20 Best Cylinder Lock For Storage Unit (2023 Updated)

I am sure like many others I have a single key for my Yakima accessories and now I have another key for my Thule keyed Touareg bars. I should mention that I just purchased a Thule North Cape Roof box.

I wanted a single key solution and have discovered how to do just that. If you are interested in a single key solution for all of your accessories then the following may be of some interest. My instructions are below and I apologize for no pictures; the free posting sites I found via a forum search indicated no more room at this time.

Also this procedure will work to key Yakima cores to work with a Thule key. First some general info. Thule and Yakima lock cores are produced by the same factory although the cores themselves are physically different.

The Thule core is longer and has a fifth tumbler. The cores themselves are therefore not interchangeable. The dimensions and spacing of the tumblers are the same for both the Thule and Yakima lock cores.

Which means the tumblers themselves are interchangeable. (this is the key to the solution) The tumblers are the small brass pieces that move in your lock core. I should mention that neither Yakima or Thule will allow you to order lock cores keyed for their competitor nor do they endorse this procedure.

Proceed at your own risk! If you do not feel like doing this yourself you could have a locksmith do it. Just take them my instructions and all the required parts as the tumblers themselves are not readily available.

This is relatively quick to do it took me a minute or so per core. My description below will be to key Thule cores to Yakima keys. What you will need. 1 Yakima or Thule core removal key. (comes with lock cores) Any Thule core that works with your accessory.

1 Yakima core(s), keyed for use with the key you want to use. (You will end up sacrificing this core to get the tumblers you need) 1 slotted screwdriver or appropriate tool to push out the tumblers. Cost For me there was no cost since my Thule keyed accessories already had cores and I had plenty of spare Yakima cores.

Procedure Purchase and or remove all the lock cores you will need. Remove all tumblers from the Thule core with the exception of the keeper which is the last one. (furthest from where the key enters the lock) Do not remove the keeper from either lock core.

To remove the tumblers push them out of the lock with the screwdriver with moderate force from the side at which their width dimension is smaller. (this will be obvious when you look at the lock) They will pop out and a small spring may come with them.

If it does, just make sure it is in place in the Thule core prior to putting the tumblers in. One by one remove the tumblers from the Yakima core and move them to the same location in the Thule core.

Position one from Yakima to position one on Thule etc. As mentioned before the Thule core has 5 tumblers and the Yakima only has four so you will not be placing a tumbler in the fifth position in the Thule core.

Verify you have done this correctly by placing the Yakima key in the lock and that all tumblers with the exception of the keeper are flush with the lock core. Remove the key and place the “removal key” in the lock and place the lock in your accessory.

Verify again everything is working and you are finished.

Off to the wrong start with this purchase. No instructions, 2 calls to specialist. Once I got with Justin, he was able to set things straight and was extremely helpful. We discussed the disconnects and said he would follow up.

Thanks Justin 👍.

The material did fit correctly to my car. My only hesitation in giving a 5 was that the instructions were in picture format only, which I found somewhat confusing, with not enough detail in some areas.

I would have liked some text and a bit more detail on some items.

Sturdy locks – good value. We like the convenience of one key for multiple locks. Compared with standard padlocks, these have performed much better year-round. Note that though the lock cylinder cover makes cold weather seizing less frequent, it does not eliminate freezing & seizing altogether.

Would we buy again?. we have!.

These locks are far from water proof or resistant. I used them on my snowmobile trailer and first snow fall they froze solid. I had bought same ones a couple years ago and they worked perfect till someone lost the keys and we had to cut them.

I purchased this product but was unable to use it because the shackle was too large to fit through the gate latch I purchased on the same visit. The package was also very difficult to open.

I bought this to hopefully replace a bad lock on a small fire resistant safe. Had no idea if it was the right size or anything. Luckily, this one came w a few different sized latches and different adapters for various depths, so after a little tinkering it worked great, highly recommend pretty duct!.

It worked for a replacement lock on my SecuritySafe. The safe was in great shape but so old that the company had discontinued making “lost keys” for my unit. The only key I could find was on EBAY at a cost of $39.

