padlocks freezing up

[landonshaw]

Has anyone found one padlock that works better than another? I had a heck of a time getting my dinghy loose this morning. Almost started thinking about the bolt cutters. I am soaking the lock in vinager now and it is again working fine, but would like to not have to pay so much attention to it. I am in the Caribbean all year. Ideas. dave

[boatman61]

A good blast of WD40 in the keyhole once a month does wonders.... also does no harm to blast the hole in the top either....

[gbanker]

had same issues and now do what boatman61 does. works for me.

[Unicorn Dreams]

As above WD40 or you can pit a little white lithium in the lock to keep it from sticking again.

[SabreKai]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

I am in the Caribbean all year. Ideas. dave

And here I was, thinking it was ice causing the freeze up.

I agree, WD40 or light machine oil. WD40 does tend to wash out after a short while though.


Sabre

[S/V Alchemy]

WD40 is good for displacing water, but it's neither a lubricant nor an anti-corrosive of any particular power. As noted, it "washes out" because it doesn't stick. When I was a kid, we used WD-40 for unseizing (although there are better penetrating oils) and 3-in-One Oil to lubricate.

For boat stuff, padlocks and door keysets (which often have a slurry of transferred dirt and moisture in them from keys drawn from lint-filled pockets and blown-in moisture), I use a product called Fluid Film. It sticks really well to metal and is a great lubricant. It seems like a sprayable Lanokote, as lanolin is a main (and a bit barnyard-smelling) ingredient.

Anyway, it has revived several padlocks and keysets for me, including totally seized ones chaining my ladder to my cradle, and so on. I have yet to try it, but Fluid Film might make a nice "finish coat" on wiches after proper clean up and servicing with proper winch grease.

It's not cheap, but I'm thinking it's way better than WD-40. In a similar fashion, my bike chains take a very particular silicon-based lubrication. WD-40 is the "Marvel Mystery Oil" of its bracket...there are better choices that will last longer.

[landonshaw]

I use a product called Blastr to penetrate and loosen solid items. But it is just like WD-40. How about White Litium Grease for continued use? Is it to much stick that it would keep dirt and help to clog up the lock?

[zimbu]

One word.

TRIFLOW

I have been using it for years, Guns, Bikes, Doors, Automotive, Fishing reels, you name it.

The oil acts as a transport mechanism for the Teflon. After lubricating something - you wipe off the excess oil and the Teflon stays inside.

High-grade petroleum oils provide optimum lubrication under extreme temperatures (-60 to 475°F) and humidity. Formulated solvents soften and remove dirt and contaminants, while special additives displace moisture and prevent rust and corrosion. Formulated with P.T.F.E.(TEFLON)

It can be had at any local hardware store, I get mine at ACE.

[klem]

I had a lot of problems with different locks but the Abus ones that I have now seem to be working quite well. Probably not the most secure locks but they at least allow you to get in when you want to.

[Boracay]

I've been using a "blow" of graphite powder into the padlock as well as a spray of WD40. Seems to work.

I will admit to buying on of those stainless steel padlocks from my friendly chandler. Not much more expensive. Mine got a bit iffy when some sand snuck it's way in but feels to have freed up now.

[tager]

PB Blaster will clean it out. Then lube it up with white lithium grease or MMO.

[Deadcat7382]

We use Fluid film at work, and the Navy uses it as a preservative and lubricant on all their aircraft.

It is great working stuff.

[S/V Alchemy]

To be honest, I also have used "dry silicon/graphite spray" for some, primarily small, applications. I like it to unseize Morse cables, for instance, until I can remove them and do a through regrease of the whole cable.

Point remaining is that WD-40 isn't a great lube, nor a great anti-seize or anti-corrosive (although it will do this in a dry place). It's a great water displacer, but a grease is usually a better idea on a boat because you want a physical barrier.

[billr]

I use the marine combination pad locks. Although I tend to use WD-40, I have been thinking about using Boeshield T9. But it goes on ok, thickens up in some areas as it starts to dry, and eventually ends up as a dry film lube. It works great for some things, but I am having second thoughts about putting it into a lock where it might dry as a golb in the wrong place. Has anyone tried T9 with locks?

[Zednotzee]

I've used graphite on padlocks at work, years ago. It seemed okay to start with, but after exposure to weather, especially moisture, the graphite caked together & hardened. I had to spray a lot of conventional lubricant in the locks to free them. I am dead against graphite now, except in pencils.