Ward Locks

The first mass produced padlocks were the Warded Padlocks. In this type of padlock there are obstructions of 'wards' that prevent the turning of the key blank. If the key blank is notched so that it bypasses the wards; if is free to turn and operate the release spring. When this spring is released, the Shackle jumps up, being pushed by the Shackle Spring.

The adjacent diagrams show how the cut key spreads the release spring as it turns.

In this course the pass key is used for enabling the beginner to test a padlock so that one can tell if the padlock is of the warded type. Therefore the next step is to convert the key you just made into a pass key. Place the key in a vise and file away the metal where indicated in the following illustration. The pass key can be used to test padlocks with the following keyways to find out if they are of the warded type.