Yale Lock

Brey

My first Yale Lock.

Just wondering if I could get any general information on it.

What is “SOU RY” that’s on the front of it and on the top it reads, “Super Pin Tumbler”, “Lubricate”, and “TE”.

Unfortunately, it didn’t come with a key. I was told that it was a Railroad Lock.

A simple question but what is the metal bracket attached to the lock called and what was it used for?

I hope to get a key made for it.

Any help will be much appreciated, Thanks!

Dean Nickel

TE should be the keyway. That would make it one odd keyway so it would follow that it was used by a larger institution as the rare keyways were. But this one I seem to remember seeing but under a different heading.

Super pin tumbler means that the pins are serrated and the plug has a ledge on the front to prevent shimming. Standard plug design by today’s standard outside of the serrated pins.

Any Locksmith that can impression a lock, should be able to make a key. Give them time and they can make this a back burner project (Less stress will keep the price down in quite a few shops). So the hard part will be the key. I know I don’t have that key on any keyboard but I would think I should be able to order it from Yale but I don’t know for sure as I have never ordered a T section blank. I know it doesn’t show in the after market books.

Doug MacQueen

I used to master key many of that basic style of Yale padlock. The clip was used to chain the lock so it wouldn’t get misplaced. The Cleveland Key Shop has a pretty good supply of keyblanks for many of the oddball sectional keyways. Their phone is 216-241-6074. Ask for Bruce. Doug

Brey

Thanks for the info, very helpful.

So i’m guessing “SOU RY” stands for “Southern Railyard/Railway”?..

I found this link regarding the Key Sections/Keyways for Yale Locks. TE is amongst them.

http://www.mfsales.com/book02/542-545.pdf

bbcci

Hey Brey,
You are correct with the Southern Railway guess. I think the ‘TE’ is just the last readable letters of “lubricate with graphite” which usually adorns the top of thier super pin tumblers, and not a keyway code. I would ‘guess’ a manufacture date somewhere in the 1950’s. The extra thick shackle, while not necessarily rare, are more scarce and a nice plus for that lock. Enjoy and luck with keying-
Bill

Brey

BBCCI,

Hmm, now that you mention it, I think I see the “W” at the beginning of the next row after Lubricate.

Crazy how the letters were nearly worn off.

This also explains why it was bleeding graphite after I sprayed in some WD40. (I just found out that WD40 is more for cleaning than lubrication)

Lock Picking 101 • View topic - WHY IS THE WD-40 SO BAD?

Doug MacQueen

Brey, super fine graphite was the lubricant of chioce we used on pin tumbler locks as well as other locks. This a finer grade than is found at hardware stores and much better for locks. But it is easy to overload the cylinder and the excessive graphite gets impacted. I used to spray a tiny bit on the core before assembly and another light spray down the keyway after assembly. Then tap the cylinder to get the excess to fall out. Lighter fluid, which I think is Naptha, is what I would clean the cylinders with to remove dirt, gum and graphite prior to rekeying. Doug

Brey

Thanks Doug.

I’ve learned a lot from this little Lock.

wylk

I have a lock that is almost identical (and a key which does not look original) but is also stamped above the keyway “5-25-2” which I assume is either May 2 1925 or February 5 1925, though it might not even be a date.

Brey

Sounds like it may be the manufactured date but I’m not sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if my lock had one at one point and wore off.

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

It could just as likely be May 25, 1902 since the lock body design has been around since the 1890’s. You could probably better determine the date by when the Southern Railway started business under that name.
BBE.

wylk wrote
I have a lock that is almost identical (and a key which does not look original) but is also stamped above the keyway “5-25-2” which I assume is either May 2 1925 or February 5 1925, though it might not even be a date.

[unknown]

wylk

BBE wrote
It could just as likely be May 25, 1902 since the lock body design has been around since the 1890’s. You could probably better determine the date by when the Southern Railway started business under that name.

Wikipedia states that Southern Railway started using that name in 1894, until 1990. The style of lock body includes many years, but how about the stepped shackle; could that be used to narrow down the general time, e.g. if Yale introduced it in 1910 then the 1902 date could be discounted.

And, I know that Miller “pancake” locks can be roughly dated via details like pin placements and scroll marks. Are there details like these that can help with Yale padlocks?

[unknown]

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

Yale never used ECO’s or ECN’s but instead called their version an Authorization. Those were filed in engineering and listed on drawings. If you found your way to engineering and could convince someone to look up the part number, you would have the date.

Most of the engineers were old when I was there and now I am old and they are retired.
:-). Good luck.
BBE.