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  1. #11
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    Default RE: Edwards Mfg Padlock

    Here's what I know:

    The Edwards padlock, when it left the factory was set on a random combination (3-5 buttons pressed). As most people I've spoken to are unaware of, this lock is designed to be USER-resettable. The buttons can be in one of three states;

    1) Button needs to be pressed DOWN to work combination
    2) Button needs to be pressed UP to work combination
    3) Button is left alone (neutral position)

    With the shackle OPEN, you will notice a small TANG inside of the square shackle hole, LIFT the tang (carefully) up and over the small "notch" that it normally rests in (on the side of the case) and ROTATE it, perhaps 15-20degrees. Be gentle, the tip of a dental pick makes a nice tool for this. The buttons are now DISengaged from the lock's innerworkings. ROTATING the buttons a 1/3rd turn will change how they affect themselves in the combo. Some of the locks I've seen have 3 little "nicks" on the button faces, furthermore on these types, SOME locks will have ONE of the three "nicks" a small "break" in the "nick" (a magnifying glass REALLY helps) If you're lucky enough to have a lock like this, the combo is actually visible to you from just looking at the lock. (The "nick" with the "break" will either face the lock's outer edge, the lock's exact center, or inbetween) The button's "nicks" can vary slightly from lock to lock (so pay attention to what you rotated, and how much). After setting the new combo of your choosing, ROTATE the little tang back until it snaps into the notch again. What if you have no idea of what the code is to begin with, or there are no "nicks" on the buttons?....................DECODE IT!!!

    Decoding; Decoding these locks are SUPER EASY (if you know how).

    Cut a piece of standard lock shimstock (curved shims) (Don't have any, ask a locksmith friend). Cut the corners off a shim so the bottom is now about slightly smaller than 1/8th"

    __
    i i i
    i i i
    i i i Diagram NOT to scale!!!
    i i i
    i i i
    i i i
    \_/ <---Bottom flat is slightly smaller than 1/8"


    Slide the shim alongside the buttons (the top of the lock), feel around, the bottom of the shim should fall into a "gate" of sorts and be able to enter slightly deeper, where this occurs put a small dot (with fine tipped-marker) on the face of the button in relation to where the "gate" is located. Repeat this for all the buttons, when you are done some of the dots will face the outer edge of the lock, some will face the exact center, and some will be inbetween. As mentioned above: some of the locks are slightly different from each other so it will be up to you to figure out which direction the dot points in relation to what purpose that button has in the combination IE: press UP, press DOWN, or leave alone. The most buttons of the same configuration are usually gonna be the ones you don't touch (neutral). When you press the buttons (holding down) in the right order, the shackle will pop open..............
    ~ as if by magic ~!


    Hope this helps someone!
    --Vince (Peerless)

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    uk
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    Country: UK

    Default Edwards mfg combo

    hi Vince, thank you thank you , very excited, onwards and upwards now hoping to turn my paperweight back to a working combo padlock , will feed back on my efforts thanks again gus.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails enlightenment.jpg  

  3. #13
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    Default More Edward's info...

    I dug out my padlocks to try to narrow down what is what, as my last post was strictly from memory of numerous years ago.

    Hold the padlock face UP, with the number 1 button at the 12oclock position, shim the button as described earlier, if the gate is at the 6oclock position, that button needs to be pressed UP (from the back of the lock). If the gate is at the 2oclock position, the button needs to be pressed DOWN (from the front of the lock). If the gate is at the 10oclock position, that button should not be pressed as it is NOT part of the combo. Repeat the above procedure for button number 2, 3, 4... holding the padlock in an oriantation so VISUALLY the button you are working on is at the 12oclock position. The gate on the lock is not very deep, so putting a small dash or marker mark on the shim makes it so much easier to tell when it enters the gate. ALSO lubricate the lock (and buttons) with a very light, non hardening lubricant, as some of the buttons may be difficult to press, letalone allow a two-thousandths of an inch shim to slide beside them.

