Huge Chubb detector padlock - key fabrication.

Paul Prescott

Just a quick post on a key I have nearly finished making for this padlock. I don’t use the word unique lightly but this lock is unique in my experience in terms of it sheer size. At over 200 mm X 150 mm X 40 mm thick and weighing nearly 5 kg.
The lock is the property of a US collector. It is not for sale and I will not disclose the name of it’s owner so please don’t ask. This is being posted with the owners consent.
The lock being of sufficient importance to warrant the work and the owner placed his confidence in my doing the works correctly it was sent all the way to Australia for me to work on.
The lock is a Chubb 6 lever, definitive detector with extensive false notching and barrel & curtain. I don’t have my serial number list to hand but it’s between 1851 – 1876. I’m sure someone will jump in to date it more fully. I think the owner is going to have the records checked further.
The shackle guards were somewhat ‘bent’ on receipt and the shackle was frozen. I made tool to spread the guards and this allowed the shackle a fraction of a mm of movement. An examination of the lock provided two initial issues, about a 100 years of muck and dirt inside the the detector was engaged. A few days in penetrating oil and a bath cleaned it out and allowed the bolt a very little movement.
As a note the following process is a lot easier to write about than it was to do !
I fabricated some initial tooling and picked the lock to reset the detector.
The lock was then picked open, the very strong springs and false notching + the detector made this a somewhat lengthy process and I had to make a dedicated pick & form tool to accomplish this.
Once open it was half-thrown, the lever heights measured and recorded and the key fabricated from scratch to suit it.
I’m just waiting on instruction from the owner as to the degree of polish of the key and it will be on it’s way back. A challenging job for sure – but the integrity of the padlock is 100 %, it’s patina is undisturbed and it works perfectly. I hope this is of interest

Timothy

Nice job of making the key for the padlock. I support you may have a machine to make that key. As size of that padlock i’m sure it cost more than is it as can’t find very many of them…..Tim….

Paul Prescott

The shaft of the key was made on a lathe, the rest was all hand cut, filed, silver soldered and polished. It’s not a machine cut key.

I’ve never seen a lock of this size in any of the Chubb catalogues from the 1800’s that I have seen.

If anyone has infomation on the model, or has another of the same size I am sure the owner would be pleased to receive it.

Timothy

I did that a few time making barrel key blank. A frind of my did the silver soldered and i finish the rest. He retire long time ago just don’t have enough money to but all the stuff for soldered like the one he has.

I can understand about the large padlock you has and don’t see too many large padlock like they made in the past. Once in the while it pop up and i’m sure some of us would like to have it. But only of what it cost to buy them. I have seen some of these large padlock price over $1000.00 and that it way to high for it. I did post one on on this forum about Corbin padlock and could not believe of how much he want for it. Really which i could have the money for it.

Hoping someone will give you information of what you need…..Tim….

Gary Stephenson

Awesome work to pick, decode and make a key to that blind. Beautiful.

Paul Prescott

Gary Stephenson wrote
Awesome work to pick, decode and make a key to that blind. Beautiful.

Thanks, it was very satisfying to do. When that key turned it was a buzz similar to when you manipulate a 4 wheel on an isolator …

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

And here’s the key after it’s final polish.

philipwatson

oldlock wrote
And here’s the key after it’s final polish.

Beautiful work…

[unknown]

philipwatson

oldlock wrote
The shaft of the key was made on a lathe, the rest was all hand cut, filed, silver soldered and polished. It’s not a machine cut key.

I’ve never seen a lock of this size in any of the Chubb catalogues from the 1800’s that I have seen.

If anyone has infomation on the model, or has another of the same size I am sure the owner would be pleased to receive it.

Hello to you oldlock. The padlock I have was made at St. Paul’s Churchyard also, but it is only 105mm high, 75mm wide and 25mm thick, and weighs a mere 800g. I have a japeg showing it against another of the same vintage that is circa the size of a Squire 440. Both padlocks sans keys.

Is the keyway cutained on the huge padlock you picked and made the key for?

Regards to you,

Philip

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

Sorry - I had not seen your reply.

Yes, the lock had a barrel & curtain.

Huw Eastwood

That’s incredible work oldlock, and sadly all of it’s probably way over the heads of most on here that see it. Incredible skill and patience to pick and decode that as Gary said, so credit where it’s due and hats off to you -lovely handmade key too -beautiful work all round.

toot

were the keys ever serial #brd, to the locks?.

Paul Prescott

toot wrote
were the keys ever serial #brd, to the locks?.

Sorry - I don’t follow your meaning ?

[unknown]

toot

I was wondering if there keys had the same serial numbers stamped on them as the serial number that was in the lock? hope this helps?

Paul Prescott

No, Chubb keys did not have numbers stamped on them usually - expect if the locks were master keyed and then the lock differ number is stamped on the bit.

The only exception I have seen to this is in the case of very early locks (ie pre 1825 of thereabouts) but given the sample size is so small it’s hard to know whether that was routine or specially requested.

toot

Paul, again thanking you so very much for taking the time to a reply to my question. toot.

Syd Waterman

Occasionally Chubb stamped the lock number on the key bit. An example is shown on the attached picture, of the regulator key for lock numbered 27232, manufactured 13th June 1838.

The key bow indicates that lock was of the “improved” patent and the bone tag indicates how to throw off the detector.

Syd.

Paul Prescott wrote
No, Chubb keys did not have numbers stamped on them usually - expect if the locks were master keyed and then the lock differ number is stamped on the bit.

The only exception I have seen to this is in the case of very early locks (ie pre 1825 of thereabouts) but given the sample size is so small it’s hard to know whether that was routine or specially requested.

[unknown]