AMERICAN LOCK

[Oldfast]

Hey folks! Whiskeyfox here, I'm new to locksport and these forums, appreciate you folks having me. I'm in Florida and I came across lockpicking from prepping and survivalism. I have a youtube channel dealing with gear and such, and have already posted two lock related videos.

I'm replying in here tonight because I just scooped up a 1982 American 5260 off ebay for $22.50 shipped. I hope I didn't over pay, but I it was the only older model available. I think i'm ready for the harder challenge of the American lock, or at least I should be by the time it arrives.

I also wanted to talk about the Master owned aspects of this thread... yesterday I went to Lowes and Home Depot to find a more challenging lock and all they had were Master locks. I was shocked. We have entrusted the security of this country to poorly made Chinese locks... these guys are laughing all the way to the bank, and the bad guys are toting our bikes and goodies away. It really is a shame.

A big welcome to you Whiskeyfox! Glad you're here... I'm Mike.
And I hope my thoughts here help you crack your first American
What's your channel? I thought I'd found you, but I didn't see any lock vids.

[shadowlock]

Great Article Oldfast. Very well written and informative. What a shame that such a great lock was sold to a company that knows nothing about quality workmanship and producing excellent products. Too bad. As for lock pickers out there, they should read this write up if they want to have a better perspective on how to open American Locks.

[Oldfast]

Good to see ya made it to the forum shadowlock... you're gonna love it here, I'm sure

Thanks for the kind words and very happy to hear you found this article useful.

[jupiter11d7]

Excellent write up! Lots of great information. Going to try putting this knowledge to use right away

[Oldfast]

Thank you! Hope it helps some!

They're fun locks.... they really are.

[jupiter11d7]

They do seem like very fun locks, and I see what you mean by feeling like you are "drowning in a very large bowl of Captain Crunch." Right now I am trying to get used to the difference of setting one of these serrated pins and catching on one of them. But once I get the hang of it I could see myself getting several Americans.

[Papa Gleb]

wow oldfast, amazing write-up, better said book.
I too have been fasinated by American padlocks way before I even got into picking. Picked my first one (700 x2) just a few days ago and loved it. I then started on a 2000 but its soo old and gunked up that even several sprays of WD-40 didnt help. I will give it a full clean and polish to new but first need to take out that dank roller pin. Tried punching it out but it didnt budge. Need some liquid wrench or something

[pmaxey83]

I finally picked my first American the other day, a 5200 I had acquired from an auctioneer during a storage unit lock cutting. I had spent at least 2 weeks playing with this lock, getting an accidental false set occasionally but never getting the lock open and never feeling like I was learning a thing. After reading this post, and watching a few Bosnian bill American picks I finally got it open. It was a great learning process, and beyond learning about proper tension and how to really just nudge those serrated pins into place, I finally figured out just what everyone means by that spring tension on the core.(when you realize that false set is a picked lock) So, thank you for this write up, it really helped me learn this lock.

[Oldfast]

That's wonderful!

Welcome to the forum. This is a great place. You're gonna love it.

Now, pick that 5200 backwards (counter-clockwise)

Picking it in the opposite direction usually changes the binding order.
This can come in handy if one really gives you a lot of trouble.
Here's LocksmithArmy explaining it if ya need some help.

.....a 5200 I had acquired from an auctioneer during a storage unit lock cutting.....

Ha! I sometimes watch the show "Storage Wars". Always pains me every time they grind off a lock. lol

[Doogs]

Never thought of pulling the core and picking CCW Mike. I still only get the odd open on my Americans and the serrated pins are tricky but not as bad as spools I find. The tension really screws me up and I end up dropping pins far more with spools than serrated pins. Cons of being an amateur bitch picker I guess!

crunch, crunch, crunch.

[Oldfast]

No Doogs, you don't have to pull the core.
With 5200's you can actually pick the lock
counter-clockwise and open the shackle.

Take a look at LocksmithArmy's video HERE.
Lemme know if you have any questions...
but I think LSA covers it pretty well

[Doogs]

Thanks for the info Mike. I will have to backtrack and read the OP as this excellentl thread is new to me other than my last post and I neglected to go back and read through. I just picked my new old American lock and decided it was worth impressioning a key for it so any help would be appreciated (pics below) as to which blank would be suitable and where to locate such blanks.





Now off to educate myself as you know I love the history as much as the locks themselves.

P.S. I will add a link to here in my "catalogs and curiosities" thread as it would help to flesh out what i have already posted. This goes to anyone with literature regarding the history or development of locks and lock manufacturers.

[Oldfast]

.....I just picked my new old American lock and decided it was worth impressioning a key for it so any help would be appreciated (pics below) as to which blank would be suitable and where to locate such blanks.....

An ILCO 1046 maybe? Honestly, figuring blanks is not something I'm all too good with.
Lock in hand, I usually figure it out that way. Some others may know this one immediately.

Nice pickin'. Some of those can be a bitch sometimes.

[jeffmoss26]

It looks like a normal AM3 to me.

[l0ckcr4ck3r]

Just received a 6 pack of new American Locks, direct from factory... seems the drivers have changed.. much more square spools with no serrations and a single serrated pin with shallower & fewer serrations. Never seen them like this before in an AL.