Lock lubricant a blessing and a curse

[LocksportSouth]

That Lock saver stuff sounds interesting. Is it wise to flush the lock out with WD-40 first, and then apply the Lock Saver? Or just put the LS straight in there straight away? Especially with gummed up locks..

[dll932]

That Lock saver stuff sounds interesting. Is it wise to flush the lock out with WD-40 first, and then apply the Lock Saver? Or just put the LS straight in there straight away? Especially with gummed up locks..

I would clean the lock out with brake & electric motor cleaner-cheap and dries fast.

[DangerDane]

Here graphite is suggested for every and anything lock related. No WD40 or other silicone related lubricants. Graphite or go home.

[jimu57]

I have hit them heavy with spray brake cleaner. Let it drain. Drys quick. Then shoot a little liquid graphite.

Jim

[dll932]

I have to disagree on the graphite. It works fine in a bit key lock where there are large sliding parts with a lot of tolerance, but I have seen cylinder locks that were so full of graphite they wouldn't move. I prefer Triflow or Houdini (if for no other reason that they displace moisture). Otherwise I use powdered teflon spray like Medeco Key Lube. Actually, I used WD-40 for the last 30 odd years with no problems, too.

[m1ttens]

I clicked this thread because of the title and I have to agree with it 100%. It's great to use lube in a practice/sterile environment but for those of you that do this for living, do you disassemble after spraying say wet lube in a customer's lock and clean it so it won't gunk up especially if they live in a dusty environment?

I like to practice as if I actually had to use these skills in real life (and I have, thankfully only a handful of times)- I don't normally have lubricant handy and in a society-breakdown scenario, lubricant would eventually run out.

All that said, is there any benefit to lubing prior to picking? Assuming the lock isn't ancient and crusty, but also not brand new? To me, logic would say that a well lubed driver and key pin would just fall in and out easier causing more frustration, no?

[Mighty]

To me, logic would say that a well lubed driver and key pin would just fall in and out easier causing more frustration, no?

I could see that, particularily on worn/rounded pins, but I imagine for the guys on here with the gentle 'magic touch' it could be more frustrating to have pins that catch, have a lot of friction, and need more force to set. I imagine that would lead to more oversets.

I still feel as though I'm a little heavy handed, so I'd be interested in hearing what the more experienced/professional guys have to say.

[gademsky]

I am a new guy playing with locks and learning to pick. My friends have been giving me old locks from their basements and garages to learn on. Most of the locks are very dirty and many have no keys. Can anyone tell me the best way to clean them so that my living room does not get all dirty from the grim. Many times I will pick all night as I watch TV.
This is how I have been doing it:
1. one quick spay of lock lubricant in the keyway
2. then spray entire exterior of lock (and key) with a strong degreaser.
3.after about an hour I put the locks and keys into the dish washer and run on the hottest water setting.
4. after this is finished and dish washer goes thru drying cycle, I take lock and hand dry.
5. Let it sit for a few hours and spray one more time in keyway with lubricant

The locks come out clean and no complaints from my housekeeper about dirt, grease or grim in the house.

Does anyone have a better idea?

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Lock lubricants you say?

[gademsky]

That looks like a good selection!
I have always wondered about what the major differences are with the spray can lubricants.....and what is best for what. WD 40 seems to serve a lot of different purposes.

Must admit I paid extra $$ for can that said "for locks", but not even sure what the difference is. They all seem to work well for what I need done. That includes non lock things.

Anyway, always up for a concise explanation of "lubricants for the use in locks", by anyone who is a long time expert.....or maybe a scientific paper like the one MIT engineering wrote about lock picking.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

PTFE-based, dry lubricants go into the keyway. Dielectric lubricants for electro-mechanical hardware. Mineral oil and petroleum-based lubricants for everything else.

