taking padlocks apart

[enp]

With your standard padlock, the ones that look like a bunch of stacked plates held together by rods, All you have to do is grind of the little caps off the rods making sure not to fuse the metal and then tap the rods out with an awl. the plates will fall every where and you will find the cylinder laying in the remains.

[Mad Mick]

In reference to dismantling layered padlocks:

Are you tired of picking the same layered Master padlock(s)?
Wish you had another to try without spending more $$?

Read on......
(This was done to a Master No3, substitute larger/smaller bolts/nuts for other sized locks)

You will need:
Grinding tool
vise
Hammer
Chisel
1/8 pin punch
Pliers
Flat screwdriver
4 - 3/32 X 1 1/2 bolts
4 - 3/32 nuts


1. As mentioned previously on this forum, grind the heads off the rivets holding the bottom plate (where the key goes).
2. Remove the plastic band which says 'Master' from the lock and grip the lock by the shackle, in a vise.
3. Using the hammer and chisel, knock off the bottom plate from the lock.
4. Using the grinder again, grind the rivets flush with the next wafer.
5. Secure the lock upside down by the shackle, as high as you can in the vise and tap ONLY 3 of the rivets out with the pin punch.
6. Insert one of the bolts into the holes, and secure it 'finger-tight'.
7. Tap out the remaining rivet (It it's important to leave this step until now, otherwise the layers may come apart).
8. Rotate the bottom plate out of the way and pull out the plug/housing (Look out for the shackle release spring).

Pick the pins in the normal manner and rotate the plug 180 degrees, to line up the bottom pins with the holes on the bottom of the housing (This leaves the top pins/springs in place, but allows you access to the bottom pins). Don't worry about the top pins setting in the keyway, this will be dealt with later.

Remove the bottom pins from the access holes, and re-arrange them to your liking (If you want to make this lock more difficult, replace the bottom pins with the shortest pin in-between the two longest pins - this gives a low-high config).

Using a pick which has a flat underside (1/2 diamond will suffice), place it in the bottom of the keyway and press the top pins back into the housing. Rotate the plug 180 degrees again, to lock the plug and pins.

Re-insert the plug/housing to the lock, replace the shackle spring (Small diameter towards the shackle) and rotate the bottom plate back into place.

Insert the 3 remaining bolts/nuts and secure them all.

You now have a reconfigurable practice padlock, which can have security top pins added, if you have them.

To reconfigure top pins:
You must first remove the bottom pins (as describe above), rotate the plug back to the locked position which will 'load' the top pins into the plug, then rotate the plug back 180 degrees. An aid to help you to do this without damaging the springs is described below:

Get a soda can (Preferrably aluminium) and cut a strip approx 1/4 in by 1-1/2 in from the body (It needs to be thin).

Once the top pins have been 'loaded' into the plug, slide the strip of soda can in-between the plug and the housing (From the back) where the springs are located. Using a deep hook press the top pins, one by one, to the shear-line and push the strip, making sure the strip moves freely all the way past the last spring - this ensures that the springs don't get mangled as the plug is rotated.

Once again, rotate the plug 180 degrees and reconfigure the top pins with security pins, as required.

Rotate another 180 degrees and remove the strip of soda can. Using a steep curved hook and starting with the furthest in pin, press the top pin into the housing. Slide the strip of soda can inbetween the plug/housing to hold the top pin in place. Repeat for the other pins. Once the top pins are 'loaded' into the housing and the soda can strip is holding them all in place, rotate the plug back 180 degrees and load the bottom pins.

Rotate back to the locked position and you now have a reconfigurable padlock with security pins.

[Chucklz]

If you can find one, the No21 padlock is rekeyable, with just a mere 3/32" allen wrench.

[Mad Mick]

What's the method for the No21? If it's sensitive and you don't want to post it, I'll understand. Just a 3/32 allen wrench - does sound like some sort of bypass technique for removing the complete plug though.

[Varjeal]

The number 21 Master is manufactured to be rekeyable...hehehe...you're thinking too evil. There's a retaining screw under the toe of the shackle that holds a cover over the lock cylinder. When this screw is removed with the proper sized allen key the plate, and cylinder fall out the bottom to be rekeyed.

[Gyrine]

I have been struggling with a Master Lock, with the full knowledge that most consider it easy. Thanks to Mad Mick I now have a project this weekend that will enable me to practice picking. Excellent instructions!! I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks also to Varjeal for the tip on the #21. I am heading over to the Master website to identify some of the models mentioned, then Depot bound.

[Gyrine]

Mad Mick posted some good directions, but asking for 440 x 1 1/2 " cap head screws may be more useful than 4 - 3/32 X 1 1/2 bolts.

[Mad Mick]

My apologies, here's the correction:
4 X 3/32" cap head machine screws, 1-1/2" in length.
4 X 3/32" nuts.

