Need Help With Info On Padlock

lanekamp

I’ve attached a few pictures of an old padlock my dad gave me. I was hoping someone could give me a little information about it. I’m very curious.

Much appreciated.

Thanks

Lane Kamp

Angusbuddy

Hello Lane,

What you have is what is refered to as a Scandinavian jailhouse padlock made by the Star Lock Works 1836 to 1926 Their trade mark star around the keyhole is what can be used to identify it. The dots in the star are actually the key code for cutting the key if it should be lost. I’m not real sure how it is coded but there is a method for doing so. Your’s is a little unusual in that it has a bullring shackle most were just a standard type. Without knowing the exact size I would guess 4″ by looking at the key the value of such a lock to a collector would approx $175.00 Prices for this type of lock goes up according to size the bigger the better, Good Luck.

lanekamp

Thanks so much for the info. Is star lock works still in business? Is it possible that the lock was used on a jail cell in Santa Fe New Mexico? He bought it with a badge that says Santa Fe Deputy New Mexico. The badge has a small fox etched on the back.

Reba729

Hi, I have a Star brass crab style patent in March 1870. I research the inventor of my padlock, Louis Hillebrand. The patten # on mine is 00100402 and was made for several years for different uses. Mine was touted as a luggage lock and another one I saw was sold as a dog lock. The original company was known as Hillebrand & Wolf. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company was taken over and I think Star locks are still made under a different name. If you do a web search for Star Locks places pop up. I would suggest you visit antique-padlocks.com. That’s where I found mine and got some good information. Good luck and happy hunting. Reba

Dean Nickel

That patent is incorrect for that padlock pictured above.
IMPROVEMENT IN PADLOCKS - Google Patent Search

Reba729

:8):Hi again Lane, Hope Halflock didn’t think my patent number was the number for your lock because it’s not. Two entirely different locks. I’ve got some extra time so I’ll serf the site I suggested and a couple others and see if I can find your lock.

Take care and have a good day. Reba729

———- Post added at 03:52 PM ———- Previous post was at 03:25 PM ———-

Just got off antique-padlocks.com If you go to Padlocks for Sale or Trade and also Padlocks Wanted, David Heuermann has some Scandinvian padlocks shown. None is yours but if you e-mail him, as I did, he may be interested in buying yours or can put you in touch with someone who can give you specifics on your lock. That’s how I got my patent number. Once again, Good Luck. Reba729:8):

oldbiscuit

Lanekamp, It’s possible that it could have been used on a cell door in a jail,but without any paperwork or firsthand account to that fact it would be all speculation. Anyone could take a article from that time frame and put a badge with it and make any kind of claim they wanted and how could you prove them right or wrong. Beyond that point though you still have a very nice collectable lock. Like Angusbuddy said it should be worth in the neighborhood of $100-$175, especially given the fact that it has the origional working key🙁hi): Mark
P.S. Star Lock Works was the largest manufacturer of Scandinavian locks but has been out of business since 1926

Dean Nickel

Sorry, If I see a patent number I like to look it up and see what it is. I try to learn about the start of locks this way. I had made the mistake of thinking that your lock you were talking about was like his.

Reba729

:8):Hi Halflock, Like your handle. I’m not so creative. Just getting into this as I inherited my padlock from my grandfather many years ago and finally decided to find out about it. Think I’m hooked. What kind of lock do you have? Think I will concentrated on locks by Star Lock Works, invented by Louis Hillebrand. Not to expensive and a place to start. Have you gotten into going to he US patent office yet? Not easy to find these old locks with the system they have. Have a good one. Reba729

oldbiscuit

Reba,If your really interested in collecting padlocks,may I suggest a couple of books? #1 The Padlock Collector by Franklin M. Arnall (sixth edition May 1996 is the last edition) #2 Early Locks and Lockmakers of America by Thomas F. Hennessy (it’s listed on this web sitehttp://www.lockmuseum.com/index.html ). If you look on Ebay,there are Star padlocks that come up quite often as there are many different sizes and styles out there. Welcome to a fun hobby and never feel afraid to ask questions,we may not have the answers but we sure will give it our best shot. Mark🙁happy):

Dean Nickel

Reba729 wrote
Think I’m hooked.

Yes, I am too, I just went deeper than most… I work with locks for a living and a hobby. 20 years as a Locksmith now.

Reba729 wrote
What kind of lock do you have?

The two areas I collect are Unit locks made since 1899 and Cutaway cylinders. Mostly high security cutaways but just about anything that is cutaway in a lock cylinder.

Reba729 wrote
Think I will concentrated on locks by Star Lock Works, invented by Louis Hillebrand. Not to expensive and a place to start.

This isn’t entirely true. If you happen to come across a really rare padlock that can set you back maybe $1000 or more if it was for sale. But this all depends on what you consider to be expensive. But you are correct in that it is a place to start. Collecting is all about what you find that makes you sit up and your eyes light up.

Reba729 wrote
Have you gotten into going to he US patent office yet? Not easy to find these old locks with the system they have. Have a good one. Reba729

No need to. Google Patents has already done it for us. :8): It is MUCH easier to find something with Google Patents if you put the right words and or name.

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Reba729

:8):To Old biscuit: Thanks for the lead on info. I did my search for my patent thru Google and it worked fine after I discovered that because mine was so old I had to add a couple of zeros in front of the patent number I had. I just started my journey into padlocks about 3 weeks ago so will stay small until I learn what I am doing. I know just enough to be dangerous to my pocket book, if you know what I mean. Being a 62 year old grandma I spend a lot of time in thrift shops and have seen a lot of locks but now they will get much more of my attention. Seems to me a lot of nice people are into this, which is great. Looking forward to sharing and learning. Reba729

Reba729

I’ve seen pictures of my Star Lock Works padlock and some have had a ball in the hole at the bottom with what I would describe as a fat little tale hanging off of it. Mine doesn’t have that and was wondering what it is and what it’s use is?

———- Post added at 10:08 PM ———- Previous post was at 10:07 PM ———-

Supposed to be tail not tale Reba729

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

The lock on my web site has, at the bottom, a chain and clevis which you must be talking about. The image isn’t very good and that makes it hard to figure out if you aren’t familiar with such things.
BBE.

Reba729

Thanks BBE. Knew it must have a name, everything does. Was this an aftermarket item sold by another company or by the manufacturing company, if you know? Now I have to find a clevis and a key!!!!!!

Reba729

Hi Again everyone,
Found a key to open my Star Lock Works 1870 padlock. Bought a cheap bag of keys off e-bay and 2 of them worked. One better than the other but the same style. It was the T shape with no downward ends. Once I got it open found a Roman numeral X on the opened shackle on the pivot hole side. Don’t know if that means anything. I used my 10X loop and it looks like there may be letter(s) and numbers inside the hole where the shackle closes. Tried using acetone and did get some of the black stuff out but not enough to be sure if letters and numbers are really there. Got a headache from the fumes though. Open for suggestions as to what to use to remove the black stuff. Does anyone know if anything is written in there? Thanks Reba729

Donnie

Star also made Scandi. padlocks for the PRR….Logo is cast into the lock …Donnie

Dunno

Anyone know where I might be able to get a key cut for one of these locks using the dot code?

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

Reba729 wrote
Thanks BBE. Knew it must have a name, everything does. Was this an aftermarket item sold by another company or by the manufacturing company, if you know? Now I have to find a clevis and a key!!!!!!

I don’t know how I didn’t see this 5 years ago, but, the clevis and chain is typically an option offered by the manufacturer. There are some available in the aftermarket but typically they are also from manufacturers and designed to fit their own brands. HTH,
BBE.

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