There are some essential characteristics which a padlock must possess in order to resist for a long period of time and offer a true degree of protection, starting from the construction material, up to the treatments carried to guarantee a greater weather resistance.
We spoke in the previous blog about the features which enable us to identify a padlock as a secure locking device. What we did not say, however, is that a good quality padlock is necessary but by itself it is not enough to create a fully efficient locking system. Let’s see why.
One often sees good quality padlocks used to protect properties which hold valuable goods, attached to supports (such as simple eyelet screws or sheet metal latches), which are perhaps old and rusty, which in the case of an attack would merely give “free access” to the thieves, who, even without professional tools, could bypass them by using just a bit of brute force.
Example of weaker fixing points for padlocks.
In order to render the locking system secure overall it is therefore essential to increase the strength of its fixing points. For this reason, the leading manufacturers of padlocks also provide a wide range of fixing accessories, for every type of need.
The Viro “Essentials”
Viro produces various types of fixing accessories, the so-called “Essentials“, which cover all possible use situations:
“Fixed eyelets” are suitable for use on doors. For maximum convenience and security they can be combined with a double bolt padlock. In this way it is, for example, possible to open a single bolt, leaving the padlock fixed to the other one.
“Movable eyelets” can be used like the fixed ones, but they have the added advantage of compensating for any deformation of the doors to which they are connected. They are therefore recommended, for example, on metal doors which expand or shrink as the temperature changes.
The so-called “ties” are, on the other hand, suitable when you have to lockmesh gates or other metal profiles. They are therefore a more convenient and secure alternative to the chains twisted around themselves several times, which are often seen on many gates.
The Viro “Essentials” (unlike the majority of eyelets and rings found on the market which are made merely of iron) are made of case-hardened, tempered and galvanized steel, so as to provide a strength comparable with that of the shackle and lock-bolt of the Viro padlocks, also in view of their significant size.
The dimensions have been studied in order to better adapt to the Panzer armoured padlocks and the one-piece Monolith padlock.
Viro also produces, with the same principles, fixing rings for roller shutters for use with padlocks for shutters or fastening units.
The eyelets for shutters have a thicknesses designed so that, coupled together and combined with the specific padlocks, they do not leave any portion of the lock-bolt uncovered, so it is practically impossible to attack it with cutting tools.
Conclusions
We can therefore say that, when choosing a locking system, especially a padlock, it is always essential to determine in advance what kind of supports it will be attached to, ensuring that they offer a similar resistance to that of the locking system itself. Padlocks and relative fixing accessories should therefore be chosen together, preferably of the same brand, to integrate well with each other and minimise the gaps available for any thieves when attempting to force the padlock with burglary or cutting tools.