By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

Five Olympus cabinet locks, five kinds of door

Cabinet locks fail at the order stage, not on the door. The wrong lock for the door type comes out of the box and does not fit the cutout, or it fits and does not lock the way the person expected. Olympus sells a lot of families. Here are five that are easy to confuse: 999R and 999L, 100DR, 300SD and L78V.

They share a lineage. The catalog says all but the L78V use the Olympus N series national keyway, are keyed alike in 4 pin, and have a zinc die cast body. Most are rekeyable by a set screw cylinder release. What changes is where the lock mounts and what it does.

999R and 999L: hinged cabinet door latch

The 999R-RH-KA101-26D-7/8 and the 999L-LH-KA101-26D-7/8 are cabinet door latch locks. The R is right handing and the L is left handing. That is the whole difference, and it is the one that gets ordered wrong. Stand in front of the cabinet, look at which side the hinge is on, and pick the matching hand. The barrel is 7/8" in diameter. The catalog says the lock is field reversible, and that it converts between door and drawer function. Each comes with a 999 matching stamped brass strike with an alignment mark for installation.

100DR: door deadbolt

The 100DR-KA107-26D-1-3/8 is a door deadbolt cabinet lock with a 1-3/8" barrel. The catalog says it gives a higher degree of security than a traditional cam lock. It is non-handed, and the key comes out in the locked and unlocked positions. It ships with 2 keys, a 56-1 bar strike and mounting screws. This is the one for a cabinet where somebody could pry the door, and where a cam turn is not enough.

300SD: sliding door push lock

The 300SD-KA107-26D is a plunger lock for sliding doors, with a 1" barrel for material 7/8" thick. The catalog lists the 34-9 matching thimble strike, a 10-24 machine thread strike locator and a 10-24 bolt extender for varying gaps between bypassing doors. That last item is the one people overlook. Sliding doors on a cabinet do not sit at the same distance from each other. The extender is for that gap.

L78V: drawer latch

The L78V-VH-KD-26D-1-3/8 is a drawer latch lock, with vertical handing and a 1-3/8" barrel length. It is keyed different on a 5 pin Schlage C keyway. That is a different keyway from the others in this group, so it will not key alike with the N series locks. The catalog says it is field reversible between door and drawer functions and comes with an L78ST matching strike.

Side by side

Part	Door type	Barrel	Keying
999R / 999L	Hinged door latch, right or left hand	7/8"	N series, 4 pin keyed alike
100DR	Door deadbolt	1-3/8"	N series, 4 pin keyed alike
300SD	Sliding door plunger	1"	N series, 4 pin keyed alike
L78V	Drawer latch, vertical	1-3/8"	5 pin Schlage C, keyed different

Keying matters more than it looks

The 999, 100DR and 300SD all carry the N series keyway and a keyed alike 4 pin setup. If you are building a run of cabinets and you want one key, those three can sit on the same key. The L78V is a different keyway and keyed different, so it will not. If a drawer in the same room needs to use the cabinet key, pick a drawer lock on the N series instead, such as the 200DW covered in our other guide.

Measure before you order

For the latch locks, check the door thickness and the cutout. For the sliding door lock, the catalog gives the material thickness at 7/8", so measure that. For the deadbolt, look at the gap between the door and the frame. I do not have cutout dimensions for these in the listings, so take them from the product page for the exact part, or send a photo of the existing lock.

Rekeying and key control

The catalog describes rekeying on the 999, 100DR and L78V as easy by set screw cylinder release, and on the 300SD by a speed-release mechanism. That is useful in a school or clinic where a key goes missing and the room cannot be left unlocked. You do not replace the lock. You rekey it.

It also means a key plan is worth setting before the order goes in. If you are putting 40 cabinets in a lab, decide whether they are keyed alike, in groups, or each different. The N series locks are listed keyed alike 4 pin as standard. The L78V is listed keyed different. Changing from the listed keying is a question for us before you order.

Where each one earns its place

The 999 pair is the hinged cabinet in an office, a classroom or a medical room. The 100DR is the cabinet door where someone could lever a cam lock open and the contents are worth protecting. The 300SD belongs on sliding door storage, such as a wall unit or a display case. The L78V is the drawer in a desk or a credenza that needs a latch. Buy one of each type for the room, and you have the lock plan for it.

Common questions

How do I tell right hand from left hand on the 999?

Look at the cabinet from the front. The R is for right handing and the L for left handing, per the catalog names.

Can I rekey them?

The catalog says the series is rekeyable by a set screw cylinder release. The 300SD lists a speed-release cylinder release.

Do they come with keys?

The listings say 2 keys per lock.

Will the L78V key alike with the others?

No. It is a Schlage C keyway, keyed different.

Browse the full range on our Olympus cabinet lock page. For drawer locks, see the Olympus 200DW guide. If the building runs on interchangeable cores, read the 725 core guide. Tell us the door type and we will match the lock.