    Best luck,
    --Vince


    PS. sometimes but not always the "nicks" on the buttons will have a break (as mentioned in my last post), if so this is what they (U-S-U-A-L-L-Y) mean:

    Break pointing to 2oclock: Press button DOWN
    Break pointing to 6oclock: press button UP
    Break pointing to 10oclock: Button not part of combo

  4. #14
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    Country: UK

    Default Edwards mfg combo

    Hi should I pm you to ask more questions as I maybe making this too long for others , thanking you . Gus

  5. #15
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    Dec 2009
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CHIHUAHUA3/4/2008 View Post
    Hi should I pm you to ask more questions as I maybe making this too long for others , thanking you . Gus
    I disagree, this is interesting.

  6. #16
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    Default

    Vince, I agree this is most interesting. Do you know the procedure to reset the combo?
    Mark A. Billesbach

  7. #17
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    Default edwards mfg combo

    hi I am making this hard work , would like to know which is the tang , is it the little bit in between the 2 brass one's , or is it the one to the right by its self thanking you . gus Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	5820 Vince you wrote ( With the shackle OPEN, you will notice a small TANG inside of the square shackle hole, LIFT the tang (carefully) up and over the small "notch" that it normally rests in (on the side of the case) and ROTATE it, perhaps 15-20degrees.)

  8. #18
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    Mar 2009
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    Default RE: Edwards NoKey

    Well I'm glad some of my lock knowledge is helping someone out.

    From your above image of the open shackle hole, look IN and UP towards the rear (inner back) of the lock. The tang I spoke of actually slides alongside the inside of the case's rear, and the notch of sorts is machined into the case itself. a VERY bright pen light or stylus type light can aid in viewing what I'm refering to.

    *Using the above photo for a point of reference*, the tang must be (GENTLY) pulled DOWN (w/ dentalpick), then ROTATED a small degree to the left (BE CAREFUL, it's only a tiny piece of BRASS). When this done succesfully, a little tab will then be partially blocking the shacklehole, this little tab will have emerged from the RIGHT of the hole. The buttons are now DISengaged for changing.

    Like I said earlier, you must know what the existing combo is before changing, or else you'll only change it to another unknown combo.

    LUBRICATION is CRITICAL - The buttons must be FREE.

    From the face (top) of the lock, if the buttons are rotated CLOCKWISE a 1/3 of a turn, the order they go as to how they'll affect the combo is as following:
    ...DOWN, UP, LEAVE ALONE, DOWN, UP, LEAVE ALONE, DOWN, UP, LEAVE ALONE, DOW... and on and on til' infinity.

    It may be helpful to put a small dot on the edge of each button with an indelable marker so you can determine how much to turn (rotate) each one. The little dot will actually wear off in short order from your fingers' oils.

    After changing the combo, push (again carefully) the little brass piece to it's original resting place.

    .oqɯoɔ ʍǝu ʇsǝʇ puɐ ǝlʞɔɐɥs ǝsolɔ

    Have fun!!! ♫♥♫

    --Vince O--O

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    uk
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    Country: UK

    Default

    hi Vince, my problem is not the finding the combination or changing it . The problem for me is that the padlock came open and when I close it it can be pulled open . I would like you to zoom in and tell me what you see on the left side and also on the right side. Sooooooooooooooo next move .( paperweight or working padlock ) thanks again gus.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails images.jpg   SAM_0179.JPG  

  10. #20
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    Default

    The piece of brass as seen in the upper-right of the shacklehole as viewed in your photo is the "tab" that I mentioned earlier will "partially block" the shacklehole when the buttons are in the DISengaged state. This somwhat bothers me, as the ONLY time this piece should be visible is when changing the combo.

    While it may be possible something is broken, it may also be possible that someone set all the buttons to the neutral position. If this is what happened the shackle can be pushed down, but will want to spring right back up. (I tested this theroy on on of my padlocks).

    Other than that......IDK?
    --Vince O--O

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