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How to Choose a Padlock - 90 Second Video

In the second of our 90 Second Insight videos we address another topic that sometimes prompts uncertainty: How to Choose a Padlock. With so many padlocks on the market its not surprising that shoppers are often bewildered and uncertain over which padlock is right for their needs.

We know that choosing the best padlock for a particular security application can be puzzling which is why we are always happy to discuss requirements and provide free advice to any callers, regardless of whether or not they buy from us. So if you have any questions or need some padlock selection guidance please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Padlock Types

Padlocks are available in all shapes and sizes, which is one of the reasons why many people become confused when trying to identify which padlock is right for them. There are five distinctive types of padlock:

• Open shackle
• Long shackle
• Closed shackle
• Straight shackle
• Shrouded shackle.

The primary parts of a padlock are:

• The padlock body
  
  • This is the main part of the padlock that contains the locking mechanism.
• The shackle
  
  • This is commonly the U-shaped part of the padlock, but some padlock designs use straight shackles. This is the part that’s released using a key or numeric combination.
• The lock mechanism
  
  • This is contained within the padlock body and can be either a pin tumbler, lever tumbler or disc tumbler mechanism.

Furthermore, padlocks are available with a variety of keying options including keyed-alike and keyed-to-differ (or keyed different). And there is also the option to use a combination padlock that doesn’t require a key (more on these options later in this post).

 

There are also a wide range of padlock designs involving the use of various materials including laminated steel, brass, stainless steel and boron steel alloys.

Its not surprising that shoppers can become very confused by the many padlock specifications and attributes that might be considered. But to select the best padlock there are fundamentally just five basic questions that need to be answered.

1) What Do You Want to Secure?

Start by clarifying exactly what it is you want to secure as this will dictate many aspects of the most suitable padlock for the job.

If you need a padlock to secure high value items, or if you need a padlock that meets minimum security requirements as defined by an insurance provider, these requirements clearly indicate the level of security required from a padlock. For example, a padlock that’s suitable to secure a shed, where many thousands of pounds worth of valuables are stored, must provide a far higher level of security than a padlock that’s appropriate for personal locker at a school or college.

2) What Level of Security is Needed?

Having clarified exactly what is being secured, and its value, this informs the level of security that must be provided by the padlock. High value items such as motorbikes, quad bikes and yachts or locations that have high value contents such as sheds, garages or workplaces, all need high security padlocks.

Choosing a padlock that’s undergone independent testing and evaluation by Sold Secure labs and achieved an appropriate securing grade is recommended. Sold Secure product grading levels range from Sold Secure Bronze, wherein the padlock offers good theft resistance against commonly used attack tools, all the way up to Sold Secure Diamond, which is given to padlocks that offer the highest level of theft resistance.

For high value items requiring the highest level of security, choosing a padlock that’s graded at the Sold Secure Gold or Diamond levels would be appropriate. But for lower value items or locations where a lower level of security is sufficient then a Sold Secure Bronze graded padlock may be an appropriate option.

 

CEN standards compliance is another valuable indicator of padlock security levels. Central European Norm (CEN) is the same as BS12320 with grades ranging from 1 to 6. Grade 6 is the highest level of security and for any high security applications padlocks with CEN grades of at least 3 are recommended.

3) Where Will the Padlock be Used?

The next important question that needs to be answered is about how and where the padlock will be used. If the padlock is to be used outdoors and possibly facing corrosive weather and seaside conditions, then its important to select a padlock specifically designed for these environments. And if the padlock is to be carried, possibly on a motorbike or scooter, this is another important padlock-selection criteria that needs to be considered.

Its important to remember that padlocks with lower security ratings are easier to overcome than higher security padlocks that will take longer and more effort to breach. If a padlock is used in a dark or remote area of a property, this location can give thieves an advantage if the padlock is easier to break.

4) What Will the Padlock be Attached to?

Another important padlock selection related question is about how the padlock will be used and what it is required to attach to. As noted, padlocks come in all shapes and sizes so its very easy to make a mistake and find that a chosen padlock simply doesn’t fit the chain or whatever the padlock is required to attach to.

