Help Needed: how to open antique Chinese padlock w/o key?

casimar

I’m visiting a friend who inherited an old trunk with a beautiful chinese padlock, but no key; he has tried to find a locksmith in the Tampa area but hasn’t found anyone who knows this type.

Does anyone have any insight into whether this can be easily opened without damage? I wanted to try and help him myself, if this is at all doable with tools I could buy at Lowes, etc.

Any advice/insight/dire warning is appreciated. Thanks!

Pictures attached.

Christopher

Huw Eastwood

Hello casimar, unfortunetely we don’t teach lock picking or discuss techniques on the public forums, but members your side of the pond might know of someone in your area who can hopefully help you.

Chinese barbed spring padlocks are extremely crude locks and shouldn’t present a problem to any skilled locksmith.

Timothy

I have heard very few locksmith that can make the key for those lock. My guess may have to shop around looking for locksmith that can do Chinese lock. You may have to go outside of Tampa or state…..Timothy…..

Doug MacQueen

Christopher, although I know there are locksmiths that could make the key, including myself, you might try having Kevin Moreau make it. He is a highly skilled blacksmith in Brattleboro Vt. He has a website and a Facebook page under Plumb Farms Workshops.

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

casimar wrote
Hi

Any advice/insight/dire warning is appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Christopher, the image below shows how the lock works. With a little mechanical ability you should be able to make your own key.
BBE.

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