PTFE-based recommendations: Lock Saver, Master Lock Lube
Dielectric recommendation: Houdini
Mineral oil and petroleum-based reccomendations: Tri-Flow, 3 in 1

PTFE-based lubes are also excellent solvents. I'll use them to clean hardware even if I'm going to follow it up with a mineral oil or petroleum-based lubricant; rebuilding mortise locks, for example. Just make sure you wipe away the residue thoroughly between steps.

[gademsky]

Now here are a few terms I don't know the definition to. So I found this link....hope I can post link without offending the blog gods.
http://www.tribology-abc.com/abc/solidlub.htm#top

You can jump to PTFE for good definition. I need to look at this more, as I am not sure where WD40 would fit.

I will note that when I put the dry lub in a keyway the other day, it really acted as a solvent and a surprising amount of black stuff came out and covered my hands and nails. Never having worked in a dirtier profession with my hands, the stuff that came out of lock instantly seeped into my finger nails and did not clean out very easily.

Is there an easy way to clean the inside of a dirty lock. Say soak it overnight in something.....

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Now here are a few terms I don't know the definition to. So I found this link....hope I can post link without offending the blog gods.
http://www.tribology-abc.com/abc/solidlub.htm#top

You can jump to PTFE for good definition. I need to look at this more, as I am not sure where WD40 would fit.

I will note that when I put the dry lub in a keyway the other day, it really acted as a solvent and a surprising amount of black stuff came out and covered my hands and nails. Never having worked in a dirtier profession with my hands, the stuff that came out of lock instantly seeped into my finger nails and did not clean out very easily.

Is there an easy way to clean the inside of a dirty lock. Say soak it overnight in something.....

Best and Schlage cylinders are notorious for this because they still use graphite at the factory.

Here's how I clean plugs:

1) Insert key into plug, no pins should be in the plug.
2) Hose it down with a PTFE-based, dry lube.
3) With a rag between my index finger and thumb, grip the plug so that the rag and both your index finger and thumb as well as the rag make contact with the plug along it's entire length.
4) Using the key, turn the plug back and forth.

This will clean the heck out of it.

If you want to clean the remaining cylinder/Bible, hose it down and run a portion of the rag all the way through it and basically "floss" the inside of the core. Back and forth. This will clean it as well.

PTFE-based, dry lubes essentially break up and loosen any gunk, dirt, grease, debris, graphite, whatever. Following it with a rag makes quick work. It's not like a gun where heat and dirty ammo can cause the powder and other debris to essentially "cake" on to the point that you need a heavy abrasive, such as a brass or bronze brush, to get it off. A rag is all it takes.

I've never soaked a cylinder all night or for lubrication purposes at all. I have seen locksmiths drop a cylinder into boiling water temporarily to help shim it but never drop it in lubricant to soak. Because of the type of brass used and machining processes, cylinders have very, very low porosity. There's really no reason to let them "soak" - it's not like they'll absorb more lubricant over time or need that lubricant to free up any debris.

And don't use WD40 for anything except cleaning. Compared to 3 in 1 (greater than 97%) or Tri Flow (44%), WD40 has very little petroleum-based oil in it (less than 25%). It's loaded with aliphatic hydrocarbons (almost 70% by weight) that are designed to first carry and distribute the oil and then evaporate so that only the oil remains.

I feel like this needs to be my next article for a trade magazine. Thanks for the idea!

[sleepyrz]

anyone tried lokshot from strattec?

[sisk]

So imagine this scenario. The lock is gunked up beyond belief and the pins are sticking at the shear line so it opens with just a tension tool. Gutting it is not possible without destroying the lock. Neither carb cleaner nor WD-40 was able to clean it out. (The plan was to get the gunk out then hit it with a little graphite once it was dry, in case you're curious or think I'm so foolish as to use such things as lube). Is there any reliable way to save such a lock?

This is for future reference. I trashed the lock that happened with (a Chatuea 970C that had been on my storage unit and got replaced with an Abus once I knew better) before I wandered onto this forum. I really wanted to pick it to see if it really was as easy as the reputation of that lock suggests, but with the pins totally seized there was no point in picking it.