There has always been something of a mystery surrounding what type of lubricant should be used for vehicle locks. This reporter remembers the days when every locksmith had a black, barrel-shaped squeeze container of graphite. The container had a long, thin metal tube for sending graphite into the recesses of any lock.
Old instructions in the Briggs & Stratton Automotive Service Manual advocated the use of graphite. After decades of having black graphite on hands and clothes every day, locksmiths were finally told that messy graphite might not be the best lock lubricant for several reasons including the fact that it actually may increase the wear of lock parts instead of helping with lubrication.
A series of lubricants have been tried over the years and many locksmiths have their own ideas of which lubricant is best. In the final analysis, who should know better than the original lock manufacturer when it comes to lubricating their products?
Strattec has just announced a new synthetic lubricant which they recommend for all automotive locks. Strattec formerly included a small plastic container of lubricant with some of their uncoded lock cylinders. While that lubricant was similar to what was used on the Strattec assembly line, there was no easy way to depress the lock weatherflap and insert the product in areas where it was needed.
This new Strattec lubricant, called LokShot, solves all of the issues formerly connected with auto lock lubrication. LokShot is a synthetic grease product with zero solvents which effectively provides long-lasting lubrication while protecting auto locks against friction, oxidation and corrosion. Strattec literature states that LokShot has a formula comparable to the lubricant used by major automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEM).
LokShot has several interesting qualities. It maintains effectiveness in temperature ranges between -80 degrees Fahrenheit to +600 degrees Fahrenheit. According to Strattec, it won't run or drip. It does not contain petroleum distillates so it will not attract the dirt and grit which often cause lock malfunctions.
In tests on various locks in our office, LokShot appeared to form small bubbles as it was applied and then quickly disappeared and became a clear coating of lubricant.
Strattec makes no claim in their literature for using LokShot as a lubricant for non-automotive lock products. If our unscientific tests on office pin tumbler and wafer locks are any indication, this product may enjoy much broader usage in the locksmith market.
A special spray head delivers the lubricant. The spray head has a trigger handle which allows locksmiths to control the amount of lubricant applied. The spray head also contains a convenient pocket for storing what Strattec calls the "straw."
Use normal precautions when working with a pressurized product such as LokShot. Keep LokShot away from fires and heat. Shake well before using. LokShot is made in America and contains no CFCS or HCFCS.
Order LokShot as Strattec part number 692781 from your local Strattec locksmith distributor or contact Strattec Security Corporation, 3333 West Good Hope Road, Milwaukee WI 53209. Phone: 877-251-8798.
