Servicing the lock - to do - or not to do . . . that is the question !

[Huntlocks]

I was once advised to clean and lubricate with silicone (spray) polish. Worked really well on S & G. No residue and everything as slippery as a snake in grass.

[Doug MacQueen]

Silicone polish? That's a new one to me and I have used a lot of different lubes. I will remember that one. However there is a certain minimum amount of friction desired on the wheel post of a combination lock. Usually there is too much but once in a while I run across a lock that has too little, resulting in wheel walk or run on, if you prefer. This is where a wheel keeps moving after the dial is stopped. Dialing more slowly prevents this and since fast dialing is by far the leading cause of problems with combination locks, I often solve the problem by doing nothing other than recommending slower dialing. But in the rare extreme cases I will apply a lube to actually slow down a wheel so it stops where it is placed. Doug

[Dean Nickel]

So that why lock designers put an adjustable tension component in modern locks? So that this problem can be adjusted? I have always wondered about what that was for. Never work on them that much.

[wylk]

I've always wondered about the S&G adjustable-torque locks. One impression is that this was required by the DOD to meet mil specs (e.g. to resist a vibration attack) but I can't remember where I read that. To do this properly you'd need a torque meter, a collection of clamps for all of their various dial shapes, and clear instructions (e.g. measure the torque with just the drive cam moving, or all three wheels moving).

Does anybody else (Mosler, Diebold, La Gard, ...) have a torque adjuster? I don't recall seeing this outside of Sargent & Greenleaf.

FWIW the patent is US 4,163,376 (1979).

I've never seen the adjusting kit in S&G literature and after watching eBay for many years I've only seen a kit for sale once. This tells me hardly anybody uses the adjusting feature and those who do probably just do it by feel. Another solution in search of a problem?

[Dean Nickel]

I know that S&G and Lagard do have them from the few times I have serviced some Group 2 locks.

[Doug MacQueen]

The wheels are balanced against vibration attacks. I don't know why S&G started using the adjuster since their earlier model worked fine. S&G is the only one who used it and they are easily used by feel and sight, once an appreciation of the necessary friction is known. The existence of the kit was probably directed more toward the military and specifically for the Gr. 1 locks, where typically less experienced personnel are performing the work. Doug

[Tom Gordon]

Isnt it just that they are more reliably dialled in real life, if there is a sensible small amount of friction on the wheels?

[Doug MacQueen]

I assume you are talking about motor skills, which can be a consideration. But there is more to it than that. There are two different areas of concern here, the wheels moving on the wheel post and the combined bearing surfaces of the both the dial/dial ring and the drive cam in the wheel post. If wheel walk wasn't a factor, the best situation would be no friction of the wheels on the post therefor no wear would occur there. But no friction would result in constant wheel walk so there must be some friction to prevent it. Regarding the dial and drive cam, again if there were no friction there would be no wear on these parts. There is a conflict between the moving parts of the dial and drive cam coming into contact with the stationary wheels. Imagine a fast freewheeling dial hitting against a wheel pack with too much friction. The little drive pins and wheel flys are easily abused. Increasing the friction on the dial bearing surfaces will slow down the dial but you would also want to decrease the wheel pack friction. Fast dialing is always considered bad practice but there should be a balance of sorts between the friction of the dial to the friction on the wheel pack. A small sensible amount as you say.

[Doug MacQueen]

I forgot the importance of ensuring the free movement of the fly on each wheel. The friction here has to be less than that of the wheel on the post or the wheel will mis-align.

[Cacher]

WD40, is NOT the correct lubricant. Yes it's ok for a degreaser & cleaning agent, but as a service product, this should not be used.

Ok, why not?

WD40, will when dried out , ie in a centrally heated environment for one, dry to a powder finish, which then clogs up AND, it will form into an abrasive eventually causing wear & tear to the product.

If WD40 was the messiah of lubricants, then why do manufacturers use specific grease viscocities on their goods?

Clean with it by all means, then re-grease.

Seeples innit.

Regards
Russell

Withy Grove (Leeds) Ltd
t: 044 (0)113 2721441
www.wgsafesonline.com

This guy is correct. I have cleaned, and srviced, more locks than ever necessary due to them being "serviced" with WD-40. It's a dirt magnet, and not made for lubrication. WD40 actually stands for W-ater D-isplacement formula #40. It's not a lubricant.