"Bill Stock" wrote in message
...
I've got a cheapish (Master) rubberized lock on an outside gate that has
not been opened in a while. So it won't open when I turn the key now. I
don't know if the key is not turning fully or if the shackles are stuck.

What's the best approach, whack it with a hammer?

I've had good luck flooding seized padlocks with wd-40. And before all the
wd-40 flamers chime in, yes, I did follow that up with silicone spray after
the next trip to hardware store. And yes, a gentle rap with a hammer, and
pushing UP on the lock, sometimes help.

BTW, Master (the brass-key ones, at least) are pretty decent padlocks, beat
the hell out of the cheap imitations. I've never had one outright fail on
me. The no-names at the dollar stores are to be avoided, IMHO.

aem sends....