My Unforgiving Master Padlock No.576

by **thequantaleaper** » 26 Mar 2006 1:35

I got this padlock a week or so ago for some good practice. And I have had absolutely no luck or advancement with it whatsoever. I have tried multiple techniques. I in fact spent the last hour or so working on it in a vice, with my desk mounted magnifier lamp, and carefully using adapted dental tools to carefully work on each pin. I have tried multiple combinations of working with the pins and varying torque. Yet I have been totally unable to get it to even false set or anything.

If it helps, I have the keys and it looks like the first and last couple pin points are at mid to high points.. but the middle pin point is very low.

I would appreciate any help.

by **biggar101** » 26 Mar 2006 2:25

i have this lock also and its a 5 pin lock 4 pins are secuirty pins so might not be a "noob" lock becuase when i got it i didnt know what to expect but i poped it open in 30 seconds flat . The plug will get stuck with secuirty pins so dont add to much tention like i say its just like holding a soft candy you dont want to push on it to hard becuase it will be all wierd . so number one tip for this lock is light tention find the pin that sticks when the plug turns a little and take off a little tention and push it up and its open.
:lol:

by **LockNewbie21** » 26 Mar 2006 3:35

Hey man i have the same lock as you, i just bought it today at lowes, its the industrial version. I opened it twice... buy raking, it was luck both times but i got frustated because i get the false set every time and when i go to release the slightest tension boom false set gone. Its deffinatly a challenge. Although i opened it i hardly consider it skill so tommarrow i am going to work on it single pin style, thats how i got my brinks 6 pin. But try starting by raking it into the false set then begin to loosen tention, becauseful though the pins fall real easily. Good luck buddy

andy

by **fjardeson** » 26 Mar 2006 14:42

I've found that having the correct tension wrench is 3/4 of the problem with Master, since the keyways are so small. I made my own out of a piece of spring steel, and the bottom section of a Master key (use your imagination, my digital cam is busted...)

Also I've found that since the pins are so small and close together, it helps to make marks on (the side of) your pick showing which pin your pick is under.

I've picked M27 5 pin w/ spools in 10 minutes, 2 minutes, and a few times I had to drill (I manage about 1,000 of these things at work). A really unfortunate (i.e, hi-lo-hi) type pin set in a Master can be almost impossible

by **LockNewbie21** » 26 Mar 2006 19:04

Ahhh masters arent that bad even with the high low high low its pickable. Ofcourse i am sure with you job time is of the essence, so drilling is the easiest option, but if you just rake to false set and fine tune it always works. I pinned a Kwickset to the worst high low High low with two spools in 2 and 3, and its hgihly possible.

Andy

by **thequantaleaper** » 28 Mar 2006 19:02

I appreciate the tips everyone...

but I will have to swallow my pride on this one and sit it aside somewhere until I can consider myself to be at least capable of methodically picking it. This lesson has definately taken an impact on my problem with jumping the gun on fun stuff like this. There is an old post I remember seeing that had a good progressive list for new 'students' such as myself.

I think I will go there now.

by **LockNewbie21** » 31 Mar 2006 14:54

In all honesty i wouldnt quit. This is actually how you develope your own style. You can't open it this way, well try another and another. Make up your own methods. But in all honstly man, mine has a high low cut and if you just rake till false set and use a hook to push the security pins past shear thre should be no problem at all. Just rember the way you detect a binding security pin is when you push up the pin the tension wrench feels like its pushing back against you. Then you relieve a small amount of tension and pop the bugger up. I think we have a video camera laying around here some where i will have to scoop it up and i will post how i open this lock for you to see.

Andy

by **KottonKang** » 31 Mar 2006 14:59

Tension tool are a big factor, you have to get a good fit.

by **Hardliner** » 31 Mar 2006 17:24

I have this lock and can now pick it consistently. My approach (and I like this on certain other padlocks like my ABUS 90/50) is to use a very short tension tool (like make a 90 degree bend about 1/4" from the end of some streetcleaner bristle) and apply torque via the top part of the keyway, where the pins are. The business end of the tool must be short enough and narrow enough to not interfere with the outermost pin or the rest of the keyway.

When doing this I find it easier when picking to orient the lock "upside down". That is, when you are setting pins you are pushing them downwards rather than lifting them up. It's easier for me to hold both the lock and tension tool on my left hand this way. For this particular lock I find I need minimum tension, but it took me awhile to learn to apply *just* enough to overcome the counter tension provided by the cylinder spring. I tried many sizes of tension wrench, but could never get one that fit and still allowed me to pick with the tool in the bottom and picking the pins upwards like I usually do, so I adapted my technique and it paid off.

Also as others have mentioned, and I am pretty sure that there are some security pins in there since the plug sometimes turns quite a bit when I set a pin, and then I need to back off on the torque and fiddle with that particular pin a bit more until it sets properly.

Keep at it though. I had this lock for a few months before I finally got it, and the skills I learned with it helped me immensely when picking my 90/50 which is apparently full of mushrooms.

by **Gordon Airporte** » 31 Mar 2006 23:01

I second the idea of orienting the lock with the pins down and tensioning from the pin end of the keyway. That's how I pick most padlocks. This might not work if you keep them mounted on a lock board - in which case, take them off.

by **pickin** » 2 Apr 2006 6:46

just bought this lock yesterday Ive tried a few times to no avail but Ill keep plugging away at it GL to all of you out there like me who haven't gotten it yet!

by **LockNewbie21** » 2 Apr 2006 21:36

Useing the pin side to apply touqe is ok but its a pain to hold. I found my video camera today i will make a video. Use the thinest tension wrench and a hook and it will open o yea and a rake to get the false set. There a little tricky but once you figure it out they pop like a master number 3

Andy

by **SS454** » 3 Apr 2006 22:46

OK. I have a stupid question.
But I have to ask, and I don't think it would be appropriate to start a whole thread on it.

Here it goes.

How do you guys know what a lock is named?

eg; Master Lock No. 586??

I don't think my locks have any engraving at all.

by **MeisBarry** » 3 Apr 2006 23:52

The 576 has the number engraved on the bottom all professional like.

I guess besides looking on the original package or being a lock database, searching around the manufacturer's site until you find your model?

by **LockNewbie21** » 4 Apr 2006 9:40

Yea dont worry buddy its not a stupid question, its just the model number, i have seen that most generics and some models of diffrent locks dont really have a number. To find you lock and get more information about it, it is best to post a picture of the lock with its key, or check the site or sites selling locks of that brand. If oyu have a question on a lock post a pic i will do my best to help out, and i know theres more informed people in here than me that will deffinatly have and answere. Good luck buddy

Andy

My Unforgiving Master Padlock No.576

My Unforgiving Master Padlock No.576

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