American 700

[skold]

I have a quick question.

do American 700's have serrated pins.. my friend said he will give me one if i could pick it, and i looked down the cylinder and saw one serrated pin.

does it have more or is that it.

Cheers

[Eschatos]

I posted a topic about this about a week ago, but didn't receive any specific responses.

My stepdad gave me an American 700 from his contruction job (It was on a triailer they were discarding). It is quite old, multiplying my grief and frustration. It is one of the few padlocks I have that I consider unpickable. Please, if anyone knows, I would like to know the answer to the question as well. I am currently in the process of cleaning this lock out so I can experiment!

Thanks in advance!

[Luke]

Just by a rule of thum, just ASSUME that it has 5 serrated.

[skold]

I am assuming so. just need to make sure..5 serrated pins, how fun

[plot]

all i found is "High Security, Commercial/Industrial Security, Freight Line & Automotive Security" for the application... so definatly assume it has some serrated pins.

also, check out
http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/lockp ... ottom.html

don't let that intimidate you though.

[raimundo]

usually all the top pins are serrated, there is a security flaw if there is not a metal cap on the back of the cylinder, I have not done this, but it is known on the internet, that you can reach a type of hook through the keyway out the back of the cylinder, and operate the locking dogs somehow, the actual bolts are ball bearings, but they are controlled by a rotating core with cuts to let them in, The lock dissasembles through the shackle hole, there is a screw at the bottom, you can take the cylinder out, and even all the parts, The old ones did not have a steel cap on the end of the cylinder until the security flaw was discovered, not they come with the cap, but if an inexperienced locksmith has had it apart, the thin metal cap my not even have been put back in.

[Wesson357]

I think they sell a tool to exploit that.

[_Ethereal_]

ahh the peterson tool..

[silent]

or a fondue fork...... works on someting else too..

[steve16]

I don't believe the 700 uses serrated pins. I can tell you they can be picked with much difficulty. I had a 700 this week that I was called to open. After 20 minutes in 7 degree weather I decided to use the angle grinder and wack it off. I know its cheating. I also get many series 2000 and don't waste time trying to pick it. I drill the shear line to open it and just replace the cylinder with a new one. Once opened you have access to the allen screw which holds in the cylinder...

[Eschatos]

When looking down the keyway of the American 700 series, I can see very clearly that at least the front bottom pin is serrated.

I just make the assumption that there are more inside the lock.

[raimundo]

Matt Blaise tells of using a cheap Wal Mart otoscope to look into these keyways, with a straight needle to hold up the front pins, and apparently it is possible to read the combination roughly by looking at the serrations on each pin. If you must get one of these open non destructively, impressioning a key is always the way to go if picking is not working. The reading of the tumblers could be a good check on the impressioning work. They are not hard to impression, I don't remember having to cut down part of the shoulder of the key as is nessary on other locks where the cylinder is buried beneath an obstructive plate.