✅ SOLVED Old padlocks?

[Courtzzy]

I’m not sure if anyone is able to roughly date these, but I would love to get some more info on these locks that we dug from a mid-1800’s-early 1900’s trash pit if possible. They all came out of the same pit! We thought that was a little strange. Haha thank you!! I’ll try to post some high quality pictures. Sorry for the rust. We haven’t done electrolysis on them yet. (: i really like the small heart shaped one!

 

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[smallfoot]

Here's a couple of padlock links to help in your search:

https://www.antiquesnavigator.com/s/search-Antique+Padlocks-smokehouse.html

Padlock Index

 

[ARC]

 

[A2coins]

Cool locks Courtney have to see them after electrolysis should have a makers name on em the one on the topr right looks modern the others look old do you see any writing on em. Pretty cool finds keep rippin Tommy

 

[A2coins]

Welcome from MI also Tommy

 

[nkellam22]

My guess is anywhere from 1850-1900

 

[Terry Soloman]

My guess is anywhere from 1850-1900

I agree, and they look to be railroad locks.

 

[Anduril]

Wait... let me get out my Sparrows lock-picking set.

Curious to see how well those might clean up.
They look pretty crusty!!

 

[Courtzzy]

Yea..haha unfortunately they are very crusty. We’re in the process of perfecting our electrolysis setup. We’ve put a few of our gun parts in and it worked pretty well! But we’re still trying to perfect the system. It’s a little tricky when you’re new to it. We had a lot of trouble trying to figure out what wire to use to hold our object. We ended up just going with a copper wire...even though we read that it will deteriorate over time. All the others produce like toxic fumes. If you have any tips let me know please! (: I would love to Clean them up!!

 

[Courtzzy]

Hello Tommy! Thanks for always helping out on my posts! I unfortunately can’t see any writing on them. We were able to just pick off a lot of rust and get rid of a lot of it ...but they are so crusty!! Haha we’re in the process of trying to perfect our electrolysis, but we’ve been having struggles! It’s kinda complicated when you’re new to it all! But I can’t wait to clean them up! I love finding those. So strange to me that they all came from the same trash pit! We’ve found so much stuff from that pit.

 

[A2coins]

Its crazy some of the stuff in trash pits Ive found coins bottles silverware pretty crazy always find pieces of China always broke. Trust me Ive done electrolysis and have no freakin clue what Im doing but I see bubbles so something going on lol Keep rippin into it and posting your finds Courtney Tommy

 

[Courtzzy]

After cleaning one of the locks more, I noticed some writing! The lock with the sliding plate on it has the letters M.W and Co on it! I researched it and figure out the company started in 1853 and went bankrupt in 1919! So that’s really cool! It narrowed the dating a little bit. At least I know that it’s no older than 1919. ☺️ Fits right along with the estimated dating of our trash pit also!

 

[Courtzzy]

I think thats the same exact lock actually!

 

[ARC]

After cleaning one of the locks more, I noticed some writing! The lock with the sliding plate on it has the letters M.W and Co on it! I researched it and figure out the company started in 1853 and went bankrupt in 1919! So that’s really cool! It narrowed the dating a little bit. At least I know that it’s no older than 1919. ☺️ Fits right along with the estimated dating of our trash pit also!

I thought that might be it... or very close... glad I was correct..

 

[Anduril]

Yea..haha unfortunately they are very crusty. We’re in the process of perfecting our electrolysis setup. We’ve put a few of our gun parts in and it worked pretty well! But we’re still trying to perfect the system. It’s a little tricky when you’re new to it. We had a lot of trouble trying to figure out what wire to use to hold our object. We ended up just going with a copper wire...even though we read that it will deteriorate over time. All the others produce like toxic fumes. If you have any tips let me know please! (: I would love to Clean them up!!

I know that Platinum wire is recommended for DIY aluminum anodizing (which is basically a long bath in weak battery acid, while passing a current through the item to be anodized.)