Review: Locksmith Ledger Booklets (various)

[Jacob Morgan]

The Locksmith Ledger used to print booklets every year or two on a variety of subjects from the WWII era up until the 1980's or thereabouts. Rather than review each one as a different post, will append each review to this one.

A couple of them have been reviewed already, one on How to Make Keys by the Impression Method here http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=63593, and the Safe Man's Guide series here http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=63675

[Jacob Morgan]

Door Closer Manual by the Locksmith Ledger, Copyright 1970, 63 pages.

This booklet shows up used on Amazon and eBay now and then.

Contents:
1. History
2. Theory and Operation
3. Service Area and Equipment
4. Development of the Yale Closers
5. Repairing the Yale Model Y
6. Repairing the Yale Model YR
7. Repairing the Yale YR Model 1959
8. About Corbin Door Closers
9. Servicing the Corbin Model 1911
10. Repairing the Corbin Model 150
11. Repairing the Corbin Models 159, 163 Closers

The fourteen pages on history and theory are interesting, but not exactly useful. The remainder of the book goes into detail as to how to take apart and overhaul the units listed. It is not really a book on installing and adjusting closers as it is about repairing them. Before going any further, the book makes it clear that the spring tension in these units can get out of control and cause a lot of damage when disassembled. There are some companies out there that refurbish old units that are repairable, e.g., http://www.nedoorcloser.com/repairservices.html and that would be safer than trying to take one apart at one's workbench. That website does, however, sell parts if one wants to give it a try.

Years ago, apparently every town of any size had a small mom-and-pop shop that specialized in overhauling door closers. Back when things were built to last and were repaired instead of landfilled. Unlike how things area in our environmentally enlightened era. This book was written for those shops. Maybe some general locksmiths overhauled them, but would have a hard time imaging that any but the largest of shops did that.

If someone is fascinated by door closers they might like the book, but from a practical perspective the book is not useful unless one wants to go into the business of overhauling 70 year old door closers. It is not to be confused as being a book on installing and adjusting door closers.

[Jacob Morgan]

Self-Study Builders Hardware course for Locksmiths, 1970, 120 pages, 9" X 6"

Contents:
1. Doors and Jams
2. Windows
3. Butts and Hinges
4. Spring Hinges
5. Locks
6. Functions of Locksets
7. Non-Keyed Latchsets
8. Locksets and Trim
9. Lock Cylinders
10. Keying Systems
11. Cupboard and Cabinet Hardware
12. Door Closers and Floor Checks
13. Panic Exit Devices
14. Door Stops and Holders
15. Dummy Trim
16. Bolts and Catches

This Locksmith Ledger booklet seems to maybe have been copied from a book meant for carpenters, contractors, or architects. The reason for suspecting that is that the sections on locks are too basic for all but the first-day apprentice locksmith, while some sections of the booklet (e.g., the section on windows) are probably of little interest to locksmiths at all.

Where it would have been of interest to a locksmith of 1970 would have been the list of US finishes, 9 pages of lock functions, and a few pages on door closers. Nothing a web search would not turn up for free these days. It has a few pages on master keying, but it is at a very high level--what may have been directed to an architect or a contractor.

Today it is somewhat out of date. Personal recommendation would be to give it a pass unless it only cost a dollar or two.

[Jacob Morgan]

Professional Procedures for Locksmiths, 1970, 64 pages, 6" X 9"

This appears to be an example of over a dozen booklets of tricks and hints that the Locksmith Ledger published over the years.

About half of the booklet is automotive related and very badly out of date unless one needs to work on a 1965 Rambler Marlin.

There is a long article on the Ilco #178 code cutting machine. And another longish article on putting together pinning kits. Things have come a long way since then.

There are a couple of safe-related articles but, as was typical then, one had to have a Little Orphan Annie secret decoder ring to get the drill points. Well, not a decoder ring, but a notarized affidavit mailed in separately that would result in the secret numbers being mailed back, and good luck having that sheet of paper included in the book.

The rest of the book has general locksmithing tips. There were a couple in the book that were interesting. Overall, one could spend a good chunk of change picking these up $5 to $10 a piece + S&H off Amazon or eBay, and might only walk away with a few good ideas from each booklet. Unless one could get a good deal on a lot of them, the suggestion would be to pass.

