About this item
The BEST 21B772 is a solid extruded brass padlock with a 5/16-inch diameter stainless steel shackle, 2-inch shackle height, dual heel and toe locking, 7-pin SFIC housing, sold less core. If you searched "brass padlock manufacturers" -BEST Access Systems is the manufacturer, and this is one of the most widely deployed commercial brass padlocks in institutional facilities across North America.
"Brass Padlock Manufacturers": Who Makes the BEST B Series
If you searched "brass padlock manufacturers" trying to find which companies produce quality commercial brass padlocks -BEST Access Systems (now dormakaba) is one of the oldest and most widely deployed institutional hardware manufacturers in the United States. BEST was founded by Frank Best in the early 1900s, invented the small format interchangeable core system that became the de facto standard for institutional locking, and was acquired by the dormakaba Group in 2017. Today dormakaba is one of the three largest access control and locking companies in the world.
The B Series padlock is manufactured in the United States from solid extruded brass -not cast brass, not pot metal with a brass plating. Extruded brass is machined from solid bar stock, which produces a denser, more uniform grain structure than casting. That matters for both strength and corrosion resistance: there are no voids or porosity in the material that would allow moisture ingress, and the machinability of the extruded stock lets BEST hold the tight tolerances that make the interchangeable core system work.
If you're evaluating brass padlock manufacturers for an institutional or government procurement, BEST is on the short list alongside Master Lock, ABUS, and Abloy. BEST's specific advantage is the SFIC interchangeable core integration -no other consumer brass padlock manufacturer offers that.
21B772 vs 21B722: Why Shackle Height Matters
The 21B772 and 21B722 are the same padlock -same brass body, same 5/16" stainless shackle diameter, same SFIC 7-pin housing -with one difference: shackle height. The 21B722 has a 1-1/2-inch shackle. The 21B772 has a 2-inch shackle.
The shackle height is the distance from the top of the padlock body to the inside of the shackle arc when the padlock is locked. More shackle height means more clearance between the padlock body and whatever the shackle is threaded through.
You need the 21B772's 2-inch shackle in situations where the 1-1/2-inch version physically can't reach. The most common scenarios:
Thick hasps and hardware stacks: When a heavy-duty hasp is through-bolted with substantial hardware, the effective depth that the shackle needs to clear can exceed 1-1/2 inches. The 2-inch shackle clears those applications where the shorter version just catches.
OSHA lockout/tagout multi-lock hasps: Lockout/tagout hasps with multiple padlock holes are thicker by design -they're built to accept 6 or 8 padlocks simultaneously. The 2-inch shackle threads through these hasps without binding.
Industrial chain links: Heavier gauge chain used for securing equipment, machinery, or outdoor storage has larger link dimensions than padlock chain. The 2-inch shackle fits through chain link sizes that would reject a 1-1/2-inch shackle.
Door loops with mounting thickness: On doors where the door loop is mounted over a thick plate or bracket, the total stack height increases. The 21B772 clears applications that the 21B722 cannot.
If you can use either, the 21B722 is slightly more compact and gives the shackle less exposed length for attack. But when the application needs 2 inches, the 21B772 is the correct specification.
Solid Extruded Brass Case: What "Extruded" Means
The case of the 21B772 is machined from solid extruded brass. This is a different manufacturing process from cast brass, and it produces a measurably better lock body.
Cast brass is poured into a mold as molten metal. As it cools, it can develop microscopic voids, uneven grain structure, and porosity. These aren't always visible, but they create weak points under load and allow moisture to migrate into the material over time.
Extruded brass is pushed through a die under high pressure while semi-solid. The extrusion process aligns the grain structure of the brass in a consistent direction and eliminates the porosity associated with casting. BEST machines the padlock cases directly from the extruded bar -the result is a case that is denser, stronger, and more corrosion resistant than a comparable cast body.
The standard finish is 626 satin chrome plating over the brass. The satin chrome provides a second layer of corrosion protection on top of the brass's inherent corrosion resistance.
Dual Heel and Toe Locking
The stainless steel shackle on the 21B772 locks at both the heel (short leg) and the toe (long leg) of the U. Single-point heel-only locking allows a spreader attack -forcing the shackle open by prying the toe outward. Dual locking means both legs of the shackle are positively retained in the body. A spreader attack against the toe is blocked because the toe is locked. This is one of the design features that distinguishes institutional padlocks from consumer hardware.
SFIC Less Core: Buying the Body Without the Core
The 21B772 ships without an interchangeable core installed. The 7-pin SFIC housing is ready for any BEST 7-pin interchangeable core -but the core is ordered and purchased separately from your BEST distributor.
This is the correct way to buy BEST padlocks when you're adding them to an existing key system. Your distributor keys the cores to your master key system and ships them alongside the padlock bodies. You install the core into the padlock using a control key and the padlock becomes part of your key system immediately. No rekeying, no separate locksmith visit. When a key is compromised, pull the core from the padlock with the control key, install a rekeyed core, and the padlock responds to a new key. The body stays on the door -only the core changes.
B Series Full Shackle Height Selection
The 21B Series (5/16" diameter) is available in five shackle heights: 3/4" (21B72), 1-1/2" (21B722), 2" (21B772 -this listing), and 4" (21B782). Select based on the clearance your application requires.
Specifications
Model: BEST 21B772
Series: B Series / 21B Series
Body: Solid extruded brass
Body Dimensions: 1-25/32" x 2-1/16" x 13/16"
Finish: 626 Satin Chrome
Shackle Material: Stainless steel
Shackle Diameter: 5/16" (8mm)
Shackle Height: 2"
Shackle Opening Width: 7/8"
Shackle Locking: Dual heel and toe
Core Housing: 7-pin SFIC, less core
ASTM F883: Grade 4 (stainless shackle)
Manufacturer: BEST Access Systems (dormakaba)
Origin: USA
American Locksets has stocked BEST B Series padlocks since 2001.
Trusted Since 2001
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