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Cutting keys for old cabinet locks ?

I'm a furniture maker more than a locksmith. Like most of such, I've got a big pile of old Victorian brassware, a variety of warded and lever locks for drawers and boxes. Today's job was to sort through them and do some key cutting.

Most have been successful so far. The two lever locks are no problem, the four lever a little more so - particularly a Hobbes "Machine Made" that's beautifully precise inside and took a lot of care to cut a good key for it.

The ones I'm having trouble with are a couple of four lever locks with the pin holding the levers peened over to hold the levers in place. Any advice on cutting a key for these ? So far I've been stripping the lock down, then cutting the bitt of the key to fit the case, tumbler and then each lever in turn as I replace the levers. Obviously this is difficult if all the levers are in place.

What should I do ? File down the pin and strip the levers ? Or is there any trick to cutting the key, whilst all the levers are in situ?

What's the best way to mark the keys out to match the levers anyway ? I'm a bit trial and error at present - I suspect a practiced locksmith has a quicker way.

Thanks for any advice you can offer

Reply to
Andy Dingley
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Ordinarily there is a peek hole on the lock where you can see the levers and the fence. Work from bow to tip and make the lever cuts.

Reply to
Roger Shoaf

Thanks Roger,

I did finally manage it, after I'd posted. It's easier to take the cases apart than stare through the hole, as I don't have any with riveted cases.

The one that was being awkward yielded to cutting in the order you suggest. I think I'll re-cut the key though as the last cut (the piece that moves the bolt - does this have a specific name?) was a little too short and it doesn't retract the bolt quite as cleanly as I'd like.

I'm also wondering what to use as a lubricant on re-assembly. I'd assumed the usual flake graphite, but some of these have traces of grease inside that looks like original lubricant.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Lever locks will tolerate grease better than pin tumbler locks will. I still lean toward silicone microsphere lubes (Tri-Flow and its cousins) as optimal for most uses, but...

Reply to
Joe Kesselman

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