What did you pick today?

[DWeb]

my Pick for yesterday was Best SFIC, today was Medeco Biaxial.
Working on Primus now

[adi_picker]

Nice work DWeb, still practising Medeco's myself!

Sargent and Greenleaf 833 - 6 Pin Biaxial MIL Restricted profile



Take that Uncle Sam!



Take that obscure British lockmaker!

adi_picker

[GWiens2001]

Nice work DWeb, still practising Medeco's myself!

Sargent and Greenleaf 833 - 6 Pin Biaxial MIL Restricted profile



Take that Uncle Sam!



Take that obscure British lockmaker!

adi_picker

Don't think Squire would like to be considered obscure.

Gordon

[adi_picker]

Hahaha, yeah, I think you have me there! I was tired and looking for a descriptive word And they are obscure in Australia!

adi_picker

[GWiens2001]

They are obscure here in the United States, as well. Just don't think they'd like to hear so from we former rebellious colonies.

Gordon

[peterwn]

They are obscure here in the United States, as well. Just don't think they'd like to hear so from we former rebellious colonies.

Gordon

Squire has been in business since 1780 and Master since 1921. Around 50 years ago both companies had rather similar product ranges, especially low security galvanised iron warded padlocks and laminated steel pin tumbler padlocks. Product ranges have diverged in more recent times with Squire for example marketing high strength padlocks. Cheap Asian pin tumbler padlocks have displaced warded padlocks. Interestingly Squire has remained independent and not gobbled up by Yale (as other British manufacturers were over the years) or by the likes of ASSA-Abloy. This is probably because it remains family owned (like Wilson Bohannan in USA or Jacksons in Australia - interestingly both were originally predominantly railroad padlock manufacturers).

[GWiens2001]

Didn't know Squire had been in business for so long. Thank you for the info!

Gordon

[peterwn]

Didn't know Squire had been in business for so long. Thank you for the info!

Gordon

Squire's web site says Squire supplied padlocks to the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815).

[adi_picker]

Wow! Schooled on Squire, thanks Peter.

Medeco Padlock



S&G 826 - Medeco Core



Both of these locks were a good challenge for me, but particularly the Medeco branded one at the top, as it was quite worn, and came to me with no key, meaning there was definitely no rotations preset. Took me a good few days of picking on and off to really get the hang of rotating the pins, especially out of false gates, which I guess I hadn't actually encountered all that much in my previous Medecos until these two padlocks. The S&G wasn't as bad, with only 4 pins requiring rotation, but due to the more restrictive keyway I stopped and made a thinner version of my DCAP lifter to fit between the wards. Overall a good day, definitely feel I have a a better handle on rotation now!

adi_picker

[Squelchtone]

nicely done! what would you say your pick times were on the medecos? I either get lucky and its open under a minute or it takes 1 to 20 minutes, or not at all.

Squelchtone

[adi_picker]

I would say these were each in the 20 minute range as well Squelch. I picked CW, and could get both picked to the shear within a couple of minutes, but the rotations definitely slowed me down. I have a bunch more Medeco's coming in the mail soon, with the intent to practice on all of them, and I'm sure those times will come down. As you mentioned, I also have plenty of others in my collection that I can open in a couple of minutes, ones with easier bitting, and where only a pin or two require rotation to be set. This was the big difference for me, I really couldn't understand why I had so much trouble opening these ones at first, but all it was was a lot of pins requiring rotation and stuck in false gates, the both opened when I just persevered. Also, these were both Classics, which I do find harder to rotate the pins on somewhat, the couple of BiAxials I have rotate a heckuva lot easier, so buy a Classic!

adi_picker

[adi_picker]

More Medecos!

5 Pin Classic, slightly restricted profile.


Thanks go to GreenGrow for this beaut!

5 Pin BiAxial


New style, 3 spools, 2 ASSA barrels.

50 series Padlock


These have a Cam style core from what I can tell, although I haven't been able to figure out how to disassemble it just yet. If anyone could enlighten me, it would be awesome. I don't buy locks for their collect-ability, but I really do like the patina on this one

adi_picker

[greengrowlocks]

I picked this 3020 four times today to test a run of tools I've finished over the last week. It makes a good test lock because it has a 0, 90, 0 sequence. I got my hands on the proper cutting tool for adding space markings which gave me a renewed interest in making this set of Classic tools.

[adi_picker]

American 6200 Series w/ Medeco Classic Core


Think this has already been mentioned here somewhere before, but this lock contained a Classic core, though strangely it sported a BiAxial logo on the face. Perhaps in a crossover period, or maybe plugs being diverted between stages of the manufacturing process?

Medeco M3


Finally managed to get my hands on an M3 at a decent price.

adi_picker

[GreyHazRoot]

I picked my Ultimate Practice lock, pinned to only 4 standard key and drivers. 5 more opens and then I'll add the 5th pin.