EXHIBIT 10.13

                        INTERCORPORATE SERVICES AGREEMENT



      This INTERCORPORATE SERVICES AGREEMENT (the "AGREEMENT"),  effective as of
January 1, 1998,  amends and  supersedes  that certain  Intercorporate  Services
Agreement  effective  as of January 1, 1997 between NL  INDUSTRIES,  INC., a New
Jersey corporation ("NL"), and COMPX INTERNATIONAL INC., a Delaware  corporation
("RECIPIENT").

                                    RECITALS

      A. NL provides  Recipient  certain  occupancy and related office  services
(the "OCCUPANCY AND RELATED OFFICE SERVICES"),  which services include,  without
limitation,  office space that  Recipient's  personnel  currently occupy at NL's
corporate offices at Two Greenspoint  Plaza, 16825 Northchase Drive, Suite 1200,
Houston, Texas and mail, telecommunication,  computer support, copying and other
reasonable office services related to such occupancy.

      B. The terms of this  Agreement  are no less  favorable to Recipient  than
could otherwise be obtained from a third party for comparable services.

      C.  Recipient  desires to continue  receiving  the  Occupancy  and Related
Office Services  presently provided by NL and affiliates of NL and NL is willing
to continue to provide such services under the terms of this Agreement.

                                    AGREEMENT

      For and in  consideration  of the  mutual  premises,  representations  and
covenants herein contained, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:

      SECTION  1.  SERVICES  TO BE  PROVIDED.  NL  agrees to make  available  to
Recipient the following services (the "SERVICES") to be rendered by the internal
staff of NL and affiliates of NL:

            (a)   the Occupancy and Related Office Services; and

            (b) such other  services as may be  requested by Recipient or deemed
      necessary and proper from time to time.

      SECTION 2. MISCELLANEOUS  SERVICES. It is the intent of the parties hereto
that NL provide only the Services  requested  by  Recipient in  connection  with
routine administrative  functions related to the ongoing operations of Recipient
and not with  respect  to special  projects,  including  corporate  investments,
acquisitions and divestitures.  The parties hereto contemplate that the Services
rendered in  connection  with the conduct of  Recipient's  business will be on a
scale  compared to that existing on the effective date of this Agreement but not
for major corporate  acquisitions or  divestitures,  and that adjustments may be
required  to the terms of this  Agreement  in the event of such major  corporate
acquisitions,  divestitures or special projects. Recipient will continue to bear
all other costs required for outside  services,  and it is expressly  understood
that NL assumes no  liability  for any  expenses  or  services  other than those
stated in  SECTION 1. In  addition  to the fee paid to NL by  Recipient  for the
Services  provided  pursuant  to this  Agreement,  Recipient  will pay to NL the
amount of out-of-pocket costs incurred by NL in rendering such Services.


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      SECTION 3. FEE FOR  SERVICES..  Recipient  agrees to pay to NL  $10,937.50
quarterly, commencing as of January 1, 1998, pursuant to this Agreement.

      SECTION 4. ORIGINAL  TERM.  Subject to the provisions of SECTION 5 hereof,
the original  term of this  Agreement  shall be from January 1, 1998 to December
31, 1998.

      SECTION  5.   EXTENSIONS.   This   Agreement   shall  be   extended  on  a
quarter-to-quarter  basis  after the  expiration  of its  original  term  unless
written  notification is given by NL or Recipient thirty (30) days in advance of
the first  day of each  successive  quarter  or  unless  it is  superseded  by a
subsequent written agreement of the parties hereto.

      SECTION 6. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.  In providing its Services  hereunder,
NL shall  have a duty to act,  and to cause its agents to act,  in a  reasonably
prudent manner, but neither NL nor any officer,  director,  employee or agent of
NL or its  affiliates  shall be liable to Recipient for any error of judgment or
mistake of law or for any loss  incurred by  Recipient  in  connection  with the
matter to which this  Agreement  relates,  except a loss  resulting from willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of NL.

      SECTION 7. INDEMNIFICATION OF NL BY RECIPIENT..  Recipient shall indemnify
and hold harmless NL, its affiliates and their  respective  officers,  directors
and employees from and against any and all losses, liabilities, claims, damages,
costs and expenses (including  attorneys' fees and other expenses of litigation)
to which such party may become  subject to arising out of the Services  provided
by NL to Recipient hereunder, PROVIDED that such indemnity shall not protect any
person against any liability to which such person would  otherwise be subject to
by reason of willful  misfeasance,  bad faith or gross negligence on the part of
such person.

      SECTION 8. FURTHER  ASSURANCES.  Each of the parties  will make,  execute,
acknowledge and deliver such other instruments and documents,  and take all such
other actions,  as the other party may reasonably  request and as may reasonably
be required in order to effectuate  the purposes of this  Agreement and to carry
out the terms hereof.

      SECTION 9. NOTICES.  All communications  hereunder shall be in writing and
shall  be  addressed,  if  intended  for NL,  to Two  Greenspoint  Plaza,  16825
Northchase Drive, Suite 1200, Houston,  Texas 77060,  Attention:  President,  or
such other  address as it shall have  furnished to Recipient in writing,  and if
intended for Recipient,  to Two Greenspoint Plaza, 16825 Northchase Drive, Suite
1200,  Houston,  Texas 77060,  Attention:  Chairman of the Board,  or such other
address as it shall have furnished to NL in writing.

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      SECTION 10.  AMENDMENT AND  MODIFICATION.  Neither this  Agreement nor any
term hereof may be  changed,  waived,  discharged  or  terminated  other than by
agreement in writing signed by the parties hereto.

      SECTION 11.  SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.  This Agreement shall be binding upon
and inure to the benefit of NL and Recipient and their respective successors and
assigns,  except that neither  party may assign its rights under this  Agreement
without the prior written consent of the other party.

      SECTION  12.  GOVERNING  LAW. This  Agreement  shall be governed by, and
construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the state of Texas.


      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties  hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.


                                       NL INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                       By:
                                            J. LANDIS MARTIN
                                            PRESIDENT   AND  CHIEF   EXECUTIVE
                                            OFFICER


                                       COMPX INTERNATIONAL INC.



                                       By:
                                            JOSEPH S. COMPOFELICE
                                            CHAIRMAN  OF THE  BOARD  AND CHIEF
                                            EXECUTIVE OFFICER