Today we have to deploy increasingly sophisticated measures to secure our possessions and deter would be thieves. Past decades have introduced key cards, number pads and Total Recall style biometric scanning.
As these more advanced security measures become further integrated into our everyday lives we would like to present the collection below as a reminder that, sometimes, the best form of protection is great big lump of reinforced steel.
1. World’s Largest Bank Vault Door
Location: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
Constructed: 1923
Weight: 43 tones
The world’s largest vault door belongs to the Federal Reverse of Cleveland. The door incorporates the world’s largest hinge, 19 feet tall and weighing 25 tons. The vault was shut down in 1997 and is now preserved due to its historical importance.
2. World’s Heaviest Time Lock
Location: Lenoir City, Tennessee, USA
Constructed: 1908
Weight: 22 lbs
The B. Quad-M 11 3/4″w x 5 was the largest and heaviest time lock Yale ever produced; often used as part of the largest vault doors. The sides were purposefully left open so the customer could observe the intricate inner workings of the lock. Its size is an aesthetic rather than technical choice. Vault doors had begun to increase in size and these steel leviathans could not be seen to depend on a dinky time lock mechanism. Beautifully finished and pattered, this piece is a testament to an age when considerations of prestige trumped the bottom line.
3. World’s Largest Padlock
Location: Lahore (Pakistan)
Constructed: 1955
Weight: 50.6 kg
We can do little but let the creators of this lock speak for themselves; “the credit of introducing the most wonderful lock goes to a Pakistani, named Sheikh Mohammad Rafique. The lock is marvellously huge”. So high was the nations regard for this lock it was given its own House in Lahore.
4. Pakistan’s Largest Working Padlock (freestanding)
Location: Nishan-e-Manzil Park, Gujranwala Cantonment, Pakistan
Constructed: 2002
Weight: 890 kg
Now residing in a public park in Pakistan this massive padlock was built by Haji Javed Iqbal Khokhar from Gujranwala. It’s giant key weighs 80 kg and takes two people to lift. It was briefly the centrepiece of the Lucky Irani Circus.
5. World’s Largest Working Padlock
Location: Kolkata, India
Constructed: 2002
Weight: 50 kg
Made by the Trusty Lock company, this brass and aluminium masterpiece was created to secure the 1.5 ton gate of Jagannath temple. The temple had suffered repeated attacks from thieves attempting to steal gold and silver offerings left by pilgrims. The Trusty Lock company also claims to have produced the worlds smallest lock, a tiny silver miniature weighing only 5g.
6. World Largest Padlock (freestanding)
Location: Lock Island, Lake of 1000 islands, Chun’an County, Zhejiang Province, China
Constructed:2005
Weight: 1.2 tones
The Safety lock can be found on Lock Island, south eastern China. cits.net informs us; “Lock Island is a world of locks, including happiness lock, wisdom lock, health lock and carp lock. The first Lock Museum in China was built here housing the Safety Lock.”
7. Giant Love Heart Lock
Location: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan Province, China
Constructed: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Seeming to have descended from heaven itself, this golden wonder sits amongst the forests and limestone peaks of one of China’s most popular nature reserves. Couples sit within the lock hoping it will bring them good fortune and prosperity.
8. World’s Biggest Door Latch
Location: Vining, Otter tail county, Minnesota
Constructed: 2009
Weight: Unknown
Made out of scrap metal, this giant door handle stands in the tiny (pop 68) town of Vining Minnesota. Sculptor Ken Nyberg specializes in giant scrap constructions; the town is graced by a giant water melon, flower pot and even features a massive clothes peg.
9 BONUS. World’s Biggest Key
Location: Limassol Cyprus
Constructed: 2006
Weight: 3.2 tones
We think seeing only locks and no key can be a tad uninspiring so we end out showcase with a key that should be able to break any lock!
