Strange lock

[ilinbg]

Hello!
I bought a few cheap chinese locks. I can open them all but one. The plug is a bit different, the brand is "EuroLock" - its Chinese, I'm sure of it. When I try to pick it, not even one pin gets set. I tried different ways/quantities of applying tension, I also experimented with picks - a rake, a hook and a half-diamond (atm those are my tools) and still not even a pin "clicked". What could be the reason for that? Nothing works - from raking to single pin picking... The lock works perfectly, by the way. It came with three keys, one of which I tried to make into a bump key (I haven't had any success with bump keys with any lock at all, prolly I'm doin' something wrong).

I'd appreciate some help on the matter Thanks in advance!

[Bad_Jason]

I have this Federal pad lock, that for what ever reason, I just can't seem to pick it to the unlocked position. I have to put an extraordinary amount of tension just to get a pin or two to bind. After fooling with it for a week, I finally noticed that the pins would set and bind much easier by picking counter clockwise, however the plug doesn't fully rotate in that direction. So... needless to say I am half satisfied that I picked the sucker (even though needing a plug spinner to actually open the shackle). I've put that lock away for now as I am focusing on a new American I recently acquired, but every time I open my tool box that Federal lock taunts me. The thing has very little feed back and it's hard as hell to even get a pin to bind. I wish I new what I was doing wrong.

Do you have a picture of your lock and key?

[femurat]

Hi ilinbg,

welcome to the forum. It could be a lot easier to help you if we see a picture of the lock. In particular it is useful to see the keyway and a key.

Cheers

[loki-aka]

To the OP.

With a bit more pressure on the wrench, try inserting a small diamond to the back of the pulg, then in a quick pulling
motion, pull the diamond forward and out. Do you feel any pins setting or binding ? Let us know what feedback you sense.

Good luck for now.

[ilinbg]

Thanks for the replies!
loki-aka, I tried that - the result is not even a single pin was set. This is why I think the lock is strange.

I'll be posting some pics, however, I have to recharge my camers's batteries.

[ilinbg]

Here are the pics:

[Phatphish]

Does the key require alot of turning force to open the lock?

Maybe the plug gets stuck if not turned squarely in the cylinder (I think that makes sense), as would be the case using a tensor in the bottom of the keyway. You could try using a tensor that fits in the top of the keyway or a double-pronged/wishbone style wrench.

Double pronged:






Wishbone:

[ilinbg]

Thanks for the suggestion - I will try that method! However, as I already said - the lock works perfectly with the key. I have a similar lock which I can open in about 4-5 seconds. This one is a gold mine. I never imagined a $1 lock can be so difficult to open...

[femurat]

This lock is difficult to open since it's a piece of crap. You are not going to learn much from it. Tolerances are terrible and the keyway is tiny. I know since I have one similar to this and it's not fun to pick it since it gives very poor feedback.
I suggest you to buy a brinks brass padlock: much better quality and much more fun.

Cheers

[ilinbg]

Thanks for the tip I just might as well do that. I'm sick of it..

[Rickthepick]

I hate this type of lock, usually labelled tri circle.

Theyre made of a strange metal that looks like its been cast in a hole in the ground.

90% of the time they wont open due to something inside sticking or breaking, the springs will rot away within weeks of exposure to moisture

the last one i took apart I found pins that looked like they had been cut with a hacksaw from a long rod of brass

precision

[nostromo]

OP-

Just for grins, try the Peterson knife trick to move the locking pawl out of the shackle. Using a fairly stiff pick that you don't mind damaging, like a broken key extractor, probe the very end of the plug and see if you can feel anything that can be moved from one shackle leg to the other. What you are looking for is a notched rod or bar that is perpendicular to the key way and parallel to the top of the lock body. Not picking, but it's a nice trick to know and usually works on the cheap padlocks.

After that, since it's only a buck, why not put on your lockie forensics hat and disassemble it? If you don;t get the opportunity to work with the guts of a lot of locking mechanisms, now's the time.

First step would be to look deep into the keyway and see if there's an internal mechanism that holds the plug in like the wafer cylinders. Best inexpensive tool for that is a simple laser pointer, usually had for a dollar at flea markets and dollar stores. Good illumination that can be 'aimed' well. Looking into the plug this way might also give you a clue on the lack of feedback.

Open the lock with the key and do the same peeking into the shackle hole (on the pin stack side, usually) to see if there is a screw or a spring loaded mechanism taht you can actuate.

Beyond that your repertoire gets destructive, and the goal is to selectively remove bits of the lock body to get to whatever is holding the plug in place. Gently grind or file along the edge of the lock body where the top of the pin stacks are to see if a rivet was used to pin the plug into the lock body. If there is, clamp the lock down in a vise, pin punch the center of the rivet and drill it out.

Not so lucky in finding a rivet? File or grind away the side more and more until you find something to work with. Think of it as a destructive Xray. The cheaper the assembly methods, btw, the more likely everything is made to assemble quickly and easily, with no intention for allowing later disassembly or servicing.

If you don;t have the tools or the inclination, give the destructive examination a pass. I'll tell you from the experience of having done this a lot (when the devices would not come apart cleanly) just to see how things tick that it adds significantly to your ability to 'see' the pieces and parts of other locks as you try to open them.

Best of luck!

[TheWire]

Have you tried a TOK entry? I have a Eurolock too and it stumped me for almost three weeks. Then I tried the TOK entry and within ten minutes had it open. Depending on what kind of lock you have one of the pins might be pushing the false shear line and causing the rest to pop up...Mine had a false shear line at the front and the back...hope it helped.

[nostromo]

Ruhr?

"TOK Entry"?

[Josh K]

Ruhr?

"TOK Entry"?

Looks like "Top Of Keyway" like where you place the tension wrench.