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  1. #1
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    Default Chatwood Formidable lock? any ideas?

    I found some Chatwood SAM locks in a box I had squat away along with a nice Ratner brochure, Some of the small Chatwood keys had Formidable stamped on them. I have seen Impregnable and Invincible locks before, but not sure what a formidable is, the bolt looks like it may be in front of the levers going by the keys.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20181121_090413.jpg   sams (1).jpg   formidable.jpg   20181121_090735.jpg  

  2. #2
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    Click image for larger version. 

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    Nozzled lock from Shrewsbury with keys marked S55263 ..... TT ....153TO

    chatwood Formidable

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Gordon View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	20528
    Nozzled lock from Shrewsbury with keys marked S55263 ..... TT ....153TO

    chatwood Formidable
    What an unusual lock, reversed with the key going through the case and not through the cover, and the case a noticeable profile with a slight 'U' section at the salvage.

  4. #4
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    This was postwar production using extruded brass with the cap being hooked under on one side, an extrusion doing two more sides and a loose, flat brass sheet comprising the 4th side. A very modern lock for mass production using newly available brass extrusions with tolerances that were unheard of before.

  5. #5
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    Cheers Tom, coincidentally I spoke to Brian in the middle of typing my post and he told me about Bill Stanton's influences on production modernisation and the change to extruded profiles. Your comment re: the cover hooking under one side explains the profile on the salvage, as it did have me guessing.

  6. #6
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    cheers Tom. Nice lock.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gary Stephenson View Post
    cheers Tom. Nice lock.
    It comes with or without the nozzle.

  8. #8
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    Can you think of any more Chatwood model keylocks that had the model names stamped on the key bows?
    I can think of Invincible, Impregnable, Formidable.

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