Thread: wooden Locks

Hi Phil,
This might not be what youre after but it might give you sme ideas!
Alan & Gil Bridgewater have a book called making wooden hinges latches and knobs ,(i think that is what its called !)
seeyasoon mik.

The latest Fine Woodworking magazine features custom clasps for boxes on its cover (thumbnail below or go to http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki...rrentissue.asp to see larger image). They're not locks for chests, but like Mikmaz's suggestion they might give you some ideas.

Thanks Guys
Phil Spencer

As fate would have it, I am waiting on delivery of a book called Making Wooden Locks

Can't give you any detail other than to say the author has another book called Making more wooden locks!

cheers,

P

The lock you have pictured is a door lock, and one of the earliest, if not the earliest, known. It also has to be quite big, as you have to put your arm thru' the key hole.

If you want a separate, outside lock, a simple spring lock, variously know as a Viking padlock, Chinese Chest lock or an Elephant lock (Yes, used to lock up elephants!) is pretty simple to make - A lock body, a staple with a leaf spring & a key with a "U" or "H" shaped end to compress the spring.

Another type of Elphant Lock has a screw threaded bolt held shut by an internal spring & the key has a female thread to pull back the bolt.

You can get a bit of information from the Wooden Lock book, but see if you can get it from the library - I have both volumes & I'm not too impressed. The best book on locks that I have has been out of print for at least 20 years & it would be a major effort to get it out of the archive to check the title & author.