US Army Issued WWII Padlocks For Sale

[amazing01]

Hi all, I have 2 antique US Army issued padlocks from World War II for sale. I was told they belonged to a gentleman who served in the US Army during WWII and they were his foot locker and duffel bag padlocks. They are VERY stout, solid steel bodied locks (NOT pot metal) with disc tumbler lock mechanisms in them. They are both keyed alike and both keys will work either lock with no hang-ups. Both locks work but the pop-up spring on one is too weak to push the shackle up when you turn the key (you have to pull it up manually). They didn't come with the keys; I had to make them the hard way. Here are some photos:

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I am asking $40.00 (USD) for BOTH these locks TOGETHER (I will not split them up). FREE shipping to US customers, actual shipping cost to customers outside of the US. I will also entertain trade offers.....my interests are old, unusual, high security, and/or foreign handcuffs, old combo padlocks, foreign padlocks (old and new), dual key padlocks (old and new), Houdini stuff, anything unusual (padlock or handcuff related). If interested, you can e-mail me at mindhunter42 @ hotmail.com

Thanks for looking! =)

Cheers, Mike D~C/

---------- Post added at 10:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:15 AM ----------

My photos didn't show up on the initial post....lets try this:

[Pschiffe]

I'm no expert, but I suspect your padlocks were acquired privately. Government padlocks are usually engraved "U.S.", and have pin tumbler mechanisms with non-removable keys to meet the stringent standards of government and military defense agencies. Your disc tumbler padlocks were sold as Yale Junior during that era.

Pete Schifferli

[amazing01]

Pete, I know the ones you are talking about.....US Set locks. I have had many of them through the years made by American, Eagle, and Master. I believe those were used on Government equipment; these were supposedly used for more personal use (footlocker and duffel bag). I can't say for sure because I don't know what they used prior to 1945. My brother served in the mid 1980's and was given plain old Master combo padlocks to serve that purpose. All I can give here is what I was told.....I am not expert on military locks either.

I can say for sure that they are worth what I am asking, especially given that I had to impression the key and make a duplicate (a $15.00 job by itself).

Thanks for your input.

Cheers, Mike D~C/

[Dean Nickel]

Steel bodies are not as common as the die cast bodies.

[amazing01]

Dean, you are correct! I have owned dozens of Yale Junior padlocks with the cast pot metal bodies and same lock mechanism but these are the only one two I have had with the solid steel bodies. The pot metal ones have an elliptical shape to them when you look at them from the bottom (looking at the keyway) while these are very square shaped. They are very unusual for Yale locks of the era.

Cheers, Mike D~C/

[BBE]

When I was the KeyRecords Manager at Yale in the early 1990's I had occasion to research a Yale lock from my own colection and found that it had been the standard lock during WWII for the military contracts Yale had. The lock was 2" wide adn roughly the same height with a 1/4" shackle. The body was laminated steel that had been painted Olive Drab.
BBE.