Lock, Key and Drill Out if necessary

[Ray Eklund]

I was in the Antique Slot Machine business for many years. These locks were High Security with 12 tumblers. Six on the left. Six on the right. They were solid brass and sophisticated as these locks protected the mechanism and the cash box had an additional lock with 12 tumblers.

I had hundred of keys. A lock today runs $35 to $75 for an original pre-1950 brass lock and key.

I had incentive to figure out how to find a key that would work OR take the lock apart and remove the tumblers if I had no key of hundreds that would work.

The cheapest locks are those for the water, the end storage door locks and the shower. If you look at the key one side is smooth and the other is cut to fit the tumblers.

The SMOOTH side goes to the CENTER. The cut portion goes to the OUTSIDE.

If you try to force the key opposite to this... you will damage the cheap tumblers and will need to...

DRILL out the lock. Then take it to a hardware store and replace with another cheap lock... which is probably better than what you started with.

The key and lock will have a number. They should match. If not... the key will not work those tumblers. These are pot metal, easy to drill out or easy for someone to take a screwdriver and force the latch inside to BREAK OFF.

I had a walk in SAFE from a Bank that closed in 1934 at a home in Colorado. They had NO COMBINATION. The door was left open. I managed to get into the back side of the door, figured out the combination... and wrote it down and hid the combination in three places. The door weighed over 1,000 pounds. The mechanism within, maybe six ounces. Really... cheap.

I am not a locksmith. But... drill the cheap lock out and the door will open. Bring it to a hardware store or where ever locks are sold. Buy a replacement from Airstream. These lock and keys are not security locks. A big screwdriver will break these locks with minimal effort. Maybe more if the guy cannot DRILL out the center, insert a straight edge screwdriver and twist... if needed.

Never use OIL. Use graphite. Probably Silicone as it resists attracting dust.

At the worse... no Lock Smith... drill it out... take it in and match. The latch is still usable and depends on the lock cylinder and nut as to fitting or not.

Anyone else tinkered with these locks? What is your story.

The Door Locks. YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE. Feel how smooth they operate? Get a Locksmith or if you can get a replacement key from Airstream.

[Tim A.]

Well, I certainly am not a locksmith, but I have re-keyed some of our Airstream's "compartment" locks so that the same key opened them. I tend to view such locks as inexpensive and not necessarily cheap because cheap often suggests low quality. The darned things really don't fall apart or fail often. Do they offer any security? Not really. About all they do is prevent a bit of casual opening. I suspect there might be only about ten key variations for almost all of such locks. For example, our water compartment key opened the same compartment door of a friend's Airstream which was built much later than ours.

Tim

[Reno Classic]

I just go to Amazon with a $20 bill... let the whole world in if you like.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074MR1V2N...v_ov_lig_dp_it

[Ray Eklund]

Tim... you are correct.

Many insert the key in backwards and damage these flat tumblers.

My key is CH*** for the two sidelocks of trailer. Key RS*** for the two storage locks.

These are not unique keys for security. As you said, just to keep someone from pouring something into your Fresh Water tank. If the door has been broken into or the lock damaged... your FIRST instinct would be to decide if your fresh water has been tampered with.

They are low quality. Their intent is to provide some security of tampering.

[JCWDCW]

Airstream JC sells you a blank for the door and you take it to the hardware store next door to have it cut to replicate your original key ( you must have one, however.)
The hardware store doesn't charge for the cut so they must have an arrangement wirh The factory.
JCW

[drbrick]

We (I :-)) lost our set of keys for the AS and simply took the spare set to our neighbourhood locksmith and had them duplicated. The only keys that could not be done were the barrel and high security keys for the hitch lock and trimax wheel locks which I ordered backups. Basically all the AS keys are available.

[bibbs]

Key locks are to help keep honest people honest.

[featherbedder]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

I was in the Antique Slot Machine business for many years. These locks were High Security with 12 tumblers. Six on the left. Six on the right. They were solid brass and sophisticated as these locks protected the mechanism and the cash box had an additional lock with 12 tumblers.

I had hundred of keys. A lock today runs $35 to $75 for an original pre-1950 brass lock and key.

I had incentive to figure out how to find a key that would work OR take the lock apart and remove the tumblers if I had no key of hundreds that would work.

The cheapest locks are those for the water, the end storage door locks and the shower. If you look at the key one side is smooth and the other is cut to fit the tumblers.

The SMOOTH side goes to the CENTER. The cut portion goes to the OUTSIDE.

If you try to force the key opposite to this... you will damage the cheap tumblers and will need to...

DRILL out the lock. Then take it to a hardware store and replace with another cheap lock... which is probably better than what you started with.

The key and lock will have a number. They should match. If not... the key will not work those tumblers. These are pot metal, easy to drill out or easy for someone to take a screwdriver and force the latch inside to BREAK OFF.

I had a walk in SAFE from a Bank that closed in 1934 at a home in Colorado. They had NO COMBINATION. The door was left open. I managed to get into the back side of the door, figured out the combination... and wrote it down and hid the combination in three places. The door weighed over 1,000 pounds. The mechanism within, maybe six ounces. Really... cheap.

I am not a locksmith. But... drill the cheap lock out and the door will open. Bring it to a hardware store or where ever locks are sold. Buy a replacement from Airstream. These lock and keys are not security locks. A big screwdriver will break these locks with minimal effort. Maybe more if the guy cannot DRILL out the center, insert a straight edge screwdriver and twist... if needed.

Never use OIL. Use graphite. Probably Silicone as it resists attracting dust.

At the worse... no Lock Smith... drill it out... take it in and match. The latch is still usable and depends on the lock cylinder and nut as to fitting or not.

Anyone else tinkered with these locks? What is your story.

The Door Locks. YOU ARE IN BIG TROUBLE. Feel how smooth they operate? Get a Locksmith or if you can get a replacement key from Airstream.

I have antique slot machine from the Mint casino in Vegas, Not d electric but old fashion one arm bandit, the original key is round such as used vending machines etc. Same key opens full front door to service and coin box. Machine commonly called lucky 7. AS keys all but door universal older yrs.