Mystery Lock

[gr00ve]

so i found an old padlock i had in a bag somewhere and its like a generic brand lock. it actually has no marking on it except for "40mm" and "Made in China" it looks identical to a Masterlock No.3 and its got 4 pins but for the life of me i cannot get it open. could it just be old and stiff? also, im not sure if it turns to the left/right, any way to tell?

[ToolyMcgee]

Padlocks 99.9% of the time turn clockwise. Many cheap chinese padlocks have spool pins or other security drivers. It's pretty much impossible to distinguise one generic chinese laminate steel padlock from another one. Persist and you'll pick that sucker.

-Tooly

[raimundo]

these locks sometimes have spool pins, so it would require light intermittent tension, and look for false sets, that is where a pin appears to set, but the plug turns only a fraction, this indicates a spool pin.
such locks also can open by reaching through the plug and getting somthing like a half diamond on the locking dog, this often is done by putting a halfdiamond pick in upside down, lifting all the pins with the shaft of the pick then driving the pick in further and pushing it down toward the bottom of the keyway, this will catch the end of the locking dog and draw it back from the shackle.

[gr00ve]

security pins really? then this is exactly what i was lookin for, a step up, should be perfect for me alright il work on it thanks for the info

[Scott_93]

Security pins-Overlift by pushing all the pins down at once and slowly realeasing them, Rake them and then Individually pick each pin. Do all of this under light tension and you should beat them.

Scott.

[op-sec]

Or....

Apply just enough tension to get one pin to bind. Pick that pin. Go on to the next, yada yada yada. If you've got spools or mushrooms (unlikely you'll have shrooms in a cheap lock - they only use spools to save brass) you will eventually get a nice false-set. At this point, you may have more than one pin binding. Lift each firmly but gently until you find the one that gives "counter-tension". When you find that pin, list it with your pick (slowly and smoothly), allowing the "counter-tension" to move your tension-wrench against your pressure. *MAINTAIN* tension on your tension-wrench. Simply allow the counter-tension to overcome it. When that pin sets, your tension wrench will advance to a "deeper" false-set than what you had previously. Continue picking each pin this way until you have picked the lock.

With practice, you will find that locks with spools and most other security pins become easier to pick than regular pins. You'll look forward to picking them.

Good luck and have fun!

[gr00ve]

well... i have silly news.

i found that applying featherlight tension to the right, and picking only the back pin makes the lock open every time. lol i was struggling with every pin but... just set the back and it pops open. stupid chinese lock.

anyone willing to donate a padlock to me? with security pins?

-chris

[gr00ve]

also - i tried setting each pin individually and the lock never seemed to move. maybe i didn't notice it. but im starting to think theres no security in it if its picked with 1 pin. maybe il open it up and just take out the mechanism

[datagram]

It might just be that the bitting is perfect for the shape of you raising your pick up to pick that back pin. I have a number of padlocks that are like this, kinda funny, really.

dg

[MacGnG1]

It might just be that the bitting is perfect for the shape of you raising your pick up to pick that back pin. I have a number of padlocks that are like this, kinda funny, really.

dg

yea i have a master lock that all you gotta do is hit that last pin and its done

[greyman]

op-sec
That is a really nice description of how to pick a lock with spooled pins. Good contribution

[FFVison]

I actually have a Master 140 that has this sort of thing. I was messing around with it and had a heck of a time getting it to open and it just wouldn't. I eventually figured out that with that particular lock, I could just lift the third pin in it, then ease off the tension slightly and it the pins would fall down just the perfect amount to catch at the sheer line and the plug would turn. I actually have gotten another master 140 which works properly. I recommend that one to try out for practice picking spools in a padlock.

I do agree though, some locks that don't even have security pins give me trouble, while there are some that just are laughable. I have a Brinks R70 discus lock that I found out has some kind of security pins (anyone know what type specifically?) that when you apply a lot of tension to the plug (which is spring loaded) it is actually easy as heck to open. I was incredibly surprised to learn that this lock even had security pins, actually as it NEVER gave me problems once I learned that the plug was spring loaded and required a lot of tension.

I have another padlock that has a spring loaded plug, but as far as I can tell, it doesn't have security pins (like $3 at Wal-Mart) that was giving me problems when I tried picking it the other day for the first time in a few months. I haven't actually been practicing for the past few months. I have too many hobbies and unfortunately, this one got put on hold, and yes, I did lose my touch, not that I had it all that well when I was practicing regularly, but hey, it's still fun to pick.

[gr00ve]

Or....

Apply just enough tension to get one pin to bind. Pick that pin. Go on to the next, yada yada yada. If you've got spools or mushrooms (unlikely you'll have shrooms in a cheap lock - they only use spools to save brass) you will eventually get a nice false-set. At this point, you may have more than one pin binding. Lift each firmly but gently until you find the one that gives "counter-tension". When you find that pin, list it with your pick (slowly and smoothly), allowing the "counter-tension" to move your tension-wrench against your pressure. *MAINTAIN* tension on your tension-wrench. Simply allow the counter-tension to overcome it. When that pin sets, your tension wrench will advance to a "deeper" false-set than what you had previously. Continue picking each pin this way until you have picked the lock.

With practice, you will find that locks with spools and most other security pins become easier to pick than regular pins. You'll look forward to picking them.

Good luck and have fun!

i know exactly what you are talking about except i get that sometimes when i am picking a lock without security pins in it. i was picking a ML No.4 and had that feeling of counter tension, my TW was moving in the opposite direction so im pretty sure thats what you are referring too.

[Squelchtone]

anyone willing to donate a padlock to me? with security pins?

Sure! My friend eBay will donate a lock to you. It's where we pickers get all of our free locks. Now if I can only find out who this Paypal person is and why they keep taking money out of my checking account, then I'll be all set.



Squelchtone