As well as paying attention to the most appropriate padlock security rating it is vitally important to make certain the padlock dimensions are right. The diameter of the chain link, anchor or staple, to which the padlock will be attached, should be measured and it must be ensured the padlock dimensions will work. The padlock dimensions to consider are:

• Shackle diameter
• Horizontal shackle clearance
• Vertical shackle clearance
• Padlock body width.

When used with a security chain the padlock shackle will typical be required to pass through either one or two chain links. This means the padlock shackle dimensions and chain  link dimensions must work together. 

5) How Much Should You Spend on a Padlock?

The final primary consideration when selecting a padlock is how much to spend. A good rule-of-thumb used by most security professionals is to allocate around 10% of the secured item value for security. So, for example, if the padlock is for a motor scooter that’s worth around £10,000 then spending about £1000 on security devices makes sense. It`s worth remembering that high value items require high security solutions.

Additional Padlock Selection Considerations

We are confident that by answering these 5 basic questions you will be able to narrow down your padlock options to just a few that are suitable for your needs. But there are some additional padlock attributes that may be worth considering.

Keyed Alike and Keyed to Differ Padlocks

The terms ‘keyed alike’ and ‘keyed to differ’ or ‘keyed different’ describe commonly available padlock keying options. These terms are relevant to situations in which multiple padlocks need to be effectively and efficiently managed.

Keyed Alike refers to groups of padlocks in a set that can all be opened using the same key - hence the term ‘keyed alike’. This capability provides a number of benefits for those who need to manage these padlock sets. Since all the locks use the same key the key-management is made far more efficient. If someone needs to have access to multiple locks they don’t need to carry a cumbersome bundle of keys that need to be sorted-through to find the one that matches a specific lock. Keyed alike padlock sets are also more economic and hassle free as there is no need to purchase lots of keys. Just one key is needed for all locks.

But keyed alike padlock sets are not appropriate for all multiple-padlock situations. If the key is ever lost then security is compromised and all of the locks would need to be replaced.

Keyed different or keyed-to-differ refers to padlock sets that require different keys for each padlock. The primary benefit is a higher level of security wherein access to certain locked resources is restricted to those who have keys for that particular lock.

A drawback of keyed-to-differ padlock sets is the need to manage and carry multiple keys in order to access multiple secured resources. But this restraint can be overcome using keyed-to-differ padlocks with a master key. This is a very efficient solution that effectively provides the best of both keyed-alike and keyed-to-differ padlock sets. Restricted access to certain resources can still be applied, thanks to padlocks being keyed-to-differ, but the master key works for those who need access to all resources.

Combination Padlocks

People often want to know whether combination padlocks are a good choice for their needs. Combination padlocks generally require a specific numeric code to unlock them and don’t use keys. Not requiring keys means there are no worries about possibly losing them and there are no keys to be carried. Combination padlocks are often used in situations where multiple people need access to a shared resource, such as on the gates to an allotment site.

But while combination padlocks have some benefits there are a number of drawbacks that should be considered. Firstly, people can forget the combinations, especially if the locks are used infrequently. And forgetting a padlock combination can potentially make a lock completely unusable. Another disadvantage is that combinations can be tricky to enter, especially by those with vision or movement restrictions that make it difficult to see the digits or operate rollers or buttons.

Padlock Shackles

The various padlock types are commonly categorised by their shackles. The padlock shackle is a vitally important padlock component as this is the bar that attaches to whatever is being secured and this padlock component is what is most likely to be attacked by someone attempting to breach the padlock, possibly with a pair of bolt-croppers.

We’ve previously published this useful post: Padlock Shackles - What You Need to Know in which various padlock shackle attributes are clearly described.

Importantly, when selecting a padlock for a particular application it must be ensured that the padlock shackle dimensions are the right size and the level of security provided is appropriate for the value of whatever is being secured.

See More Helpful Ninety Second Videos

If you would like to see more of our helpful ninety second videos pop over to our Youtube channel. We are currently producing more of these bite-size videos to answer many of the queries we routinely deal with and would love to hear what you think.

If you have any questions about padlocks, or if you have any special requirements, remember we are here to help. Give us a call on 01273 475500 and we’ll provide you with free, expert advice.

This message was added on Monday 17th June 2024