How to clean a toolbox lock?

[Bill Ramsey]

I'm cleaning up my Huot boxes and am down to the last step of re-installing the locks. I have the original locks (keyed differently) and keys for one of them. The key is very hard to insert in that one, but once you get it inserted, the lock turns fine. The whole toolbox set was very dirty, and I expect the lock interior is no different (and might have corrosion). What's the best way to clean and lubricate these locks, so the key inserts easier? I know it's generally a bad idea to lubricate locks with liquid lubricants, but to clean and loosen these, should I soak them in something or spray something through them? I did unsuccessfully search the forum for this topic.

The keys are stamped Hurd Lock. I don't know if that's just the brand for the key blank, or if that's also a brand for the locks.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[rsanter]

I would use wd40 or similar and put the little straw in the lock and spray the heck out of it.
Let it soak and do it again.
Blow off with compressed air to remove excess

Bob

 

[zkling]

Can you pop the tumbler out of the cylinder? What does the backside look like? Caution if you do pull the tumbler out, it will have a few spring loaded gate looking things that may shoot off into Narnia if your luck is anything like mine.

 

[woodstockva]

WD-40 or silicone spray work great on ALL locks.

I worked for banks rekeying foreclosed houses for years, and those are the two I would use on daily basis to make old locks work like new again. They work great for padlocks, doorlocks, deadbolts, car locks, and small cylinder locks like yours.

*** Also --- once you spray inside the keyhole, insert & remove your key in & out about 10-15 times to fully coat the inside of the cylinder with the lubricant ***

 

[64Trvlr]

To clean all the gunk out of locks when I have them out, I toss them in the solvent tank. I let them soak a while, scrub them, blow them out with air and then lube them.

I use graphite in all my locks, works smooth and doesn't gum up or attract dirt either.

 

[drivesitfar]

While I don't doubt WD 40 will work there is actually something made just for locks. AGS Lock-Ease graphite lock fluid. it comes in a blue bottle and might be about $3. i'll post a picture of it and add it to this post when I get a minute. I know this because the wife and kids were complaining they couldn't get their keys in the front door. as much as I liked that I could have used my 50 year old applicator of graphite, but wanted to see if anything better had shown up.
I had to get a key made too so while at the local locksmith I bought this newer version of my 50 year old graphite. I pushed a couple times into the lock and guess what. the wife and kids all thought I changed the lock, but their old keys still worked.



hope they have this in your area or check your granddads shelf because he may still have a little can of this above his workbench. I also use a squirt of TriFlow on my storage units pad locks that sit out in the rain and they work like new again.

 

[bullitt67]

Use Graphite

 

[mayday0017]

Agree, clean well with a solvent, then add Graphite to the lock as the lube. It will work perfect. If you use WD40 or anything else it will attract dirt and cause the lock to work like an old crappy lock again later down the road.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I loathe WD-40 for locks. My preferred spray is LPS1.