ABUS File Bar 12" Length for 1 Drawer, Gray

OVERALL RATING 4.5 StarsPros:Great solution for keeping confidential information locked up.Easy to install.Easy to operate and functions without a hitch.Cons:The screws were pretty cheap and when you're screwing into a steel filing cabinet they can get stripped.Full Review:Perhaps when you bought that shiny new cabinet with a lock and key that you didn't need the key at the time. Then over the years you lost track of where it was and now you need the key!This is a great solution if you're in that situation (as I was). I had a small two-drawer in the office that held the confidential information and it was getting full! A colleague recommended this solution so I checked it out and ordered it.The installation was simple and they include a drill bit and all hardware that you need for the installation. The only problem came up when I was driving a screw into the steel cabinet and the screw started to strip. The screws aren't the best of quality so I would deduct 1/2 star for that.It seems a little flimsy but it functions as well as anyone can expect. For my cabinet, I need to make sure that all the drawers are completely closed in order to lock this up.Even if you have not lost your key this went over our key slot without a problem and you could potentially use both this bar and the key to keep your goods extra safe. If you are looking for a way to lock up your filing cabinet this is a good solution.

I purchased this locking bar to secure files for a file cabinet that was donated to our non-profit organization for which the keys had been long since lost. I have never written a review before, but I was so pleased with this I felt I really needed to write one.The bar came securely wrapped and packaged well. It included two drill bits of the proper size and all the hardware necessary to mount the bar on either a metal or wood file cabinet. The directions provided a link to a video that demonstrated the installation procedure from start to finish. The video was about 8 minutes long and my installation took no more than 10 minutes. The video was very clear and easy to follow. The only tools required are a phillips screwdriver and a drill.The bar works perfect, is extremely well made, and very easy to install. The price is reasonable considering the quality of the workmanship. While I wouldn't put national secrets in the file cabinet the bar is more than adequate to protect client records and such.Kudos to the manufacturer.

The bars appear to be very strong and will do the job for my purposes. But they are difficult to operate. I had to call the manufacturer twice because they were seemingly not working as the instructions or video would indicate. I talked with a very nice women who was very helpful. She went into her shop and got out a pair and played around with them. After explanation, she admitted that they are difficult to operate, or as she said, require some "muscle" to open and close the bars. I've used some WD40 but they are still difficult to open and close. Not at all as easy as the video seems to indicate. It requires a lot of "muscle!" There are brackets on the outer bar (they are on the drawer side of the outer bar) that latch onto and secure the inner bar. I am thinking about filing down the edges of the brackets a little---just a little--- and that might make them easier to latch onto the inner bar with less "muscle." I bought twp pairs. As result of the difficulty and the necessity of calling the manufacturer, the first pair was difficult to install and took several hours. After I learned about using a lot of "muscle," the second pair was easy to install. But also requires a lot of "muscle" to operate.I was surprised when the package arrived and found they these bars are manufactured in China. From my research prior to buying, I thought they were manufactured in the U.S. The steel is heavy gage. While I believe that these will do the job, (albeit difficult to operate) the bars are attached with self-tapping screws. As a result, I believe these bars could be easy pried off with a crow-bar or even the claw side of hammer. I would suggest that if you wanted something more secure, to replace the self-tapping screws with bolts and nuts. I'm also surprised that outer bar does not have an additional metal flange that is at a 90 degree angle to the portion of the outer bar that screws ( or bolts) into the file cabinet. In this way, it would be impossible to get a crow-bar or claw end of a hammer under the outer bar. I do not believe such a flange would interfere with the opening and closing of the file drawer.

The bar was approximately 1/2 inch shorter than my cabinet was tall. Since the file cabinet was on a carpeted floor, I had to align the top of the bar with the top of the cabinet. I had to align this way to prevent the carpet from wearing due to repeated locking/unlocking.The installation was was simple; the YouTube video was right on.The Amazon ad indicated that the drill bit was included;but it wasn't. No problem since I had one anyway. There was no need for the wood screws; I used the others that were included with the order.The lock works very well and serves its purpose. I'm not complaining but the only thing wrong with the operation of the lock is that a little pressure is required on the knob when pushing up/down to unlock/lock.

Easy to install with the help of YouTube videos. Instructions that come with it would have been better if it had pictures. But with YouTube it was super easy. Great quality product

Easy to install, fits perfectly into my file cabinet and is very secure as a child-lock and for privacy (with a padlock)Great product!

Perfect for securing a filing cabinet, tough. Takes 5-10 minutes to fit.

Easy to fit and does the job.

Product as described, works well, no issues, fast delivery. Good transaction.