Thursday, May 29, 2014

National Cabinet Lock, Mauldin, South Carolina


I recently picked up a Beach Industries Model B215 "roll about" tool cabinet.  I had to replace the lock on it, and in my collection of old hardware discovered this cabinet lock (which fit perfectly) along with its original "dirty paper" instructions.

In 1903, three Swedish immigrants saw a need for mortise furniture locks. Together they invested $5,000 each and established the National Lock Company in Rockford, Illinois.  In 1939, Keystone Steel and Wire acquired National Lock. The company and the product line grew to include pin and disc tumbler locks, kitchen cabinet and furniture hardware, fasteners, appliance hardware, metal stampings, chair hardware, and door locks.  In the 1960's, it became National Lock Hardware until Keystone was acquired in 1981. The cabinet lock product line became a division of Valhi, Inc. and was relocated to Mauldin, South Carolina in 1982.  National Lock became CompX Security Products (a Valhi subsidiary) in 1993.  The company went public in 1998 and in the next two years acquired Fort Lock and Timberline Lock.   In 2000, they bought Chicago Lock (founded in 1920) and moved its operations to the Mauldin facility. 

Below, freezer locks made before 1982:





1 comment:

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