No, not what you might think but prompted by Rusty Nuts seized ignition lock...... KEY maintenance.
I've never liked the long V-Strom key, the extra long shaft serves no real purpose other than to stick out further from the ignition, tank cap and seat lock therefore vulnerable to excess treatment and force. (Is there any explanation why it's so long?) It's also more cumbersome because of it's length in a pocket too. Anyway, enough grumbling for now.
Must have a clean key. You may have noticed that the grooves in keys do hold muck, often a lot, I assume some parts along the key scrape with the inside of the barrel and parts that don't just hold the crud, otherwise it wouldn't be there. Today I lightly wire brushed the key to remove the crud, the assumption being that the less crud, the less dirty inside the lock will be.
Must be lightly lubricated. Yes, wet ones won't be very helpful as they hold excess material and gum up the works so a graphite lube or powder would be preferable but don't over do it. There's no guage for this just that the more you put on the key or in the lock will add to the crud in the lock you can't see.
Must be straight. Funny that, it brings me back to my introduction about the length of the key. For me this is the most overlooked. The key and pathway down the lock should be straight.....why shouldn't it be! The key usually isn't after a few months from new and no-one (usually) checks it and repairs the damage. My key(s), are now 5 years old, one is the spare that isn't used but the used one has had all the fumbling, turning against it's will, sometimes misaligning and forcing just because I'm not looking at what I'm doing. Today I put a straight edge of a metal ruler along it's length both sides and couldn't believe how bent and twisted it was fron where the cut on the key began down to the tip. I put it in a vice and gently turned and straightened it a little at a time until I felt it was back to a reasonable form, checking with that straight edge all the time. I'm going to put an equal amount of blame on me
and the design of the key for it's past abuse.
I think we abuse such a simple tool as a key and end up replacing the lock with it's new key and say "that was about time, the lock was knackered and the new key works a wonder too".
Just another meaning for 'lock down' and 'key worker' then.