Due to the antique trunks being too old, they are always going to require some upkeep. However, we know that the locks of the antique trunks can easily be broken. One of the best things to do in this situation is to call a 24-hour locksmith in San Diego!
Common Locks For Vintage Trunk
Before you move on to open antique trunks, you need to make sure of the locking mechanism used in it. You need to understand the kind of locking mechanism you are coming across. This will play a major role in how you approach to open the antique trunk.
Pin Tumbler Locks
Not many of the antique trunks are known to use these locks. But in some cases, you will be dealing with this common lock type. It’s really rare for the true antique trunks to make use of pin tumbler lock designs on the inset locks. However, you can come across various modern steamer trunks which would have been dressed such that they look like antique chests or can also find that the majority of the antique trunk hardware might have been replaced.
Normally, when compared to warded lock (We will cover this one in the later section.), this kind of lock is more difficult to open. However, it isn’t that complicated as words make it sound to be. However, you will still be required to have an understanding of how to pick locks.
How To Identify Pin Tumbler Locks
If you hold any access to the key, you will come across grooves and dips down the blade till the key’s shoulder. It prevents their key from fixing in.
As you directly look inside the keyhole, you will be able to watch that there are pins inside. However, you might be required to direct a source of light.
Mostly, you will come across this kind of lock as a padlock.
How To Open Pin Tumbler Locks
If you seriously want to understand how to open this lock, you might need to have a serious understanding of how to pick locks. Without any kind of real experience, this task can be really difficult or next to impossible. When it comes to choosing between raking and single pin picking, this lock can be easily opened by raking. It’s a totally simple method that only requires you to have lock picking tools that are right. Once you have a hold of the right lock picking tools, you can successfully open the lock with some practice and minimal training.
One simple hack to opening pin tumbler locks is to use a tension wrench and lock pick whereas warded locks require only a single skeleton key to be unlocked. In the case of warded locks, it totally depends on luck or skill.
You won’t get any kind of master key for pin tumbler locks. However, if the vintage trunks are known to use a new padlock, you can easily find something online to that certain lock.
Warded Locks
Warded locks gained a huge amount of popularity in history when it came to security. This design was quite popular among the folks in the old days. When people imagine what kinds of keys would have been in the old times, they specifically imagine the design of the key to be something more like a warded lock key.
One thing that is certain about antique locks is that they will never have any lever design. When it came to manufacturing, warded locks were easier to make than the lever locks. However, if you are locked out of your antique trunk, then you shouldn’t worry at all. Opening a warded lock isn’t quite complex at all.
How To Identify Warded Locks
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They are known to have very rectangular grooves. They often have a rounded shaft.
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Common key types are mostly flat with rectangular cuts.
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Keyways are known to be very open. When you peek your eye inside the keyway, you won’t come across any wafters, pins, etc.
How To Open Ward Locks
In order to open the ward locks, you need to go around the warding and then aim straight for the locking mechanism. They will simply open any kind of lock. These are simply some kind of skeleton keys that needs to be twisted to be open the lock.
Only the last or the second last grooves are known to interact with the locking mechanism. So, if you can simply fill down the key such that the last or second last notches stick out, then you can easily get around the security of the lock. If you don’t quite invest in the warded picks, then the locks that are known to come in antique trunk hardware come in some few profiles. However, it’s clear that the warded padlocks will require some skeleton keys.
Call a 24-Hour Locksmith to Help You Anytime!
You can easily deal with any kind of lock on your antique trunk once you are able to determine what kind of lock it is. You just need to identify the lock, and you can simply open it with the methods stated above. And if you need a locksmith in San Diego that can help you get the job done, you can simply visit our website and contact us right away!
