locks and locksmithing

by **What** » 28 Mar 2006 2:45

well i checked out the book the complete book of locks and locksmithing.

i am deeply disappointed in the fact that soo much of the book covers drilling techniques, and almost none of it is on picking.

although the lock diagrams are good, i believe that this book is a complete waste of time, and also very obselete(sp?). Even though it was written in 2001 it should still cover some of the techniques for picking, and also raking locks open.

has anyone else read this book and share my feelings?

by **sams choice** » 28 Mar 2006 2:55

I am assuming you mean the one by Bill Phillips. I have a newer version that came out in 2005, and i enjoyed it alot. It gives a quick run thru on the techniques of a locksmith, and from reading it, i believe i have a little bite more of an understanding of locks and locksmithing. Just like the title stated. It's not about how to bypass locks, just the techniques that locksmiths use in their buisness. It gets into Key towers to by, and schools to take, and how to contact lock companies. It even has a section for a test to become an RPL. I think it is a neat book and will inspire anyone to become a locksmith. I would recommend it to anyone (that would be intrested.)

Hooray,

Mike

by **lockedin** » 28 Mar 2006 4:04

What wrote:although the lock diagrams are good, i believe that this book is a complete waste of time, and also very obselete(sp?). Even though it was written in 2001 it should still cover some of the techniques for picking, and also raking locks open.

has anyone else read this book and share my feelings?

Yeah I have the 2001 version too, and except for that one chapter on picking it is mostly locks and diagrams. I think the entire section on Simplex is bigger than anything mentioned on picking. I did pick up quite a bit of stuff I didn't know, for example the use of a rubberband and tack to open auxiliary chains on doors. What, I think the reason we find it disappointing is because it is directed at the commercial locksmith rather than the enthusiasts or hobbyists. That's why he gives so many business tips and goes deep into installations of specific locks while neglecting the stuff we were expecting to see like bypassing and picking.

by **SteveW** » 28 Mar 2006 5:25

This book is indeed for the trading locksmith and in that respect is very well balanced. Lockouts and picking etc is only a small part of a locksmiths work. The majority of my work is fitting, replacing, repairing etc and in that respect the book is spot on :wink:

by **KottonKang** » 29 Mar 2006 1:57

Yeah i would agree with what steve said, there are better books out there if your looking for more detail on lockouts and picking.

by **CapnCurry** » 29 Mar 2006 12:41

I thought it was peculiar that he described the design and usage of a bump key, but he never actually calls it a bump key. When he talks about bypassing certain locks, he tells us to "Cut a blank key to its maximum depths, apply some torque, and smack it into the lock hard." (Not an exact quote; don't have the text in front of me.) It'd have been easier and more helpful to describe it as a bump key and describe why it works.

But, as mentioned, this is not a book on lockouts or lock picking. This is essentially a survey of the skills required to be a full-service locksmith, and I think he does a good job introducing you to the skills and giving you enough knowledge on each topic that you can conduct further research from a reasonable platform - from the history of locks to residential services all the way up to working as a locksmith.

That having been said, I never really understood why he devoted so much time to detailing the workings of a select few residential and commercial service locks... he spends pages going into the technical specifications of locksets I'd never even heard of, but not a word on simple things like rekeying a Kwikset.

Overall, I'd call it a very worthy read. Just take it as a guide to point you in the right direction on twenty-some-odd facets of the locksmithing business, and it won't steer you wrong.

by **lockedin** » 30 Mar 2006 5:00

CapnCurry wrote:I thought it was peculiar that he described the design and usage of a bump key, but he never actually calls it a bump key.

Page 149: "An alternative method for picking a Medeco Biaxial is to use a key blank that fits the cylinder, cut all space to .010 inch than the lowest possible cut, and widen the cut flats about one-half their widths. Insert the key, pull back out one notch, and use the key as a turning tool. While applying torque, smack the key into the lock hard. Repeat until the lock opens."

