Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Need some advice on toolbox issue

I have been "locked out" of my Weathergaurd toolbox by ice getting into the lock. Snow on the lid starts melting during the day. You get back after dark and the water dripping off the lid has frozen the lock so bad I couldn't even get a key in it.

I tried heating it up with a lighter, but enough water had gotten in to prevent the tumbler from working.

It's het enough to fry an egg on it, figured now would be a good time to do something about it, but what?

I lived and worked outdoors in the cold and weather. If at home a hairdryer usually works. When afield I always carry a Bic lighter. I would heat the key with the lighter and insert into the lock. It would take several times with the hot key to thaw the stubborn ones.

If the locks are the same style as most aluminum toolbox l, it’s a simple swap.

Now to prevent in future?

Maybe craft some kinda shield over the lock.

Well we don't get the winters some do, but years ago, my lock kept freezing on the car so I put some powdered graphite in the lock and that seemed to fix my issues, maybe it will work for you

Have you ever tried any of the aerosol lock de-icer products on the market?

I have no idea if it will cut through solid ice, but might be worth a shot. It would help prevent icing up too, I think.

1 Rivet a flap over it so you have to lift it to put the key in but so water don't run in it.

or

2 Shove grease in it. White lithium grease will be a little less messy.

Graphite worked well on the bin doors of my work truck.

My de-icer was securely locked inside on a below zero day....because I was an idiot. Kept one can in the cab and one at my desk thereafter.

They used to make a cover for them that just went over the tumbler but i can't find them right now, you could also put a piece of inner tube over the lock so the water goes over the lock instead of in the lock.

They looked like this.

Here is the entire assembly, but I know they sell just the cover but I can't remember were right now.

Click Here, Not a Kingston link, I repeat, NOT a Kingston link.


I found them Here. Still not a Kingston link!

Like others, I've had success using lube plus an

Inner tube flap to keep the water out of outdoor locks.
A bicycle inner tube can be left as a sleeve cylinder or an old car rubber flap cut to size and connected from above it. Those are permanent fixes..... that ounce of prevention.

Graphite is the lock lube of choice because it doesn't attract dirt like petroleum lubes. Dry silicone lubes are ok in my experience.
Stay away from WD 40 and the like. They oxidize over time and will varnish. That will ruin a lock.

I tried the hot key thing, but it was so cold it wasn't working much. I replaced the locks with new ones, and the new keys have a plastic handle. No getting it in and holding a flame to it.
I like the flap idea, those covers would be great if it was a different brand box. Weathergaurd has a much larger back piece. I'll have to stop by a boat shop and look for something similar. This is the Toolbox

Sounds like a issue a strategically placed chunk of duct tape might remedy.

I thought this thread was going to be about vaginas.

Disappointed.

https://www.amazon.com/JCBIZ-Waterp...hy=9028453&hvtargid=pla-896325115140








Google “lock dust cover”, and various sizes come up, along with ebay listings and others...

How did you get it in the lock? Disassembly?

It sounds like at this point you may have corrosion in the lock. Replace them and get some lock condoms like in the links already posted.

This works all the time. Duct tape flap over the lock.