public storage lock?

[sc24evr]

Hello everyone, had a quick question for you. I currently own this generic public storage lock and I am trying to figure out if it is a good lock to practice with since i own it. I am competently new and I just bought my lock pick set online and while i am waiting for them to arrive I want to make sure i have something to work with by the time it gets here. On the bottom it says 50 mm Germany, on the key it says abus r00577. Has anyone worked with these before? Should I stay away from it or buy something else? Thank you so much in advance.

[sc24evr]

its this lock btw.. http://www.publicstorage.com/packing/pa ... catg=locks
couldn't find more info on it just yet

[1/1/2012 Edit: original link page has changed, below is a Way Back Machine snap shot of what the page looked like before -Squelchtone]

http://web.archive.org/web/20090518011439/http://www.publicstorage.com/storage-locks.aspx

[Squelchtone]

Hello everyone, had a quick question for you. I currently own this generic public storage lock and I am trying to figure out if it is a good lock to practice with since i own it. I am competently new and I just bought my lock pick set online and while i am waiting for them to arrive I want to make sure i have something to work with by the time it gets here. On the bottom it says 50 mm Germany, on the key it says abus r00577. Has anyone worked with these before? Should I stay away from it or buy something else? Thank you so much in advance.

if the lock is currently hanging on your storage unit, I'd recommend not picking it, especially if a security patrol or local police drive around the corner and see you hunched over the padlock. That would be an interesting conversation I'd like to never be a part of. =)

Squelchtone

[sc24evr]

ha ya thats a great point, no its just sitting here in my room unused, i have the key and it looks like 4 pins with sharp points.

[unlisted]

Take an actual photo of the lock, and we will go from there.

[sc24evr]

Hope these help some, if at all..

[Squelchtone]

ok, I believe your lock is made by ABUS. This lock will have 5 spool pins and a pretty small keyway compared to let's say a Master Lock No.3 padlock.
If this is your first padlock, it will be a challenge to pick, so you may want to start off on a Master and as you build up your skills, try the public storage padlock. For me an S rake always works well to open these locks. Light tension, and insert the S-rake all the way into the lock, and while applying very light tension, quickly pull the rake out of the lock. Do this several times and the lock will open.

Here are a couple pics of my ABUS No.41. You will notice how similar the two locks are in physical design.




This last one was modified to show someone the outline of the keyway, see how it compares to your keyway. The red object is the first key pin.



good luck!
Squelchtone

[sc24evr]

awesome! thank you so much

[sc24evr]

one more quick question for you, how do you know exactly what kind of pins a lock has? do you always have to take it apart? Lets say i pick this lock up for the first time, how do i know its more difficult to pick than other, meaning spool or mushroom pins? thank you

[Eyes_Only]

I had an opportunity to remove these kind of padlocks from a storage unit a couple months back for a customer. The ones I encountered were a bit smaller than a Master No. 3 but very very tricky non the less. Took me about 5 mins each to pick them with a SO slimline pick and a homemade tension tool. Definately not a easy lock to pick.

[FFVison]

one more quick question for you, how do you know exactly what kind of pins a lock has? do you always have to take it apart? Lets say i pick this lock up for the first time, how do i know its more difficult to pick than other, meaning spool or mushroom pins? thank you

Look it up online. Other than that, sometimes you can see the first key pin and at times part of the first driver pin and see what type of pins they are. I have a few Brinks Shrouded padlocks and they all have visibly serrated key pins in the first position. Other than that, taking it apart may be the only other option. Personally, I think that looking it up online may be the easiest and most convenient as it gives you a complete listing of all of the pins, assuming it's common enough that someone posted pics of the pins in it. Also, looking it up online will not tell you the order of security pins in the lock, unless they are all the same type of pins and thusly are always in the same order for type.

[sc24evr]

ya this lock is wicked touch, ive been at it for about 2h after unlocking all the other locks and deadbolts i have, I tried the s rake technique but i have no idea if im getting closer to solving the problem or not. This is rough

[sc24evr]

YAY I GOT IT, probably only happen one time but i deffinitly got it. Let me share my experience with it to see if anyone has had similar difficulties. Once i lifted a good deal of the pins and feeling the cylinder turn as it does with a false set, the back pins were no longer reachable as if there was something in the way of it, i lifted the pin in front of it all the way until the cylinder turned back to the original location, ones that occured i got past the blockage and lifted the final pin. Now im off to repeat this hehe

[ForWhomTheBelleTolls]

Just inherited this from a friend, and MAN this sucker is tough. My teachers let me pick in class during debates because it's the ultimate zen experience and gets my brain all fired up BUT ANYWAY, and after a two hour class I have gotten not far at all. I'm pretty sure there's something i'm missing because it's getting stuck in weird places. This is my first lock with anything but basic easy to pick pins, and i'm loving the challenge. Any tips for this I might be missing a pretty novice picker?

[mcsteve]

A) This thread is old. Real old. But B), I'm guessing you're getting the lock into various false-set states, where the spool pins are jamming up as they are designed to do.

Search around the forum a bit, spool pins are tricky to master, but there's lots of info out there. If you can feel the cylinder wanting to turn back against you as you're applying pressure to a pin, it's in a false set. You'll need to allow the cylinder to rotate back a fraction for the lip of the spool pin to clear and allow you to set it.

I'd really suggest finding a lock with spool pins that you can disassemble, and start practicing with just one spool pin, so you can get the feel for it.