Dual Custody, Bi-centric Padlocks (padlocks that take 2 keys) Wanted

[amazing01]

• Hi everyone, I am looking for a couple of Dual Custody and/or Bi-centric Padlocks (padlocks that take 2 keys). I have a nice Yale Bi-centric pin tumbler padlock and I am after something a little different that operates with two keys. Does anyone here have one for sale or trade? E-mail me at mindhunter42 @ gmail.com if you do. Thanks.

Mike

[Pschiffe]

• Hi everyone, I am looking for a couple of Dual Custody and/or Bi-centric Padlocks (padlocks that take 2 keys). I have a nice Yale Bi-centric pin tumbler padlock and I am after something a little different that operates with two keys. Does anyone here have one for sale or trade? E-mail me at mindhunter42 @ gmail.com if you do. Thanks.

Mike

Point of Information-
The Yale Bicentric cylinder was an early answer to avoiding the problem of key interchange for masterkeyed locks. Most pin tumbler masterkeyed locks use a "split-pin" system and as a result many unintended keys may operate the lock. As an example, a 6-pin cylinder with a single master key disc in all six chambers could be operated by 64 different keys! The Bicentric cylinder has two plugs, neither of which is masterkeyed. One, normally the upper plug, is controlled by the master key while the other plug, usually the lower one, is controlled by the change key. The lock can be operated by the use of either key in its own plug. Thus it is not dual custody in the sense that both keys would be needed to open the lock like a safety deposit box. Interestingly, Kwikset recently introduced a Key Control(tm) Deadbolt that uses a similar dual cylinder with one plug for the tenant and a second for the property manager. See link:
http://www.kwikset.com/SmartSecurity/Key-Control.aspx

Pete Schifferli
Tonawanda, NY

[Dean Nickel]

Pete, Kwikset did their's only because they couldn't master key their lock. I wouldn't like that lock on my door. Too easy to get in.

Yale on the other hand could and does today master key their locks. But for VERY large master key systems you would use Bi-centric cylinders. The master key is on a different keyway than the change keys. So the master cylinder could be mastered and so could the change key cylinder. But the over all number of master pins needed in each cylinder was greatly reduced. The master cylinder could be spread over a campus of buildings and each building could have its own change key keyway and a building master on the master cylinder. It is a version of rotating constant but with two cylinders.

---------- Post added at 11:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 AM ----------

I will keep an eye out Mike.

[amazing01]

Pete, I am aware that my Yale bi-centric lock is not a dual custody lock BUT I have seen Yale 2 key padlocks that require both keys to be turned in order to open........those ARE dual custody locks and that is one of the locks I am looking for. I let one slip through my fingers a little more than a year ago; it was offered to me for $50.00 with both working keys but I was totally out of cash (the last hour of the last day of the Indy Lock Show).

I am really looking for foreign padlocks with front entry dual keyways!

I have cash AND trading material! lol!

Mike

[amazing01]

Okay, a little update:

I found a MASSIVE Russian double custody padlock; see photos below.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...8/375704c5.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...8/b37db134.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...8/f5680665.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll14/amazing4928/69f7c0c3.jpg








---------- Post added at 06:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 AM ----------

Almost forgot to mention, this Russian lock is about 4 and 1/2 inches tall and about 3 and 1/4 inches wide......it is HUGE!!!!

Still looking for one with double front entry bit and post or bit and barrel keyways.

Mike

[oldbiscuit]

Mike, I saw that on ebay and thought about bidding, but decided to save my money for another lock that's coming up, but glad to see you got it. does it take both keys to open it? or will the keys work independantly? Mark

[amazing01]

Mark, both keys are required to open it. I am assuming from how it is made, one key unlocks one side of the shackle and the other key unlocks the other. The cylinders are keyed different but may be the same keyway......won't know til it arrives. Thanks for not bidding on it......the opening bid was pretty steap and I wasn't going to go much more han that. =)

Mike

[Pschiffe]

Pete, Kwikset did their's only because they couldn't master key their lock. I wouldn't like that lock on my door. Too easy to get in.

Yale on the other hand could and does today master key their locks. But for VERY large master key systems you would use Bi-centric cylinders. The master key is on a different keyway than the change keys. So the master cylinder could be mastered and so could the change key cylinder. But the over all number of master pins needed in each cylinder was greatly reduced. The master cylinder could be spread over a campus of buildings and each building could have its own change key keyway and a building master on the master cylinder. It is a version of rotating constant but with two cylinders.

---------- Post added at 11:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 AM ----------

I will keep an eye out Mike.

The Yale bicentric product has been discontinued for about twenty years or more. I suspect the Corbin Russwin master ring cylinders are on the verge of extinction as well. Little contemporary hardware supports the larger diameter cylinders. Both have had about a hundred year run however, not too bad! My 2 cents.

Pete Schifferli

[Dean Nickel]

Corbin Russwin has a great deal of systems in place and have master ring in all modern keyways. So I don't think they will toss that advantage aside soon. I have worked on a campus with that product on it so I know they keep trying to expand into any new buildings.