Master #160 Padlock trouble

[longcanuck]

Just bought a Master #160 to practice on. Problem is I have to put considerable tension on the plug before I can feel the first pin bind. The plug also moves quite a bit before the first pin starts to bind. Is this normal with this lock or did I get a dud?

[lock2006]

I got one of this #160 sometimes they do require considerable tension
this lock i got it open with a Small Diamond Pick
and medium to light tension wrench will do the job
hope this helps.

[longcanuck]

I'll try that. Thanks.

[ElbowMacaroni]

Perhaps someone else can chime in here and answer this as I am not sure about the #160's. But I know the #3's and #5's can pick counterclockwise and apparently it's often easier than clockwise. That has been my personal experience with the other master locks. In fact, I can reliably pick my masters CCW, but only intermittently CW, but I'm getting better at the CW mostly due to using top tension.

[Perrin]

Torn between starting a new thread on an existing topic or resurrecting an old thread. In the absence of a forum rule specifying the preference: meh, this is less work.

Since my intro post I've been practising on a few locks I picked up off eBay - a 5-pin Euro sliding door lock (scarily simple) and a 5-pin Hiatt night latch (next level up).

Just got hold of a Master No.160 padlock and I think it's got something I've not seen before. Pin 3 seems a lot tougher to lift, as though it has a really coarse texture. I've only managed to get a few pins to set, but each time I lift #3 it seems to lock it. It opens smoothly with the key, so I'm thinking anti-pick pins.

What type of anti-pick pins are there, particularly in padlocks? Not asking now to pick this one - it's just I'm not sure what types exist (am about to do another search). Thought it curious enough to mention rather than just search and shaddup.

[chaos4zap]

Torn between starting a new thread on an existing topic or resurrecting an old thread. In the absence of a forum rule specifying the preference: meh, this is less work.

What type of anti-pick pins are there, particularly in padlocks? Not asking now to pick this one - it's just I'm not sure what types exist (am about to do another search). Thought it curious enough to mention rather than just search and shaddup.

I know that some American brand padlocks use a serrated pin. These pins can give you the same issues your describing, but I have never heard of serrated in a Master padlock and doubt that is actually what it is.

[Oaklandishh]

the 160 is a bigger version of the 140 with more pins. according to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDFHqhhZgUI There are both spooled and serrated pins in the 140 so I would assume there could be both in the 160.

[Perrin]

Thanks for the replies, and for the Youtube link (didn't think of looking there). I checked it out and a few others it suggested. It looks like it has a few anti-pick features - a few spool pins and possibly a serrated.

Will have to do some homework, as it's pretty clear the locks I've tried until now haven't had them. Guess it's all part of the learning curve.

[weilawei]

Perhaps someone else can chime in here and answer this as I am not sure about the #160's. But I know the #3's and #5's can pick counterclockwise and apparently it's often easier than clockwise. That has been my personal experience with the other master locks. In fact, I can reliably pick my masters CCW, but only intermittently CW, but I'm getting better at the CW mostly due to using top tension.

Hot ****, it actually *is* easier. I've got a #3 that I can normally pick CW, but lately it's been taunting me and refusing to open. I got it a couple times tonight, but then I tried it CCW and all the pins bound up like nothing. Cakewalk.