00. The lock worked fine and I am back in business. Great value.

The arms supplied didnt match up. I had to modify my arm but it still didnt work. It was advertised as a replacement lock for a craftsman toolbox.

Perfect! The ABUS 75lb/50 KD Padlock is of excellent quality and exactly what I was looking for in a padlock. Heavy duty and made from rust proof materials. It will replace a padlock on a timber property access road gate that was failing due to extreme weather exposure.

The ABUS will be used in an outdoor application, exposed to 4-season weather all year. The dimple style key is reversible which makes it much easier to insert into the padlock by feel only because it will be up inside a vandal proof box on the gate post.

And the key capture feature ensures the padlock is locked properly with the shackle end inserted into the padlock body when the key is removed. I expect this ABUS padlock to work well for many years.

I bought this for lockpicking practice. The keyway has good warding and tight tolerances, so it is very pick resistant. The particular key on mine have has very good bitting, and in my experience nearly all Abus locks I have used seem to have good bitting somehow.

That said, for what they are marketing as a premium lock, this lock can be shimmed with no skill whatsoever. The shackle holes are not especially tight on these 50mm locks, so I had no real difficulty shimming this, rendering that good core all for naught in terms of real-world security.

The fit and finish on the body is good and the lock operates smoothly. I have little doubt that the shackle is as well hardened, and the large diameter means it will probably resist all but the largest of bolt cutters.

That said, that large shackle diameter may also make it too large to fit on many smaller hasps or lockers. The aluminum body and spring loaded locking pawl also make me uncertain how well it would stand up to brute force attacks; I suspect a few solid blows with a hammer would deform or shear the body and get this open.

I would only trust this for low security applications.

I collect padlocks. – I have antique padlocks, and modern ones that cost over $300. A strange hobby, I know. But that’s what makes a market; everyone is strange in their own way. Then we trade, and. PROFIT! Where was I.

? Oh, yeah: Abus makes very good locks. The world’s best are probably made by Abloy of Finland (really! But Abus would probably dispute that). And Abloy locks are expensive. If you need padlocks you probably won’t find a better deal than these.

Since they’re made for marine environments (like around boats, docks, saltwater, etc. ), they’re rust and corrosion resistant, so they’re ideal for outdoor uses like gate hasps, sheds, and so on. They’re über-inexpensive, too.

You’d pay more for a cheap Master lock, with a regular key that anyone can get duplicated. Padlocks with common keys are the easiest to pick, which brings me to the next reason these padlocks are an excellent buy.

If anything, the keys are why I prefer Abus padlocks. This is my second purchase of a half dozen of these locks from Zoro. They use “dimple” keys. There’s no picture of the key, but when you see one you’ll understand why it’s practically impossible to pick these locks.

They can’t be duplicated with the key cutter that’s found in every hardware store and locksmith shop. Only Abus has the machinery to copy their own keys. Next, these padlocks don’t use the typical 4 or 5 (or “high security” – as if) 6 pins.

This particular padlock uses 10 pins! Even an expert lock picker would need a couple extra hands to even try, and he’d still fail. These locks also have a ball bearing detente, which the best locks typically use.

And the ball bearings are on both ends of the shackle. For only $15 and change, these padlocks are amazingly inexpensive. You can’t go wrong with Abus. (PS: Avoid Master locks; they’re pricey junque.

).

You see this kind of lock all over, on shop shutters, lock-ups and the like, and the reason is undoubtedly because the shackle [the moving bolt part] is well guarded against attacks from hacksaws & bolt cutters.

As long as you’ve got the right size lock, it’ll be very difficult to get at the shackle. Also, as there’s no spring holding the lock shut, it can’t be shimmed, as you often can with U-shaped shackle.

Some say these locks are no good, but they’re probably talking about knock-offs, as there’s plenty of those around, and a lack of quality is why the lock fails. Abus are the original designers of the puck-shaped lock, and this one cost me 16.

