice post! As somebody who used to work for Best, there is a tool which is used to get that plug out. I don't have one now, but it goes into the lower core "hole" and rotates to get that plug out. Takes just a few seconds to change out shackles.

From what I remember 5 pin cores were big until about 1960 or so. At that time 6 pin cores were like the 7 pin cores today, considered high security.

Today everything is 7 pin of course with a lot of fun keyways, like the "TA" series and the "W" series and of course the Peaks cores, which is Best's own keyways.

Again, nice post, great photo work!

Sinifar

[jeffmoss26]

Sinifar, you used to work at Best? Too cool!

[MatrixBlackRock]

This is the tailpiece/actuator. The two long prongs fit into holes in the back of the SFIC plug, and on the opposite side are two short stubs that engage the locking dogs.

Just for comparison of old versus newer, this is the tailpiece that will be found in a newer BEST padlock, the one on the left is key retaining and a non-retaining tailpiece is on the right.





This shows the cam within the lock that is engaged, un-locked.



And locked.



And if the core is less than 7 pins a brass spacer is added to make up for the shorter core, 1 for 6 pin and 2 for 5 pin.









Wayne

[GWiens2001]

Thanks for the extra info, Wayne. . Had not seen the cam for key retaining.

Gordon

[MatrixBlackRock]

Thanks for the extra info, Wayne. . Had not seen the cam for key retaining.

Gordon

BTW for those into lock history, this is a link to the patent as filed by Frank Best referenced to by the stamping on the rear of the core.

http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?docid=0138 ... patimg.htm

Wayne

[kwoswalt99-]

And here are the images http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=01384022&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526d%3DPALL%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsrchnum.htm%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526s1%3D1384022.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F1384022%2526RS%3DPN%2F1384022&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page
Wouldn't it be funny, if to save money, they actually used a nail as a spring stiffener. Those look too much like nails.

[jeffmoss26]

Gordon, I have both Key retaining and non key retaining actuators if you need one.

[MatrixBlackRock]

Wouldn't it be funny, if to save money, they actually used a nail as a spring stiffener. Those look too much like nails.

Read lines 28 through 34 of the patent, where the capping device is described as a one piece unit containing the plugs, then if you look carefully at figure 1 of the diagram, you can see where the upper ends of the plugs where to be milled down to be pressed into the capping device.

This is not cost cutting, but given the era, state of the art.

Wayne

[kwoswalt99-]

Wouldn't it be funny, if to save money, they actually used a nail as a spring stiffener. Those look too much like nails.

Read lines 28 through 34 of the patent, where the capping device is described as a one piece unit containing the plugs, then if you look carefully at figure 1 of the diagram, you can see where the upper ends of the plugs where to be milled down to be pressed into the capping device.

This is not cost cutting, but given the era, state of the art.

Wayne

Sorry, should have been more clear. I meant the shackle spring stiffener in Gordon's and Robotnik's posts. I would quote Gordon's post, but it's just so long. In Gordon's, it even has a four sided tip. Robotnik's look like roofing nails that have had their tips cut off.

[MatrixBlackRock]

Sorry, should have been more clear. I meant the shackle spring stiffener in Gordon's and Robotnik's posts. I would quote Gordon's post, but it's just so long. In Gordon's, it even has a four sided tip. Robotnik's look like roofing nails that have had their tips cut off.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, I am a rank newbie when it comes to the mechanical side of locking and security and yes after reviewing the pictures, I now see the nail.

Wayne

[Sinifar]

Sinifar, you used to work at Best? Too cool!

Yup, back in the 80's when we were going thru some rather hard times around here, John Korten called me and asked if I wanted to do some install work for him. Times were tough, and we were the only other smith heavy into IC, specifically I was selling Arrow IC and we sold a lot of it. At least to me it was a big sale. I was to learn how little we actually sold compared to a major brand like Best.

So I worked as a sub contractor for Best of Wisconsin for seven long years to supplement the shop which was going down fast due to the economic climate around here and the big boxes opening. The crash of 87 finished off a lot of our old commercial accounts, and I had to do something or fold. They sent me down to Indianapolis to their school, for a few days, at their expense, and I came back with one whale of a knowledge of the whole IC thing.

I can't even start to tell all the jobs we put in for them. From university dorm jobs, to major plants, the list is extensive and long. One wonders where we went wrong and how could we get these jobs? I guess one needs to have the sales force and the contacts in which to make yourself visible to the big jobs. this sub contracting job saved our bacon, and in some ways we got back on our feet and continued.

While I was sub contracting, I basically worked this job as a side line. The shop was closed up, and moved home, and from then on we were mobile only. Several big jobs came my way and things with Best were getting rough due to ownership changes, and so -- back on the street we went, again mobile only.

AND perhaps if the that stupid property flipper had not tossed us out of our West Allis location after being there for a good 15 years, we would sill be down on 76th and Becher. Nothing like somebody's greed to ruin your business. We struggle on and continue -- but one always wonders what could have happened if we had not been tossed out of our original shop location.

Sinifar

[phoneman85]

Gordon, this is just what the doctor ordered! I was wondering about how to take these apart (and get them back together too!) think this will help immensely. I plan to take 2 locks apart and thoroughly clean and oil them and now I know how.
Best (and other IC locks) are one of my favorite lock styles, ever since I got my first Best padlock and the locksmith that made keys for it showed me how the core worked, I was hooked!

[Irma Herms]

The lock predates 1938 when Best moved to Indiana. The core may have had Bakelite caps which would date it to the late 20's.

I spent two hours tearing one apart, just grabbed one out of the collection, cursing and repeating the assembly a few times until it all went back together.

Thanks a bunch

[JSwistak]

This is awesome!! Now I want to get one of the older series locks and tear it apart.
Thanks!!