Sustitute length/diameter as necessary for smaller/larger wafer locks.

[Gyrine]

I couldn't wait for the weekend, so I followed Mad Mick's directions and completed the practice lock yesterday. Picked one pin a dozen times and am now working on two. Great practice for actually feeling the pins move! I will be placing the third pin in tonight, after I practice more. My wife says I'm acting like it's Christmas again. Looking forward to re-arranging the pins in the low/high orientation. Thanks again for the info.

[Mad Mick]

Glad you got some use from the post.
Here's another for you..............

How to dismantle brass-bodied Master padlocks.

Subject used - Master No. 140.

Images:
http://img16.photobucket.com/albums/v47 ... 40_-_1.jpg
http://img16.photobucket.com/albums/v47 ... 40_-_2.jpg

Tools used:
Small pin punch (1/8")
Small hammer
Stand-drill with 2mm drill bit
2-3mm spiral screw extractor (For those who don't know, this is a tapered and fluted tool
used to extract broken bolts, once they have been drilled)
Plastic bag (To catch pins, springs, locking bolts etc.)

Method:
Firstly, determine the position of the plugs which cover the pin-stacks/locking bolts.
(See images for the position of these, you are looking for a slight discolouration)

Unlock the padlock using either the key (If you have it), or by picking the pins.

Rotate the shackle out of the way, and insert the pin punch into the hole where the shackle locks. Tap the punch a few times to remove the locking-bolt plug.

Next comes the tricky part:
If you can't determine the position of the plugs by the slight discolouration of the brass, measure 3.3mm up from the bottom of the lock (Where the key goes), and dead-centre. This is the position of the first plug. WARNING - these plugs are only 2.6mm in diameter and 3.5mm long, so drilling larger/deeper will damage the body/springs underneath. A tip to help in finding the plugs is that they are evenly spaced approx. 3mm on centre. Find the first one and tap it SLIGHTLY with the pin-punch/hammer. Measure 3mm, and tap again. They WILL sink in slightly if tapped enough.

Using the 2mm drill bit, drill into the brass plug approx. 3mm in depth. Insert the screw extractor and twist out the plug, taking care not to lose the spring/pins. (This is where the plastic bag helps) The next plug is located approx. 3mm on centre from the centre of the first hole. (Same goes for the rest of the plugs - 5 in total.)

When all four plugs which cover the pin-stacks have been removed, the removal of the 5th plug will allow the main plug, into which the key is inserted, to be released. After the 5th plug is removed, the pin beneath which secures the main plug, has to be drilled to a depth of 3mm. Remove this pin with the extractor and the main plug can be withdrawn.

The removal of the main plug will result in the first of the locking bolts being ejected through the hole uncovered by removing the first (large) plug. Please use the plastic bag. Now remove the second locking bolt, by shaking the lock inside the plastic bag.

The only thing left to remove now is the shackle. This is done by drilling the plug on the face of the lock, indicated in image:
http://img16.photobucket.com/albums/v47 ... 40_-_1.jpg
(BTW, the pins/springs are located towards the left)

The location of this plug is:
18.5 mm up from the bottom of the lock and 9.5mm left of the right-hand side, assuming the 'No 140 & China' (on the bottom) face you from the right - See image above.
This pin secures the shackle into the body and also prevents the shackle from being locked in any other position than it should be when closed - i.e. to the side of the main body.


Incidentally, from stripping this lock, I now understand why there is a hole which is considered to be for drainage. It is SPECIFICALLY for this purpose. Imagine a lock which has sat in the rain and collected water underneath the shackle/spring. Corrosion to the shackle plating is not really the main concern. A hydraulic-lock is! Liquids cannot be compressed, so if there is a liquid, be it oil (from lubrication) or water (from nature), beneath the shackle, the forces required to be able to close the lock would be intolerable.

I also understand that my picking must have improved, as this lock has 3 spool top pins out of the four. Sorry Jabial, my assumption as to the cheap price of this lock has probably misled you. My apologies - personal research is a wonderful thing!!

HTH, Mick.

[jabial]

Thanks a lot, I will try to take it apart. BTW, I had to go back to the FAQ to find out what a spool pin was. Well, I'll try with less tension... Hard with a padlock.

[eric343]

Excellent posts, Mick.

I was wondering why that lock was giving me a bit of a hard time!

By the way, it's possible to accidentally knock out one or more of the plugs using a snap gun with the tension set too high... I'd imagine a comb pick would do the same.

[scientist]

Not to rain on your parade, mick, but...

viewtopic.php?t=2732

read my post there

good pictures though!

-sCi

[Mad Mick]

You're not raining on my parade, check the post dates.........

[scientist]

....well I feel stupid now

-sCi