The cheapest lock that looks like this is 4 on eBay, obviously, that’s not Abus. The extra money goes on a hardened steel shackle that’ll provide a hell of a problem for anyone with a hacksaw, better construction [you can probably take a hammer to the cheaper locks], and better pin setting.

I can’t pick my lock due to deep biting for the middle pins, and I’ve picked somebody’s modern front door before! So in summation, I recommend these Abus locks, you can get better security, but for a lot more money.

Don’t buy a cheap lock. And most in the know will recommend that you don’t buy a Master brand lock.

I had been struggling to get hold of some original vanvault locks needed a pair of similar of replacement locks keyed alike. Unfortunately screwfix dont sell them in pairs with the same keys, so I got them from an internet site.

The abus locks fit well, seem quite good and turn smoothly. The keys are ok, but nowhere near as good as the original vanvault branded keys. They are better than kasp lock keys which I have brought from screwfix previously.

This padlock was as expected. Not okay, not better than as expected. Having had prior experience with this model of lock, it’s why a purchased two more of them. They’re rekeyable which is what I wanted.

And, they work. Caveat. I also have several A5100 series padlocks which I believe are the steel body version. I had one of these padlocks fall of a fence rail onto the concrete walkway and the shackle broke off.

I’m treating this as an aberration to the norm.

Perfect locks for maintenance workers that perform Lock Out Tag Out. You can buy these in different colors so each employee has their own colored set to work with. #sweepstakes

I received this lock on my gun case for my last restricted firearm purchase. Cabelas never sent me a combination, so I resorted to cutting it off the case. Not everyone may have the proper tools to do this.

I’m now waiting for another restricted firearm purchase. The firearm is (allegedly) being held for me, but since this lock has been backordered for weeks, they haven’t sent the firearm. Amazon, Canadian Tire, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, and many other stores have this in stock — both online and in brick-and-mortar stores.

Not sure why Cabelas can’t get this in stock, or use one of the many other combination locks they have in stock. Typically this would be an annoyance, but with Bill C-21 looming, I may never receive this or any other handgun due to a lock being sold out.

The lock itself is decent — I use one for my gym locker — but be aware it can be shimmed very easily, so don’t rely on it for valuables like phones, wallets, purses. I just use it to keep my change of clothes safe.

I bought this lock because I couldn’t find the combination for my previous Master Lock Combination Padlock. I won’t buy any other brand. The lock works as it’s supposed to and happily for me, the combination is easy to remember.

There was a time when the customer could see the combination of the lock s/he was buying and could choose the lock based on ease of remembering. I wish that option were still available. It’s a helpful feature.

P. S. I found the combination for my previous lock right after I cut open the packaging for the new one. The old one works just fine too!.

This item brought more that 3 sets of numbers in a random yet preplanned order in my life. It brings closure. The ability to maintain my pants at the gym is more than one door could handle. It needed something to lock it in.

That’s where this master took over. Hiding its prolific combination of digits from the world like a hot woman in a dive bar from the barstool chimps waiting for the right man, me. Sure after my divorce I promised never to be shackled to anything again but sometimes you have to open to the right twists and turns of fate.

I recommend you find your own lock people. This one is now attached here.

We found multiple issues with the lock and warranty. The first was not being able to use the same number more than once in the code. You only find this out once the packaging is opened and the instructions inside are read.

Apparently it’s for an extra layer of security but this is a non-issue if the combination is regularly changed when used for a short term rental for example. Second, the reset arm in this model is flush with the inside body of the lock and is difficult to engage.

Older dial models have a tab that is easier to move when resetting the code. Third, that reset arm jammed. Fourth, you had to “clear” the locking mechanism, re-enter the code and press the top button to close the lock.

It was a convoluted process for simply closing a lock. And now the return policy. We returned the lock after 3 days (it was only used once) but had bought a different version, from the same store, in the interim.

In spite of the correct receipt being displayed on their monitor, the warranty showed 0 days left. We could only get an in store credit because the packaging was opened and the lock was irreparable. The reasoning behind that logic escapes us.

