Oxford lock

[olivers8]

Yes, another security thread, sorry. I'm well aware of Oxford being viewed as cheap and fairly cheerful by some, but I usually leave this one at my office and recently the lock has become a bit stiffer and there's a bit of rust developing in the holes after rainwater has trickled into the lock.

Is there a recommended lube to spray in there, copper grease? WD40? Silicone spray?

I'll eventually relegate this lock to nothing more than a disc lock, and invest in a beefier padlock such as a Squire or decent Abus lock but it's done the job so far.

Edited by olivers8 on Thursday 14th October 10:32

Edited by olivers8 on Thursday 14th October 10:42

[Herr Schnell]

Graphite based lubes are the way to go with locks as they don't hold onto muck which will then jam up the lock. All of those you've mentioned will do more harm than good in the long run.

I use Ambersil stuff, cheap enough and decent, but others are available.

https://www.arco.co.uk/Web-Taxonomy/Tools%2C-Maint...

[snagzie]

As above, but I use graphite powder that I just pour into the areas I can on the lock. Been fine on my 2 Abus massive combo lock things on my garages that are exposed to year-long weather

[KTMsm]

Whilst I agree in theory with graphite I've always used WD40 without issue on the lock tumbler

I suspect your bigger problem is the ball bearings locking it - ACF50 or regular WD40

[Salted_Peanut]

I highly recommend Abus PS88 lock lube above the alternatives.

WD40 works in the immediate term but attracts dirt and dust over time. Also, WD40 gets thicker as it gets older – eventually gumming up the lock. While graphite is better than WD40 for lubrication, it can sometimes gum up if it gets wet (e.g., rainwater). And I found that PS88 is more effective.

[KTMsm]

Salted_Peanut said:

I highly recommend Abus PS88 lock lube above the alternatives.

WD40 works in the immediate term but attracts dirt and dust over time. Also, WD40 gets thicker as it gets older – eventually gumming up the lock. While graphite is better than WD40 for lubrication, it can sometimes gum up if it gets wet (e.g., rainwater). And I found that PS88 is more effective.

I can only say I've been using it extensively for 30+ years on locks & padlocks without an issue, a new spray clears the old and the dirt out and it's never got thicker

[Salted_Peanut]

Perhaps I've been unlucky with WD40! There's certainly a debate about its use in locks, and at least one lock manufacturer (Brisant) states that using WD40 invalidates its warranty. But I'm not a locksmith.