Hello all.
My name is Ken and I live 40 miles east of Cleveland. I found this site through research. Seems like a lot of knowledge here. Maybe I can share some of my own, but I’m sure I’ll come away with more than I give. Been a mechanic for a long time and “accidently” ended up with several types of collections. Lighters, locks, auto related items, oiler cans, bottles and jars and mostly military memorabilia. I like locks because they are man made and have moving parts. Each one is a work of art. I bought an old motorcycle 10 years ago and made it run, then sold it. Part of the “payment” was a box of old locks. Most of them more than 50 years old. There were 42 locks in all, some with keys. A few rail road locks also.
The main reason I will try to belong here is to date some of my collection. I have been part of a huge military display at the local fair for several years. Most of our items are OD green and are self explainitory. Every year I try to add something new. I should say we because I do this to represent Veterans of the American Legion, of which I am a Post Commander. It has grown with help of another posts member in our county to fill a 40 × 60 tent and then some. 2 years ago we added a Civil Defence display. It is now four 8 foot tables full of Cold War era US items.
This year I put together a display of US padlocks. Mounted on a partial sheet of plywood so they can be handled, (fair goers like to touch things), but not stolen. Our county fair is unique in that it is still largely agricultral. It has a different governing system. We are given the space to display as exhibitors. An exhibit has to have printed info or labels on each item. I won’t live long enough to complete that task. I have 19 locks that are Pentagon spec compliant for military use. I will mark with the obvious info for display. I would also like to put a date, or close date, as to when they were manufactured, eventually. So I will post pics and ask questions in the appropriate areas soon.
I know this belongs elsewhere and will most likely be repeated. US locks after 1959 are marked US or US SET only. Before that , they could have branch, unit, department or whatever as well as US. Around this same time, but know record found yet, is when the key retention became spec also. I do have several US issue locks that the key can be removed from when open.
Well, enough of me huh? Thanks for a great forum, Ken