We were disappointed with Canadian Tire’s return policy in this case. Normally they are quite good. We wound up getting one with the dials – much simpler and it works. We would not recommend the push button lock.

This is the third unit I have installed. All are mounted outdoors, but in protected locations on verandahs, or under eaves. The oldest was installed over four years ago, and is still in perfect condition.

CAUTION: The packaging has a sealed section across the top, accessible from behind, under the stick-on label. It contains instructions, four mounting screws, and a key hook, which fits into a slot inside the unit, to hook the key(s) onto.

Don’t throw out the packaging without retrieving these items! With twelve buttons, there is a large number of possible combinations to choose from. Each button represents a number and a few letters, plus # and *, like an old push button mobile phone.

You can set a code using any combination of buttons, between one button, and all twelve. I use five-button codes. Because the keypad is mechanical, each button can only be used once in a code, and the buttons can be pressed in any order.

It’s easy to use in low light if you remember the pattern of buttons in the code. No need to read small numbers or letters, or fiddle with combination wheels. The code has to be used to open the box, and again to close it.

This safety measure makes sure that you know the code works before you close the box, which is very handy if you change the code from time to time, say in a short-stay accommodation business. You can’t lock the box by accident without using the correct code.

In summary, this product is well-designed, works well, and is almost foolproof.

Generally, it is good, high quality, solid and nice. Just one thing it did not fix my lock. The wheel behind is bigger my current lock. I had to go to the lock smith to change a smaller and thin one.

The Master Lock by Magnum is the number one choice of professionals. The package indicates that the product is rated 9/10 on the security scale, is tough under fire, cut resistant, weather resistant and offers a lifetime guarantee.

The lock itself feels substantial, and the shackle is made of quality boron carbide material. The outer rubber cover protects the lock from various weather conditions and the weather sealer at the base of the shackle helps to protect the lock from rain to prevent rust.

The package also includes two keys. We have used Master Lock for several years now. We use this lock for our tool shed, pool shed, the two side entrance gates into our back yard and the gate to the forest in behind our yard.

I would highly recommend Master Lock as it’s a durable, high quality lock.

Mater Lock rates this as a 9/10 in security – citing a double ball locking mechanism, an octagonal shackle made from boron carbide for resistance to bolt cutters, and a tough laminated steel body. Even the keys look chunky from the outside of the packaging.

At £16. 50 it is reassuringly expensive too – more expensive than some high security door locks from Yale. Its big failure is just how rubbish the locking mechanism inside is. It uses the same 4 pin lock as the cheaper Master locks, that anyone with the vaguest interest in lockpicking can open within seconds.

So as far as actual security goes – this lock is resistant to physical attacks, even a grinder would have trouble getting through the shackle. It is resistant to shimming, where you use thin pieces of metal to move the locking pawls out of the way.

However none of that matters if you can open the lock itself in seconds with almost no skill. You may as well secure your valuable items (the packaging suggests factories, boats and fences) with a couple of zip ties, as it is only good to stop oppertunistic thieves.

It is disgusting how products like this are advertised to be very secure when in reality they almost offer no resistance whatsoever. Do not use this product to secure anything you would be upset to have stolen.

I installed one of these about 40 years ago. Parts were machined from solid brass and you could probably use the pieces as a weapon if you were attacked. This new version of the same lock uses thin sheet brass covering a cast alloy spacer (outside side of the door), and thin cheap feeling brass sheet metal inside.

It does not compare to that earlier lock, but, I have to assume it is as stout and as strong as the old lock. It is comparable to all the other garbage out there, is no easier or more difficult to pick (watch a few youtube videos), and was available when I needed it.

Since I have Schlage rekeying/mastering sets and key blanks, I’m somewhat partial to this brand for no other reason. Years ago, I thought this brand was better than others, now I’m not so sure. I’d recommend this to a friend with qualifications.

Ordered lock with specific key code; Lock arrived set to six-pin code and with two matched Schwinn branded keys. This lock is a grade 2 commercial lock, which means the components are relatively substantial and the fit-and-finish are much better than residential counterparts.