Just wondering what all of you use on your padlocks? I went out to my shed and snapped my key off in the lock. Yes it was cold out but there must be something that would help both lubricate and prevent corrosion that doesn't gum up in cold weather. Tried graphite a few years back , not sure if residual manufacturing oils mixed but got gummy. Blasted to flush and lube with wd40 last few years but still have issues. Considering bringing them in soaking in paint thinner, blast with air and repeat 10x, then final soak in kerosene for a light oil. I don't know , what do you think/do????
I assume you mean warm the lock, not melt rubber over it. Do you just have a roof rubber flap nailed over the lock, or how do you put a rubber on it?
Extreme cold any kind of lube will freeze up unless a dry type - condensation will get you every time - Bic lighter reset so it is a micro blow torch gets the job done. o rings on the loop set down tight to the body helps to keep freeze thaw moisture out as. well as dipping the body in a liquid rubber compound.
Cold weather gun oil. CLP® Cleaner, Lubricant & Protectant|The Safariland Group G96 Products Inc. – Gun Lubricants & Cleaning Products for Firearms
I have a 4 foot wide heavy duty metal utility door on my shed with a lock in the door handle. Never had a problem with the lock.
At my old house (2 miles away), my ex ended up putting a flap of rubber over the lock as he had to torch it open a couple times in winter. On my metal shed at my present house, I don't even lock it, I just hang the lock on the doors so it looks locked. Eh, that shed is so beat (probably 25 years old and got moved from my old place), and one of the doors no longer stays on the slide in a heavy wind, so not like the lock would do any good if someone wanted in there. Actually pretty impressed that the shed has stayed together as long as it has since it was one of the cheapest model DIY metal sheds from HD from in the 90's and at least half the screws are missing.
I call it Lookee locking. You gotta get close and look to see it isn't locked. That means you have come onto my property, up past the tent garage and have intent to begin with.
I use the rubber flap and that does the trick 98% of the time. In the spring I do give them a shot of the WD garage lube, just a little. One thing I found over the years is never buy a lock without a weep hole on the bottom. Even 'good name' locks have cheap products without the weep hole...just a tiny hole on the bottom. My good locks have been used regularly for 10-15 years without issue here...probably have 15 locks on barn/shed/doors/etc....color coding the lock and key with cheap dollar store nail polish saves a lot of time!
I usually gob some dielectric grease on mine. Other than that, just give it a blowjob. Don’t get your lips on it though!
I have a padlock at the cottage that is persistent in the same troubles. I gave it a good douche in used motor oil....about 6 months or so.....and you know those plastic bags you get from everywhere when you shop I put one of those over it (instead of the rubber flap) and it has been good, Touch up squirt of wd every now and then. The oil was barely used; it was from a break in period of an new engine.
On the snowmobile trailers, we would pump the locks full of grease with a needle greaser. Yes your key is greasy a few times, but it does work great.
