Padlock with dials.

[Gordon Airporte]

You can try feeling between the discs with a 'knife' as the link describes, or, if the tolerances are poor enough, you can just push down on each disc at each position looking for a little bump inside the gap. Note the numbers the bumps appear on, then use them as offsets to try every combination with those spacings. For example if the bumps give you 3,4,0,1 you'd try 0,1,7,8 - 1,2,8,9 - etc.
This works for a suitcase lock I have.

[S5]

Well thanks for the replies everyone, I have tried to use the method db gave, but I think I'm pretty useless at it.

What you will notice with this lock, it that on each wheel, there will be sticking points at 3 numbers, eg 2, 4 & 6. The correct sticking point is the middle number.

I did notice when I pull the bolt on the lock I get a lot of tension on about three of more numbers on the dial as I turn it. Is that what you mean?

I took some extra photos of the lock. One is of the top of it, I notice there are two holes either side of the bolt. The other two are of pins I found underneath the dials. I did try prodding them and they do move about although it's quite a tight squeeze to poke a bit of metal in there, same with the spaces between the dials. I don't think I have a knife thin enough to get in between the gaps of the dials.

[vector40]

Two matching lumps slide into those notches; I doubt you'll be able to fit anything past them.

People seem to be describing two manipulation techniques; one looks for slack in the dials and one looks for tension. Are we talking about the same thing or what?

[digital_blue]

My experience is that you apply tension to the shackle, and turn the dial until you feel slack.

db

[S5]

Does it matter which wheel you start turning first?

[digital_blue]

Yes, much like picking a pin tumbler lock, you want to look for the wheel that is binding the most. That will be the one that is currently holding the lock closed. Once you have found the correct location for that wheel, the force will be transfered to the next wheel (next binding wheel.. not necessarily next in order) and you can repeat the process.

Cheers!

db

[Mad Mick]

I notice there are two holes either side of the bolt.

The 'bolt' you refer to, is called the 'shackle'. The two holes you see are actually square notches that guide the shackle, as the shackle has a crimped protrusion. After digging out the lock from storage, the actual combo resetting method is as follows:
Dial the correct combo.
Pull the shackle and rotate 180 degrees.
Push in the shackle.
Dial new combo.
Pull the shackle and rotate back 180 degrees.
Close the shackle.

The other two are of pins I found underneath the dials.

These pins are detents and serve no other purpose than to allow indexing of the wheels. What this means, is that the pins are forced into the slots between numbers, under spring pressure. As each wheel is turned, you will notice a faint 'click' when a number lines up with the ...erm... line. This is the indexing.

So, back to opening this lock:
Align all the wheels to the line - no need to pick a specific number. Grab the lock in your left hand, with the shackle to the left and the wheels at the top of the lock. Put your index finger (no pun intended) through the shackle and your thumb against the bottom left of the lock body. Place your middle (bird) finger against the top left of the lock body. Pull tightly against the shackle with your index finger.

Now, you have tension on the shackle.

Start with the last wheel on the right and slowly turn it until you feel a more pronounced, positive click. (You may also feel the shackle move slightly....if you don't feel positive clicks on this wheel, try another) Turn it again, in the same direction, and you will feel another click at two numbers difference. Turn it again, in the same direction, and you will feel another click at two numbers difference.

E.g. The first is click felt at number 6, the next click will be felt at number 4. A subsequent turn in the same direction will result in another positive click being felt at number 2. The middle click is the correct one, so in this case, the combination setting of this wheel is 4

Once you have found the three clicks on the first wheel, leave it set at the middle number and move onto another wheel. The more wheels you have correctly set (or set in the false positions) the more pronounced the clicks will be on other wheels.

HTH.

[digital_blue]

After digging out the lock from storage, the actual combo resetting method is as follows:
Dial the correct combo.
Pull the shackle and rotate 180 degrees.
Push in the shackle.
Dial new combo.
Pull the shackle and rotate back 180 degrees.
Close the shackle.

If I'm not mistaken, that lock's combination is reset thusly... once the lock is open, the shackle is turned to 180 degrees, pushed in, and while holding in this position, the wheels are turned to whatever dial positions you want.

[Mad Mick]

Better memory than I, Sir!

[hzatorsk]

i bought this off ebay for the grand total of 2 cents ( plus shipping )
all the way from russia
when i opened the box it came in and saw the questionable workmanship
i just threw it in the corner with the rest of my valuable junk

Obviously the combination is 6411.