Abus 65/30

[undeadspacehippie]

While I was working at an educational instituion I had aquired 5 Abus 65/30 locks that were keyed the same that were used to secure our custodians lockers. They were never used as the director wanted to use combination locks - thus they were given to me. I gave one to a friend about 2 months ago to play with, he wanted to learn how to pick - he has opened the lock at least 7 times and cannot open it anymore, nor can I - I usually go through the other 4 (plus 2 others different keys) in no time. This one that he gave me back cannot open now. What can happen to this type of lock to cause it to be unpickable? It almost feels like the driver pins are jammed, there is no movement or spongyness to the pins. Just curious, dude wants an answer as this was driving him nuts - since getting the lock back I have given him 3 cylinders to practice on (2 pins, 3 pins and 5 pins) -

[UWSDWF]

Does the key still work?

[jordyh]

Does the key still work?

He says there is no movement in the pins.

Concerning the lock itself: do you think there might have gotten anything into the keyway?
Think along the lines of glue and such.

If i had a lock that was jamming like that, i'd think of a prankster.
Good luck solving this riddle, i suppose.

Yours,

Jordy

[undeadspacehippie]

jordyh - i'll have to see if i still have the key on my ring - I do own these locks, i have multiple copies of the keys somewhere (just went through a divorce - almost all my gear is in the others home along with my key rings and most of my locks). I have the lock and can see the plugs on the side of the lock where the pins and springs are inserted and am considering drilling it out. I wish I had a cam to post pics with my posts. Oh well.


I don't think he would sabotage his own practice locks - never know though with some folks -

[Chrispy]

Try some graphite powder down the keyway accompanied by five or six key operations and it'll be as good as you're going to get it (short of drilling out the retainers).

If you still can't pick it after that (but you know it works from the graphite), then put it down somewhere and keep picking other locks. Come back to it after you've opened a couple of other locks and try again.

[jordyh]

I don't think he would sabotage his own practice locks - never know though with some folks -

I would not say sabotage, but if he messed around with it, just trying to figure out what it could stand.
It would be an option not to say it out of shame.

Ah, we could be ahead of ourselves. Let's not assume that it was done on purpose just yet.

Yours,

Jordy

[undeadspacehippie]

Yeah he tends to be a "heavy handed picker" - which is strange because the guy is an artist. It was also only 1 of 2 locks he had at the time, the other was a wafer lock that he could open by looking at it - so he did spend alot of time with this lock.