Key Created for Yale Push Key Padlock

[Squelchtone]

Well done guys, I'm continuously impressed with the number of facets to this hobby. Something for everyone!

I'm still trying to pick this FT Ley & Co lever padlock, gonna have to shoot video of me doing it so Lauren can tell me what I'm not doing correctly.
Squelchtone

[femurat]

Thanks Gordon for this beautiful padlock. I shimmed it easily but was surprised by the force required to pull the shackle open.
There's no square slot under the shackle hole, so it doesn't look rekeyable like Lauren's one.

I made a blank with a piece of scrap steel I had at home and filed down the tip to go under the fourth pin. Then I prepared the blank for impressioning by marking more or less pins positions and by smoking it with a Bic lighter. I had a hard time trying to see the marks, so I eyeballed the first two pins heights and filed them a little less than needed. At this point they started marking a lot and was able to file them down to the correct height.
I also verified their height by inserting the shim with the key in the lock: it entered easily under them but stopped at the third pin.
I'm not sure if I've filed the third and fourth pin positions too much or if I'm still able to finish this key.

When I was sure there were no more marks I stopped filing and decided to cut the bottom part of the key tip, like both Gordon and Richard did.
I don't understand why you did so, and see that Lauren made a working key without this cut, but since I thought I had a virtually working key I did it too.
Nothing changed, the key doesn't get marked but doesn't open the padlock... I'll try again soon.

Yeah, I made this key for this lock. It sure as heck doesn't work, it won't even fit in the keyway, but I made it for this lock.

It's exactly as you said: I made this key for this lock, but it doesn't work

Cheers

[GWiens2001]

Femurat,

The reason for that notch on the bottom of the key I made was when I flattened out the key to fit into the keyway, the bottom of the blank started to split. I trimmed it off so it would stop splitting, and rounded it with a file.

If you clean out the collar with a toothbrush, you will see 4 corners for a square around the edge of the circle. Make a square driver that size, and it will come apart.

Gordon

[femurat]

Well I did it on a temporary key, so no harm done. Next one will be straight. I'll keep you updated.

Yes, I saw a dent or two in the collar, I may clean it a little to better see them. I prefer not to disassemble it to avoid the risk of ruining such a beautiful lock.

Thanks for the heads up

[MBI]

I was digging through a bunch of locks I got off ebay over the last few months and I found one of these Yales. It made me immediately think of this thread. It's inspired me to try to make a key for mine too, once I clear some space off the workbench.

Out of curiosity, does anyone have any idea what these are worth, with and without a key?

[femurat]

Hey MBI, there are some without keys on ebay right now, they go from 15$ "buy it now" to 79.99$ "place bid", but I doubt the last one will be sold.





About my padlock, based on the fact that the shim didn't go over the second pin when the key was inserted, I filed down a little the third position on the key...
I had to wiggle a little the key to make it work, but now it works! Imagine my surprise when it finally opened the padlock!
Now the shim goes over the third pin but it stops at the fourth: looks like I filed the fourth position too much, so the big pin is not lifted enough and needs a little wiggling on the key.
All I have to do is to prepare another blank and copy this key on it, leaving the fourth cut a little higher. I'll leave all of them a hair taller, so to finish them by impressioning and get a smooth working key.

Now it's time to find a nice piece of steel or brass and make a good looking key.

Cheers

[femurat]

I made a new key for my padlock, started by copying the old one a little higher and slowly filed down each cut while trying to open the padlock.
As you can see in the second picture, the last mark before the lock opened is quite obvious. Unfortunately the other marks were difficult to see, so it was not as easy as one can imagine.
This new key works like a charm. If I find a nice piece of brass I can attempt to make a new key with the trefoil bow

Cheers

[atticRR]

it seems everyone has one of these locks, including me. thanks to al the info in this thread and laurens i think that i see a shiny new key in the near future for my lock. Do you guys think a soda can shim will work with these locks? it looks like a very tight fit on mine. anyway, will add my finished product to this thread if thats alright with Gordon.

[GWiens2001]

it seems everyone has one of these locks, including me. thanks to al the info in this thread and laurens i think that i see a shiny new key in the near future for my lock. Do you guys think a soda can shim will work with these locks? it looks like a very tight fit on mine. anyway, will add my finished product to this thread if thats alright with Gordon.

Go for it!!! I love it when people add to my threads, as I see some really neat ideas and I learn a lot.

Gordon

[GWiens2001]

Just finished impressioning another Yale pin tumbler push key. This time, had a commercially made blank, rather than hammering out another blank to fit. Now you can see a key that I made for one of these locks that looks nice! Did lubricate the lock lightly with some light oil due to some light rust, so that now it functions well.











The key works beautifully.

Gordon

[femurat]

Excellent job my friend, that key looks perfect.

Cheers

[MrWizard]

Gordon

Very nice no more hammer finish.
I have several Push Key Yale and a couple Corbin I have done with factory keys that were made specifically for these locks. I got a rare find Yale unlike any of the others I have or have seen. I will post these someday maybe soon.

Richard

[Kheops]

Love this forum!

A buddy of mine passed me an old Yale padlock, no key, and no clue how to open it.
I looked at it. At first glance seemed like a 4 pin, pin and tumbler. When I tensioned it, hard, no binding at all.

So, I turned to the forum. I started by searching for: Yale no warding lock...

I stumbled upon this thread, and from there, all the answers a guy could ask for.

Thanks guys!

Will be picking, or shiming this guy real soon!

[Kheops]

Update:

I've tried picking my lock. I tied a rope to the shackle, and the other end to my stair case. I pulled really hard. I can SPP pins 1 and 2 to shear very easily... something is not working for pin 3 though...

So I've tried shimming. Works great for 1 and 2... and then, again something is not right at pin number 3.

Anybody can tell me what might be going on? Do these old locks have security pins? Could my shim be getting hooked by a serrated or spool pin? I don't feel any, neither picking, nor with my shim. Usually a security pin will sound "crunchy" on a shim...

Any ideas?

[MrWizard]

Update:

I've tried picking my lock. I tied a rope to the shackle, and the other end to my stair case. I pulled really hard. I can SPP pins 1 and 2 to shear very easily... something is not working for pin 3 though...

So I've tried shimming. Works great for 1 and 2... and then, again something is not right at pin number 3.

Anybody can tell me what might be going on? Do these old locks have security pins? Could my shim be getting hooked by a serrated or spool pin? I don't feel any, neither picking, nor with my shim. Usually a security pin will sound "crunchy" on a shim...

Any ideas?

Yes they do have serrated BOTTOM pins on most of these locks plus many have had the pins filed down to fit a key which makes the top of the pins edge to be sharp and irregularly even. Put the shackle in a padded vise to not damaged it leaving a space to put something like wood handle from small wire brush like you can get at Harbor Freight works well or anything that won't scratch up the lock body to lever it to put tension on the shackle. Shim the first 2 pins then using the wood handle to tension the shackle and just pick the 3rd and 4th pins. some of these locks are easy and fall right open others will be a real pain to get open. Do what I say you will get it open eventually. I have done tons of these just like I said

Richard