Dead padlock?

You might want to consider a angle grinder rather than bolt cutters which may take exception to a hardened padlock.

Get someone to hold something heavy under it then tap it many times with a small hammer, changing the orientation every so often.

Bill

And use silcone spopray or graphite grease - not WD40

You should have used powdered graphite, not WD40.

Works a treat on the padlock I lock the trailer up with.

Not graphite grease, powdered graphite. Any grease ends up with dirt in the lock.

for an outdoor lock oil is better, it stops the innards rusting up.

Angle grind it off. If you use bolt cutters, cut the brass not the hardened steel.

NT

Graphite.

Is that the one you use for frying the kangaroo burgers in the car park of the Mooney Ponds Social Club, which you sell at the end of the Monthly Hop ?

michael adams

...

Proper oil, not wd 40. Oh and push pull the loop bit a bit and give it a major clout. However if it does unlock, I'd most certainly replace it. Brian

Yup. Powdered graphite on the key, plunge it in and out (oo-er!)

And penetrating oil on the shackle.

My understanding is that most of the internals are made of corrosion free or brass parts (apart from the springs). This being the case I doubt if it has seized, more likely to have a worn pin or key which would prevent the key from turning. If the key insert ok then the springs will be free and not seized.

If the problem is that the lock's full of muck I think it might need something to shift that before graphite powder. And a lot of muck has been blowing around in the dry weather. (WD40 does have the advantage that it comes with the little tube which can be used to blast it into the lock. Then wash that out and dry before the graphite.)

I've just oiled some new outdoor locks as they were beginning to show rust. Whether you use graphite or oil things can go wrong, with iron locks I've had them last better with oil. I have just lost one that jammed shut, but u noiled they tend to last less well IMLE.

NT

There is no sign of any dirt anywhere