I thought Medecos couldn't be bumped?

by **CapnCurry** » 30 Mar 2006 15:21

:Shrug: Never had the opportunity to find out. Don't see how it would work as he describes - I'd think it'd need a modification (though I won't say what, for fear of running afoul of Advanced Topic material), but I don't have a Medeco to play with. I just thought it was really, really weird that he repeats that same description, verbatim, for several types of locks, instead of just describing bump key functionality and suggesting which locks to bump.

by **illusion** » 30 Mar 2006 15:33

Medeco Biaxial locks CAN be bumped - lets not run away with the idea you can't.

The problem is that you need the exact angle on the cuts on the functioning key - which is great if you are doing it on your own lock because you already know the angles, but is not very practical on the door. It has been done and proven with known angles, but since it's not practicaly feasible to bump a lock with unknown angles, it's no big issue.

by **sams choice** » 3 Apr 2006 22:40

I'm glad that biaxial bumping was brought up. At my work our key got broken off in the cylinder and they called a smith to come in and fix it. When he got there he opened it, but didnt realized that we needed a key to come it. Because we needed to get in for opening (it is a corporation store, so it must open ahhah) he told us to hold on. he went to his van and pulled out a ring of medeco keys, but all of them looked like bump keys. I immediatly said "bump keys!" and he gave me a really really really odd look and sorta hesitated. I then understood that what he was about to do was not common practice. He then tried the ring of 12 keys till one of them opened the lock. I asked some simple questions but he sorta ignored me. The bump keys were not angles but more like pyramid shaped, on both sides. I wanted so bad to get a closer look, but i could tell this was out of the question. the 12 keys looked exactily the same, but i am guessing that the pyramids were of different sizes and such. I have tried to make a bump key for my medeco, but i dont have the right tools...

by **sams choice** » 3 Apr 2006 22:41

Edit myself, by when he got there and opened it, i mean he got the key out...

by **Isakill** » 4 Apr 2006 8:31

Page 149: "An alternative method for picking a Medeco Biaxial is to use a key blank that fits the cylinder, cut all space to .010 inch than the lowest possible cut, and widen the cut flats about one-half their widths. Insert the key, pull back out one notch, and use the key as a turning tool. While applying torque, smack the key into the lock hard. Repeat until the lock opens."

Actually if you pay attention to the locksmith in the Toool movie "What the Bump" that is the exact method he uses. and most of the time it just took him one or two bumps. Dunno if any of the cylinders were medeco tho.

by **Wolfman** » 21 Apr 2006 21:40

Actually if you pay attention to the locksmith in the Toool movie "What the Bump" that is the exact method he uses. and most of the time it just took him one or two bumps. Dunno if any of the cylinders were medeco tho.

Maybee it wasent the same movie, but I saw one buy toool on bump keys. He was live on stage at some convention and did a powerpoint about bump keys.
It reviews about the "threat to public security" and bumpkeys in the news. how bump keys work, how to make them, and more.

They spent the last 30 min summerizing what locks can be bumped and which can't and why that is. [Flash] I MAY BE WRONG [/Flash] but I belive medeco was one of the ones he said could be bumped. HOWEVER, I do not belive that he bumped a medeco during the presentation.

I hope this helped someone alittle bit. I tried to find a link to the movie, but I couldent find it. Happy Hunting

by **zeke79** » 21 Apr 2006 22:04

I have a video of myself bumping a medeco lock. I need to add it to my newest site, but I do have it and it can in fact be done. The details for doing it are not for the open forums however.

by **LostGunner** » 3 May 2006 19:35

The video that Wolfman was talking about was can be found here (right click and save as to download): http://connectmedia.waag.org/toool/21c3.wmv It is a very interesting and exciting introduction to bumpkeys.

You can visit toool's website at: http://www.toool.nl/index-eng.php they have some sweet videos and a good paper about bumping.

locks and locksmithing

locks and locksmithing

Re: locks and locksmithing

Medecos bumped?

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