I havn't been on LP101 for a long time, but i'm determined to become an active member here and learn more than before.
Cash to buy different/new locks was really holding me back before, but i'm a student now, so bring on the loans!
Anyway, here's my issue... i'm sorry it's so long, i just didn't want to leave any important details out!
I can pick a few locks. My first ever lock was a Master 140 padlock. It has 4 pins and two security mushrooms.
I found it ****ing hrd to pick the first few times, but once i go a feeling for releasing tension and pressing harder on the pick which felt 'too high' or stiff, i can now pick this lock in 10 seconds (i know the order, so it's kind of cheating).
I also picked a Chubb Medeco in my first year at uni, using essentially the same method as the Medecoder does, however, last time i was here i was told i would have to wait untill i was allowed in the advanced section before i could post about it. I feel abit gutted that someone else released it publicly first, but i guess it's not like being first matters at all. Back then there was some foil method apparently, but i never was told more than that.
Actually, the guy who released it is a way better picker than me. It takes me like 1h minimum to set the medeco pins - i'm not all that great =P
Anyway, recently i took the lock off my front door too replace it with a nice shiney new lock (not saying which, as i'm ridiculously paranoid...) and i've tried picking it... but my god it's hard!
5 pins. No security pins. No sidebar or anything fancy.
For a loooong time i thought it had a bar like the m3 has, because when i push a pick right to the back of the lock i can feel a springy bit of metal move around.
Anyway, i can pick it in around 30 minutes.. but i don't feel like i can really 'see' what's going on.
Sometimes i just know that something is ready to pop... and i do a quick feel and a certain pin will just stick out to me, and low and behold the lock will pop.
Other times, espechially after a long session where it hasn't opened for 30 minutes or so, i just feel compleatly lost and useless.
Other time it will open after 10 seconds of raking.
So i guess what i'm trying to say here is, i have a lot of questions about my technique which i'm sure i'll bother you all with over the course of a few weeks, but most importantly - i hate this lock. It's so freakin' un-predicatable.
What's more, i recently got a new one of these locks - and i've never. ever. opened it... ever. and it's identical to the other, with just a different configuration.
So. After realizing i was getting no where fast with my picking, i turned to bumping for some relief.
Back at uni, i tried 'forging' keys out of all sorts of things... wood, plastics, other completly different keys, so i figured a bump key wouldn't be so hard.
I also figure while i had my file out, i could file away the sides of the lock to see the pins inside, and maybe learn more about my technique from that.
So i took the lock apart, and i noticed something odd about this lock...
That metal bit which moves back and forth in the lock, is probibly there to accept both 5pin and 6pin sized keys (even though this lock only has 5 pin chambers)
The metal bit it's self, is used to turn the bolt - however, it can only be twisted when the front cylinder has all the pins at the sheer line and the key can turn freely.
This gave me an idea - what if i can twist the metal at the back, but not touch the front cylinder?
And after two days of filing in my spare time, this is what i came up with:
(for a bigger image check here - unfortunatly, photobucket downsized even that one!
)The first key is the blank i used.
I presume it is made from chromed brass, as it's a brownish metal as soon as i file the top layer off. Why that's important i'll get to in a bit.
The second key was the first prototype ( actually, it was the second, the first was an unbent paperclip :/ ).
It did twist the brass bolt, but only if the bolt had *zero* friction, and as soon as the pins where in the lock it just bent upwards and away from the middle of the lock where it needs to be.
The third was a key which had the end of a regular key, which had a two-fold effect.
1 - it would not bend in the lock as it would fit the keyway right up untill the end.
2 - it would fit the bolt perfectly - as after all, it was designed too
Only problem with this was the shaft was too thin, so i remade it from the bottom part of the key (the fourth key in the picture) as it was thicker and the keyway was wider - unfortunatly, i forgot that the key must rotate around the middle of the keyway, so it was a total waste of time =P
The final key however, works.
Well, to some extent...
It can overcome the force of the pins pushing up, it can turn the lock when it's fully locked - however it can't get over the initial inertia of the lock without bending.
You know when you lock a lock it's a little bit stiff in turning the first inch, but then it's fairly free?
Well it's that first inch which bends this key. If i take the ball and spring out of the back, it opens it with ease.
So - what to do?
The key is as big as it can be (well, basically. Maybe i could get another millimeter of girth on it, but it wouldn't be a good solution as it would require an exponentially larger number of tries in the lock inbetween each file, and take an age).
Which is why there is a screwdriver at the end of the last key.
That screw driver is made from hardened steel, and i should be able to file it to fit the keyway and twist the bolt.
Again, it's going to take an age, but if it's harder it could become a tool rather than a disposable bendy thing you don't want to put in your pocket.
What do you guys think? Has this been done 100 times before in the past and i'm just too idle to have read about it?
What other materials/methods should i try to get this technique to work?
Can anyone help me with my picking technique?
EDIT:
I just noiced in the picture i had the third and fourth key the wrong way around.
I also noticed that this is a very difficult to read post, so if anyone wants clarification i'll make a video :3
And again - it's great to be back guys