Some other books in the series, which I have not read, and their high-lights (as described in advertisements) are:

Know How For Locksmiths-- Impressioning GM Sidebar Locks, and Columbia File Cabinets
A B C's of Locksmithing -- For the apprentice: how to make keys for cylinders, padlocks, trunks and suitcases; how to impression; and lockouts
Short Tricks -- Do-it-yourself plug spinner, and key-in-knob locks
Technical Tips -- S&G padlock 8088, S&G Panic Bolts (they made those?), Schlage D85 PD, and the Yale 5400
Locksmith's Notebook -- Fit keys to Ace locks, impressioning, and exploded view of Adams Rite and Harloc locks

[Jacob Morgan]

Masterkeying "Brush Method" by the Locksmith Ledger, no copyright date, 56 pages, 6" X 9"

Wondered was the "Brush Method" was, had not heard of it before. After looking at it, I suspect that it is nothing more than a short book on masterkeying that was probably written by a frequent contributor to the Locksmith Ledger who was named Jerome Brush.

Contents:
1. Basic Principles
2. Disc Tumblers
3. Pin Tumblers (8 pages, goes over constant progression)
4. Sectional Keys (using different key profiles to avoid cross-keying)
5. How to De-master Cylinders (assumes that one has a master key but is missing a change key--how to reverse engineer the change key)
6. Schlage Wafer Locks (out of production since 1979 or thereabouts)
7. Key Control (organizing key cabinets for large companies)
8. Corbin Master Ring Keying (a fascinating lock, a core-within a core design, looks like Corbin still sells it http://www.corbinrusswin.com/en/site/corbin-russwin/Product-Information/Key-Systems/Master-Ring/ ; their catalog, page 19, has a better view of how it works. The idea is that the master and change keys use separate shear lines and that makes it easier to masterkey large establishments and should create some pick resistance)

So, no, not an obscure masterkeying scheme, just a introduction to masterkeying written by a guy named Brush. Not a bad book if one can get it used for a few dollars. However, I would be a little hesitant to go out and create a master key system of any size armed only with this book.

[Squelchtone]

man, you've been busy. Thanks for doing all these reviews!

[Jacob Morgan]

How to Open Locks Without Keys or Picks, Locksmith Ledger, 6" X 9", 20 pages, no copyright date (late 50's or early 60's?)

Contents:
1. The Jimmy
2. The Shove Knife
3. Deadbolts
4. Door Frames
5. Jimmy Proof Locks
6. Mortise Cylinders
7. Drilling Locks'
8. File Cabinets
9. Desks
10. Windows (wooden windows)
11. Transoms (it is an old book)
12. Barrel Bolts & Chains
13. Automobiles (very brief, vent windows mainly)

This may have been the first booklet on bypassing and probably everyone has copied it. For example, it looks like this booklet was the basis for most of the Foley-Belsaw installment on lock bypassing. Given that it is the granddaddy of bypassing, there is little here that would be new to a lot of people. The part on desks had material I had not seen before, but that would apply to what are now antique desks. Entering a room via a transom window sounds a little adventurous to me--maybe a good job for a young apprentice.

The Desert publication on lockouts is more practical (and recent) than this booklet. The Desert publication was in turn the basis for the bypass chapter of The Complete Book of Locks and Locksmithing. This Locksmith Ledger booklet was probably great back in the day, but it is old news now. Personally, I would not pay more than a buck for a copy of it.

[Jacob Morgan]

Helpful Methods for Modern Locksmiths, Locksmith Ledger, 1970, 6" X 9", 56 pages

This booklet has a good mix of short articles. It only has a few pages on automotive locks, a good thing as automotive articles from 40+ years ago are usually not that useful.

Some interesting articles in it:

How to modify disc tumbler locks so any key can turn then one way, but only the proper key can turn it the other way.

Suggests that the very best material for do-it-yourself lock picks are old ignition files. Extra point for people old enough to know what those are. Here is a link to a source for new ones: https://www.doitbest.com/products/571946 for Asian and cheap, or Nicholson USA here https://www.amazon.com/Nicholson-02375N-4-Inch-Tungsten-Point/dp/B007C6OKB0 They would have to be thinned by half by grinding, but should produce a very ridged pick.

Some interesting safeman lore is the cystoscope. Apparently these were used for micro-drilling back in the day much as as an orthopedic or bore scope is used these days. Did not realize micro-drilling was that old and had no idea what a cystoscope was until looking it up on a search engine--would much rather stick one in a safe than where they were meant to go.

Some other locksmith lore is that some of them were in the business of sharpening saw blades and lawn mower blades on the side to make ends meet back in the day. And I thought 1970 would have been a golden age of locksmithing.

Several articles on old padlocks.

A five page article on servicing vault doors. The sort of vault doors that used to be built into some offices (once worked in a 1940's era building that had two of them), not high security bank vault type doors, but for walk-in secure storage rooms.

Overall one of the more interesting of the Locksmith Ledger booklets with a few genuinely useful articles.