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Powdered graphite is the traditional material for lubricating pin tumbler locks. You can even buy powdered graphite that comes in a little tube with a thin nozzle specially designed for squirting the graphite powder into the keyway. Also you can buy powdered graphite in an aerosol spray, again a product intended specifically for lubricating locks. You just stick the plastic hose in the keyway and press the squirt button. What could be easier than that?
Well, this instructable assumes for some reason you don't have access to any of these modern conveniences like graphite-in-a-spray-can, and the only graphite you happen to have with you is in pencil-form.
Items needed for this instructable:
a lock that you own, or have permission to use
a key that opens that lock
a pencil (containing graphite)
Well, this instructable assumes for some reason you don't have access to any of these modern conveniences like graphite-in-a-spray-can, and the only graphite you happen to have with you is in pencil-form.
Items needed for this instructable:
a lock that you own, or have permission to use
a key that opens that lock
a pencil (containing graphite)
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Signing UpStep 1Separate the graphite from the pencil somehow.
If the pencil you've got is one of the mechanical variety, getting the graphite, also called "lead", out of it will be easy. Maybe too easy.
If the pencil is one of the old fashioned wooden types, then removing the graphite takes a little more work.
I recommend using a sharp knife. Use the knife to whittle away the wood surrounding the graphite. I realize I didn't explicitly mention a knife in the "stuff you will need" section, but then I just naturally assumed you'd have some kind of cutting tool with you. Most civilized people do. What happened? Did those goons at the airport "confiscate" it? Well, uh, if you don't have a knife, I suppose you can use your teeth or a sharp rock, or something.
Anyway, keep whittling until you have a good sized chunk of graphite. How much? I dunno. You want a good-sized chunk? Maybe an inch, maybe 2 cm? That's l. r = 1 mm. Volume of the chunk is pi*r2*l = approximately 60 microliters.
Those of you using the little sticks for a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil will have to adjust the recipe a little to get the same volume of graphite. You know, use your algebra skills: find the new l based on a new r. I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader.
Of course, all you really need is a good-sized chunk.
Also try to make sure this chunk of graphite is free of little pieces of wood sticking to it. You want to put graphite in the lock, not wood.
Now at this point you might be worried because the graphite is in chunk form, not powdered, but I assure you there is no need to be worried. The powdering action happens in the next few steps.
If the pencil is one of the old fashioned wooden types, then removing the graphite takes a little more work.
I recommend using a sharp knife. Use the knife to whittle away the wood surrounding the graphite. I realize I didn't explicitly mention a knife in the "stuff you will need" section, but then I just naturally assumed you'd have some kind of cutting tool with you. Most civilized people do. What happened? Did those goons at the airport "confiscate" it? Well, uh, if you don't have a knife, I suppose you can use your teeth or a sharp rock, or something.
Anyway, keep whittling until you have a good sized chunk of graphite. How much? I dunno. You want a good-sized chunk? Maybe an inch, maybe 2 cm? That's l. r = 1 mm. Volume of the chunk is pi*r2*l = approximately 60 microliters.
Those of you using the little sticks for a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil will have to adjust the recipe a little to get the same volume of graphite. You know, use your algebra skills: find the new l based on a new r. I'll leave that as an exercise for the reader.
Of course, all you really need is a good-sized chunk.
Also try to make sure this chunk of graphite is free of little pieces of wood sticking to it. You want to put graphite in the lock, not wood.
Now at this point you might be worried because the graphite is in chunk form, not powdered, but I assure you there is no need to be worried. The powdering action happens in the next few steps.
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Toner is carbon black mixed with powdered plastic. Moreover, carbon black and graphite are not the same kind of carbon.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toner
I'm not totally sure what the microscopic differences are,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_black
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon
but macroscopically graphite is sort of gray and silvery in color, while carbon black is just black.
Another macroscopic difference is graphite is good conductor of electricity, while carbon black, or charcoal, is not.
Also solid graphite is refractory. If you put a wooden pencil into the flame of a propane torch, the wood will burn away into charcoal, and the charcoal burns away into ashes, while the graphite core in the center just gets hot. Some pictures of this are attached, since I already had them. I was making some homemade electrodes...
Anyway, to make a long story short: printer toner is not the same thing as powdered graphite. Although that fact alone does not prove printer toner is unsuitable for lubricating a lock...
The thing about graphite is it was first used when locks had large sliding parts with lots of clearance-unlike lock cylinders, which are fairly tightly miked. It would be OK if you only used it ONCE, but I've seen cylinders so packed with graphite the pins wouldn't move (I've been a locksmith for about 30 years).
What I like about the ultra lightweight spray oils (NOT silicone or PBlaster penetrant-though they do make a lubricant as well) is they tend to prevent freezing in low temperatures and will loosen up gummy locks. Finally, WD40 is available nearly everwhere and you can't overuse it...although you'll pull out graphite on the key if there's some already in the lock, so watch your hands and clothes.
Some high-security locks like Medeco are so tightly miked you can ONLY use something like WD40, or they'll jam up quick!
One thought though. I think mechanical pencil lead might be even easier since it comes in such thin sticks. Slide three or four .2 millimeter bits of mechanical pencil lead in the lock should be easy and it'll certainly break up easily enough.