Sargent lock

[PeterZ]

Keyway looks like B (Ilco 1008 or 1008A) or K (1010 or 1010A (6 pin)).
-Pete

[Timothy]

Looking at the letter on padlock could it be "C" as first name "O" as middle name and "S" as last name. Just a guess. Tim

[oldbiscuit]

Timothy, I'm pretty sure the initials are S,Co for Sargent & Company. Mark

[Dean Nickel]

So it sounds like they did what was later done in wafer locks in having the cuts for one key on the left side and the other on the right. Doing it in pin locks is interesting I will have to look at mine and see if it was master keyed.

[oldbiscuit]

Dean, now that you mention it, it is the same idea as the new wafer locks, in that way. It was a rather novel idea at the time, but I wonder what kind of wear they had on the square pins? I would think that after a certain amount of usage the pins would be worn pretty much, enough to make it a troublesome lock. Whereas in a round pin lock, the pins have a tendency to rotate,reducing the wear to the tips of the pins.
Off this subject, but still on padlocks, I rebuilt the plug on an old Yale PKPT padlock. The key was a straight steel key and the plug had brass pins. When I opened it up and dissassembled it, The pins actually had grooves worn in the tops of them from the thin steel key. That's the only time I've ever seen pins wear like that, but I can imagine the square pins after a while would act the same. Mark

[Dean Nickel]

I will have to find the lock to look at it again but if my memory is good I seem to recall that the pins were steel and the key was brass.

[Arcade Al]

I will have to find the lock to look at it again but if my memory is good I seem to recall that the pins were steel and the key was brass.

Not quite the same but there was a modern UK lever deadlock that had brass tumblers/steel key (or vice-versa) and there were serious problems with wear.
However I also have an oldish nightsafe lock in my collection that, although it has brass tumblers and a steel key and has quite serious wear, it still works beautifully.

[bbcci]

I've been wanting to add these pictures for a while now, but had a hard time shooting down the keyhole and coming up with a clear picture. A couple of the first pin in different lights, one with the first pin being held in showing the second pin, and one with the first 2 pins held back. The key is in one to help show its relation with the opening size, there is comfortable room to get in there and pick. Hope they help.

[james024]

That lock seem really nice and fit to some house.

[YALE7750]

I've been wanting to add these pictures for a while now, but had a hard time shooting down the keyhole and coming up with a clear picture. A couple of the first pin in different lights, one with the first pin being held in showing the second pin, and one with the first 2 pins held back. The key is in one to help show its relation with the opening size, there is comfortable room to get in there and pick. Hope they help.

Wow this is an old thread! I just came across a padlock with the same fancy S&CO logo as the ones mentioned here. Fortunately, it came with a factory cut key in B keyway, on which are 1891 & 1897 patent dates. When I got the lock, it wouldn’t open. The key did not turn & the shackle was stuck. The lock itself is in excellent shape, with some traces of the original shiny brass finish still visible. I was able to get it picked after much effort, but it still would not open. I could feel the locking levers had disengaged, so a block of wood was used to tap the lock open. I imagine it hadn’t been opened in a very long time.

When I went to disassemble the lock to fix it, I found that it had square pins & drivers. I have never seen anything like this before. When I searched for any info, this was the only place where I found any mention of such a lock. The one I have was not masterkeyed—the pins only have one uniform surface that contacts the key cuts. Very interesting design nevertheless.