I've got a cheapish (Master) rubberized lock on an outside gate that has not been opened in a while. So it won't open when I turn the key now. I don't know if the key is not turning fully or if the shackles are stuck.
What's the best approach, whack it with a hammer?
Give it a shot of Graphite and wiggle the key in both directions.
Boltcutter and a new lock.
I've had good luck flooding seized padlocks with wd-40. And before all the wd-40 flamers chime in, yes, I did follow that up with silicone spray after the next trip to hardware store. And yes, a gentle rap with a hammer, and pushing UP on the lock, sometimes help.
BTW, Master (the brass-key ones, at least) are pretty decent padlocks, beat the hell out of the cheap imitations. I've never had one outright fail on me. The no-names at the dollar stores are to be avoided, IMHO.
aem sends....
A can of Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster from your local auto parts store will be far superior to WD-40. WD-40 ain't bad but there is better stuff available.
OK, so what's the deal with WD-40 and silicone?
I'm replacing the lock with one that's keyed like the shed so I don't have to carry a bunch of keys. New locks are laminated and BIG, old lock was thinner brass and rubberized, both Master.
I had the same thing with another lock type. I found that for a few bucks, you can rent a big-arse set of bolt cutters from a tool rental place.
hth,
tom @
You're replacing it anyway... all the more reason to use a boltcutter like I suggested.
Me too, and I don't care if people call it a lubricant or not. If I spray some in and don't have any more problems for 10 years, that's good enough for me.
Spray it in the key hole and both shackle holes.
This I wonder about. A) Even if the solvent would evaporate, is it going to inside a lock? If it doesn't evaporate, is there room for the silicone spray to get inside? If it evaporates but leaves a residue, will the silicone stuff just sit on top of that?
I like WD-40 for locks, and don't bother with silicone.
Yes.
Yes.
PB is the best. That stuff has saved my ass many times.
Believe it or not, OIL works better than Graphite. Start with WD-40 (which isn't a particularly good lubricant) and then shift to penetrating oil.
Inject the WD-40 and penetrating oil both in the keyhole and the shackel and "wiggle."
Tapping with a hammer might help shake things loose.
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Master isn't cheap, imo.
Maybe not. I've talked to a friend of mine who runs a mini-storage, with maybe 300 padlocks, and when the tenants lose keys or the lock won't work, if has a thick shackle, even the big bolt cutters won't go around it or won't bite when they do, or maybe if it is hardened too they don't work. They have to use an angle grinder and it takes 15 or
20 minutes.
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