<VV> Rekeying lock cylinders

[Larry Forman]

Hi Craig,
Excellent description.  Is it possible to cut away the cap from a door cylinder and destroy the other parts leaving the cap in reusable condition?

-- Larry
----- Original Message -----
From: NicolCS at aol.com
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org, MoVair at aol.com
Subject: <VV> Rekeying lock cylinders
Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2005 10:17:58 EST

> 
> Rekeying the cylinders isn't too hard but finding the parts to do one is a
> little tough. I harvest them from old locks. (Glove box locks require no new
> parts to rekey)
> 
> The procedure is in the factory shop manual. Page 0-3 in the '65 book.
> Basically, you remove the cylinder from whatever lock - the 
> ignition takes just a
> paper clip (let's skip the others).  Then you pry off the retainer 
> cover on the
> side of the cylinder.  Don't mangle it, you want to reuse it. Each end of the
> cover has a blade that sticks into the cylinder about 1/8"; that's what you
> are prying up and out.  Make sure the cover is on top as it comes off or you
> will have 5-6 ittybitty springs and slides (tumblers) on the floor.
> 
> Each slide has a notch in the side; there are five different locations for
> the notch on that edge of the slide, each cooresponding to the five different
> depths of cut on the key. You match the slide to the depth cut on 
> the key.  You
> can also use the key code number to select the required slides, but that's
> more work.  There are pictures of all this and the key to decoding the code
> number in the manual.
> 
> I've learned to read the key directly (the factory cut notch is a 2, no cut
> is a 1, fully cut to the step is a 5)   Starting from the head, a fictitious
> key might be 34541.  I have harvested slides out of old locks and 
> keep them in a
> little plastic box, sorted by number.  Pick-up a key, read it, drop the
> appropriate slides in the lock, replace the cover and pinch the 
> cylinder to hold it
> and you're done.  The manual makes it seem more difficult.  Door cylinders
> need more effort 'cause you have to beg a locksmith to sell you 
> some replacement
> caps - the originals are destroyed upon removal.
> 
> Don't be surprised it this shows up in my Techlines column next month ;-)
> Craig Nicol
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