Master No.19

[Adrian Weber]

I recently got one of the nicest gifts that someone ever gave to me. Gifted collection items are always a bit more special to me than the bought ones I have no idea why but it makes me happy. This Master No.19 was bought by a friend called mac in the US, then shipped to a good friend of mine in Canada and after that sold or traded to another collector in Canada. This collector and lock picker (he always tries to get met practising my picking skills more than I do) then offered to send it my way. I was flattered by that offer and agreed. At first the package did not arrive and was send back to Canada. He had to resend the package and 2 months later it finally arrived. When being at the German Zoll office I told the friendly woman that I do not have a bill nor mails on the value of the locks in the package. I convinced her of my good intentions and that I would never lie to her on the value of the package. I promised to bring some sort of price information next time and was able to obtain the package.

I am very thankful and happy that I could finally add this padlock to my collection. The Master No.19 is probably the heaviest and biggest laminated padlock that has ever been produced. It weighs 1.2kg and the shackle has a diameter of 13.5mm. You can not shim it nor bypass it. The core is a key in knob cylinder but the one with the larger diameter and not the small one, it is featuring 6 pins. It is key retaining, double locked and you can not shim it. This Master Lock was still Made in USA and has a nice patina. The key number on the bottom is still there and not erased, which also makes it vintage. It also features and intelligent drainage system and there is a drainage hole on both sides of the shackle. One of the keys has a little crack and I am only using the other key as it is fully intact. I also added the patents in this topic and one of the patents is either wrong or about the plating process. I did not read it in full yet.

This padlock is of much better quality than nowadays Master Locks. The quality is even better than Masters Flagship the Magnum. The only advantage of the Magnum would be its inner rivet system which is like the solid body technology of Commando Lock. If people here are interested in pictures of a Magnum that I took apart I can post them. Since we are an antique locks forum I decided not to post them for now but I could add them anytime.

Be careful when handling cadmium plated locks. I always wash my hands after refurbishing or playing with cadmium plated locks.

I hope you enjoy the pictures :)

[Adrian Weber]

I am also adding the patents now.

Someone please change the topic to "Master No.19 Padlock", thanks!

[Retro00064]

Congratulations!

That was a great gift. These can go for some pretty big prices on eBay, especially in nice N.O.S. condition like this, despite the fact that this model isn't very rare. You could very well have to fork over a few Andrew Jacksons or more to get another example like that.

[Retro00064]

Added: I wasn't aware that these locks had a drainage system and don't see any drain holes. I'd be interested in more details on this.

And pictures of that Magnum padlock that you took apart would be cool to see.

[Adrian Weber]

That sounds like a great plan thanks Doug!

Sometimes you have to destroy things for a science or a noble cause... In my case I have a person who is a master mechanist with the right tools to remove rivet heads very gentle and smoothly.

[BBE]

That sounds like a great plan thanks Doug!

Sometimes you have to destroy things for a science or a noble cause... In my case I have a person who is a master mechanist with the right tools to remove rivet heads very gentle and smoothly.

The best way to remove rivits on a Master Lock is to drill straight down the rivits with a bit that is smaller than the rivit. That will weaken them so that prying of the plates will collapse the rivit to make disassembly easier.
BBE.

[Doug MacQueen]

Adrian , go for it. I have a 200 year old really nice English key that I will eventually cut open just to verify that it was probably lost wax cast as opposed to sand cast and chiseled. I will find and send you a 19 Master padlock. Doug

[Adrian Weber]

He is also a member here and actually posted in this thread (Alaphablue)
I still have to find some nice DOM cylinders for him

[monkey222]

Hello Adrian #19 expert,

I am the proud owner of an original 19 purchased circa 2005 in US.

I am pleased to say that I just snagged a another beauty on ebay. I want to use this one for outdoor use. Would it harm the lock if I tried to weatherproof it with some type of latex spray? Overcovering, rubber or foam type? Any recommendations? It is so pretty and new and hard to find.....looks too good to leave outside.

Thank you! Advice appreciated. And how do you oil it? 3 in 1 oil? Would sewing machine oil work?

[Adrian Weber]

Thanks for the compliment Retro! I believe that the Master No.19 is probably quite rare here in Europe :)
I have added the patent for the drainage system and will do a video on this padlock today explaining the drainage system more in detail! There is an open space in both patents that I believe is not there on the Master No.19 but I will explain that in the video. I am also going to add the pictures of the Master Lock Magnum later.