Wafer locks and keyway covers

[Achyfellow]

My mother went on a skiing trip yersterday, and her friend lost the ski carrier's keys. I told them they could go to a locksmith and ask him to cut a key since the code is written on the lock itself, but it was January the 1st and there was nothing open (Calling an emergency locksmith would have costed more than a new ski carrier). He chose to leave the whole thing at home with me and gave me permission to "Try to open it" until they returned.

So, despite having the finals in a week and something I can't resist trying, I have never picked a wafer lock and I'm really excited about it. Took a look at it and it doesn't look hard (Obviously it's not thought for security, since you can see the mechanism peeking under the carrier. It's a regular 3-wafer lock, code is 064), but there are two things that are making it uncomfortable to pick:

First is that there is a plastic keyway cover (I assume it's to keep the water and snow from entering). With the tension tool I can move part of it, but I still haven't figured out a way to completely open it. I'm trying to make a tool with some spares I have, but maybe there is an easier way.

The other one is that, unlike pins, I can't feel the wafers setting. In fact, I can't feel anything at all. I can move wafers up and down and fiddle in the lock with picks easily, but when I try to SPP (SWP?) it i get no feedback at all. I have also tried raking it and using a rake to jiggle it without results.

The cover is not an issue since I can perfectly move the pick with half of it opened (I was just asking out of curiosity), but the feedback thing is bugging me. Picked the other dimple lock I have just in case it was me losing the little sensitivity I had left on my hands, but I can pick that just fine, so I have no idea why is this happening.

Here are some photos with the lock cover opened and closed.
http://imgur.com/sNLshJA
http://imgur.com/G4YggYW

[unbreakable]

Heavier tension and raking is usually the easiest to open wafer locks (personally), they usually have slop tolerances. Also due to their cheap manufacturing standards, they get banged up internally pretty easy.

If they still want to use this I'd just leave it alone and get a key cut to code for it.

[Divinorum]

I agree with unbreakable. Since the lock will be kept in use I would just have another key made because you risk damaging the wafers if you mess with it. That being said, if you do play with it be very careful. Try applying moderately heavy tension while raking/jiggling the lock. Start with heavy tension and slowly ease off if needed. If the lock is one sided 3 wafers you should be able to jiggle it open with a rake.

I will share something that has worked for myself in the past on double sided five pin wafer tumblers, but I do not really recommend it (for reasons I will explain). In the past I have used a paperclip as a jiggler when rakes didn't work. Find the right size paper clip and unfold it. Bend it back into a nice even U shape that will fit into the lock with the ends sticking out enough so that you can grip them. I inserted the paperclip into the lock and placed my tension wrench in the middle of the lock in between the paperclip ends sticking out. While applying some tension I jiggled the paperclip up and down (you can also wiggle in and out while jiggling). This method has worked on two occasions, however its risky because paperclips and not sturdy and break easily. Last thing you need/want is a broken paperclip stuck in the lock.

[samfisher85]

As for actually getting the lock open I can't give you much advice as i'm new myself but I do find the keyway covers to be annoying so what I do is take a paperclip and squish one end so it is small enough to fit in the width of the keyway and then bend that down at a 90 degree angle and you can shove that in at the top of the keyway. Its small enough that it doesn't get in the way of the picking but is large enough to be able to pull back out again.

[YouLuckyFox]

Does anyone have any experience with these Auto Shutter Tools made by Peterson? They are designed specifically for holding the auto lock cover open. I made something like this after seeing the picture and it worked pretty well for a key extraction (unfortunately I could in no way get that darn key out of the lock!)

[YouLuckyFox]

Looks like HPC makes similar tools for holding open the cover:
http://www.hpcworld.com/tl/automotive/gto/index.html

[LockDocWa]

I have a set of the tools shown above.
I use them primarily for wafer reading.
They hold the spring loaded shutter open freehanded
then I can use an ottoscope and a wafer reading pick.

I normally use a double ball pick to pick open wafer locks.....
Wafer locks generally pick pretty easily.
Stupid question here:
Are you holding the tension wrench pressure in the correct direction ie. the unlock direction?

[ARF-GEF]

What is a wafer reading pick?
Is it this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tNP6DU371g

Wafer locks are defo not hi-sec, but I have a feeling I'm leading the discussion toward advanced tools or automotive... Care to continue there?

[LockDocWa]

I was actually referring to these:


I have a USB wafer reader as well,
I haven't used it in a "paying" situation yet.
Setting up the laptop just to read a wafer lock seems to arduous.