My brother owns a shop on a main road. The local rugrats keep filling his locks with glue and he has them changed, I would say, once a month. Is there anything that dissolves glue or could he use anything that would prevent this. I assume they are just mortise locks if that helps.
many thanks Simon
If they're padlocks on roll-down shutters or the like - the may be repeating it in the hope he doesn't use all the security measures one night...
Locksmiths must have encountered this - maybe thay can suggest a keyless system to avoid the problem.
I'm told Nitromoors is effective on epoxy resins - maybe soaking the locks in WD40 in advance would help prevent whatever glue it is getting any grip.
Obvious CCTV camera and a sign? Won't dissolve glue but might deter little darlings.
Si
Just think yourself lucky they don't have a car battery and some welding rods.
If its padlocks on shutters fix a metal box over the padlock so they have to reachup inside to get the glue in. They wont bother unless they have a grudge.
A shop I saw had the electric shutter operated by a remote control - so no external locks. Wouldn't take long to pay for that if new locks are needed once a month.
If its superglue, you COULD soak the locks in a jar of acetone..that does work..but its not cheap. ONLY ACETONE WORKS. other cellulose thinners do NOT.
Nitromethane also works,but its even more expensive and even harder to get.
Acetone in bulk can be got from places that do supplies for glass fibre layup.
Or buy a 100 bottles of nail varnish remover.
You will need to spray a thin oil inside afterwards as well
following all the good advice, just one last possible: use a bit of metal plate to fit a =A31 padlock over the real padlock, then all they can trash is the worthless one. And lots of oil so the glue cant stick.
A real camera, unseen, might get the offender prosecuted. That would put off the others.
NT
A hasp & staple secured by a very cheap padlock placed over the keyhole would suffice.
Carry a set of bolt cutters (£3.99, Lidl) and a couple of spare locks in the car and Bob Sherunkle!
(Our local surplus store had a black painted hasp & staple for less than a quid)
sponix
Has your brother not heard of a Brenn Gun. Very effective at close range.
I believe Nitromors paint stripper contains this - it certainly dissolves epoxies, but maybe a bit too gloopy for a confined space like a lock.
Thanks to al of you for your help. The thought had crossed my mind to nail them to the floor or electrocute the handle.
Thanks again
Simon
In which case borrow a f**king big alsation for a few weeks.
Dave
I wonder if a liberal application of silicone grease would work. Pack the lock with it and it might stop the glue sticking to anything.
It's no doubt illegal, but I'd want to coat the padlock in Nitromors...that'd be a deterrent (after the first time)
In the aerospace industry, we had a problem with this.
After contamination, the paint would just not stick and it was the devil of a job to get rid of. So I would think that it could well be your answer.
Dave
Good point that. Car valeters use loads of silicone on vinyl trim. Bodyshops hate the stuff because of that very problem.
Dichloromethane and methanol.
Most mortice locks are relatively glue-proof and can be improved by filling them with vaseline. Superglue won't hurt them, PU or epoxy will (but are less common with the toerags). Pin locks ("Yale" cylinders) are the ones that are easily glued. Greasing them up is a bad idea too.
Best thing is catching the little pikey scumbag in the act, gluing their hands to the shop door and leaving them there overnight.
ROTFL
That appeals to me, I don't quite know why though :-)
Dave
In message , The Natural Philosopher writes
My wife works for Boots and always used to carry a bottle of nail varnish remover in the glovebox of the car for the times the anti-vivisection crowd glued up the locks of her store.
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