Ingersolls That Aren’t
I’ve probably mentioned before what a nice lock the Ingersoll SC71 is. It’s very unusual in that it’s a 10-lever cylinder rimlock. It’s also very secure. Just about no-one can pick it; and it’s very tough to open destructively.
One niggle and one cautionary note though: the quality of the lock body seems to be deteriorating; and the cost of a replacement cylinder sometimes causes people to adapt a cheaper cylinder and use it in place of a new Ingersoll cylinder.
It’s possible to come across old Ingersoll SC71s that are still working after 20 or more years. But these days the lock bodies seem to last less than 10. However, for those 10 years it’s still an excellent lock.
If you have an Ingersoll lock, then before congratulating yourself check the cylinder to ensure that someone hasn’t replaced it with an inferior one. The genuine Ingersoll cylinder is quite unique. It has a slightly domed front, the keyway is wave-shaped and symmetric, and the key is double sided in that, unlike, say, a Yale which would have teeth only down one edge, an Ingersoll key has teeth down both edges (and to help you insert it the right way round, the hole in the bow is offset).
