Thread: San Quintin Prison lock

You have a fake / fantasy lock. Brand new. Made in India. Value no more than $15 - $20

Oldlock is correct. The gas chamber at San Quentin BTW used Yale pin tumbler Bull Ring padlocks. I know because I had one given to me by the SQ locksmith about 25 years ago. In fact all of the locks in SQ were originally Yale. The cell doors were locked with lever tumbler locks with spike keys.
BBE.

Can you post a picture of the Yale pin tumbler Bull Ring padlock you have from SQ?

Cheers, Mike D~C/

San Quentin is an interesting place and if you go there and are going to be inside the walls for even one minute as a visitor they actually read you the riot act. Basically the riot act lets you know they do not negotiate. If there is a riot when you are in there you will most likely be coming out feet first. The people in SQ barely qualify as people, they are more like animals. Guards in the prison carry shotguns and shoot first when there are problems.

Locks and keys that leave the prison are not allowed to leave with prison markings on them. The lock I was given may have been one of the 4 in the gas chamber or may have just been one used on death row. You can see the S and a very little of the A next to it that wasn't ground off before I was given it. The complete marking had been SAN Q. Keys were typically marked SQ or S.Q. The full name was never marked on a lock or key when in use at the prison.

I was also given a couple of cell door locks and a set of cuffs from there, still have the cuffs. You can still see the locks at my museum site. .htm.
BBE.

Thank you very much for the pic! Now I have to ask......what kind of cuffs are they and can you show me a picture of them??? Cuffs are kind of my thing. =)

Cheers, Mike D~C/

BBE, I forgot to ask, where is your museum? Is it on-line or is it one you can only see in person?

Cheers, Mike D~C/

The cuffs aren't anything special, just Peerless with a long chain. I checked the date and I got all the SQ locks in 1987. My museum is online, you can find it at http://www.1st-net-lock-museum.com. I've had it up since 1999 but the first 4 years at a different site.
BBE.

BBE, thanks again for the photos!!! Very cool having stuff from a famous prison!

BTW, I am very familiar with your website......I didn't realize it was your's. It is on my favorites list. =)

Cheers, Mike D~C/

Mine too! :cool: Love the cutaway section!