How to Determine the Year a Master Lock Was Made

It can be extremely difficult to determine the age of a Master Lock. The company has been making locks since 1921 and many of the designs launched since have been used for decades. Frequent use or use in an outside environment can rapidly age the lock, making it appear older than it is in reality. The only sure way to determine the age is to find the serial number on the lock and contact the manufacturer directly.

Instructions

- 1
  Turn the lock over and look for the serial number embossed on the back of the lock. In some models the numbers can be quite small. It's also not uncommon that frequent use or damaging conditions could make the numbers hard to read. But be sure you write them down correctly, because an error will force you to begin this process again after you get a response from the manufacturer.
- 2
  Visit the Master Lock website (masterlock.com). There is a horizontal menu bar at the top of the page and the "Contact Us" option is at the far right. Clicking that link takes you to a page with a form you can fill out to ask questions of the company. Fill our your contact information and mention that you would like to know the age of a Master Lock. Include the serial number in the contact info.
- 3
  Wait for a response from the company, which should come in two to three business days.

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