Sizing a lock

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buzby
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Sizing a lock

Post by buzby »

Hi everyone! I've recently purchased a belt, not a cage, and I'd like to replace the cheap padlock that came with it with something slightly more durable, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what lock to buy. I understand and have measured all the dimensions, but when I go to a lock makers website and use their handy lock finder, it gives me all sorts of suggestions that I know can't be correct. Can any of you offer any suggestions on how to figure out what lock to purchase? The padlock works by the shackle sliding around a pin that has a groove in it. When locked, the shackle basically surrounds the pin, keeping the belt on. Thanks in advance!
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Tom Allen
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Re: Sizing a lock

Post by Tom Allen »

Can you post a link to the belt, or something to help us figure this out? I can't quite grasp the setup.
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Re: Sizing a lock

Post by buzby »

I guess I wasn’t so good at describing things! Here’s a photo...it’s not the actual belt that I have, but the lock works the same,
The pin has a groove that the shackle slides around. Hopefully you can see in this photo.
C544364E-4236-4A2B-84D5-5A7239F61AD9.jpeg
C544364E-4236-4A2B-84D5-5A7239F61AD9.jpeg (41.27 KiB) Viewed 1714 times
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Tom Allen
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Re: Sizing a lock

Post by Tom Allen »

Ah, okay. You need 3 dimensions.
The diameter of the shackle material; that is, the thickness of the steel part that wraps around the pin. I'm guessing it's 3/32 or 1/8 inch (0.094 or 0.125).

You also need the inside height from the lock body to the bend when it's closed.

Finally, you need the width in between.

Now that I'm thinking, the dimensions will probably be sized in millimeters. If it's a cheap lock, remove it, close it, and get those measurements. Then hunt on the Master lock or the ABUS lock sites to find a padlock that matches those dimensions. Guaranteed the cheap lock is a copy of one of the brand names.

Edit: ABUS site for reference.

https://allpadlocks.com/collections/bra ... -0-to-3-16
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Re: Sizing a lock

Post by buzby »

Well, I thought I found a master lock that was close enough to work. The lock arrived today, and is just barely too small to fit over the pin. It’s a much nicer lock, but I have to decide if I want to go through the trouble of filing the pin of the belt to fit the lock. I did probably an hour of searching on the abus site, and if there was a lock that seemed like it would fit, I couldn’t find it for sale anywhere.
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Re: Sizing a lock

Post by Tom Allen »

My guess is that the belt is made in China and uses metric sizes, while the Master lock is SAE sized. You might be better off filing the locking pin.
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Re: Sizing a lock

Post by buzby »

After months of trial and error, I am happy to report that I was able to file things enough to get the new, much more secure lock to fit! Once I had better suited tools on hand, it was about an hour of work today addressing the size difference of both the shackle and the lock body. But now that it’s finished, everything locks and unlocks the way it should.

Tom, thanks for your suggestions along the way! I missed being able to wear the belt while it was in pieces in my workshop for the past 5 months.
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