can't set pins wilson bonhahan lock

[tparkertom]

i have just taken a locksmithing course and am new to picking . anyway i work as an industrial carpenter and we use this wb padlock at work as a saftey lock . everyone is give one with our id number on it and when we want to lock out a power supply or something of that nature so that no one else can turn the power on while we are working on it we use it. anyway i figured i'd try and pick mine to see how secure it was and no matter witch way i apply tension i can't get any pins to set. it must be pretty securee or i'm just really a poor picker. anyone have any experience with this type of lock.

[2octops]

Couple of things. WB makes many different kinds of padlocks and keyways. Most are restricted with tight tolerances or even SFIC.

Aside from that, read the rules here. You should not be picking locks that you don't own.

[tparkertom]

this is my lock .i'm the only one with a key to it. i'm the only one allowed to to open it. in fact if i leave it locked on something and forget to take it off, noone can cut it off they have to call me at home and i have to go to work and take it off. (this is actually an old one they had our employee number on them -the company would have to look up our number to find out who the owner of it was. they have since upgraded to the same type of locks but they have our picture on them . no more looking up numbers.) i was just qurious as to how secure they were.

[raimundo]

WB locks are often used by the electric power companies, I have examined a few that were pickable, the keyways were not restrictive, but as I remember were open patent keyways, like the yale 999. the padlocks are solid bronze, body and shackle. If I was trying to pick yours, and had the result you report, I would try a drop of oil, also, when you start picking, hold the lock by your ear and shake it to listen for loose parts, then when you try to pick it, before quitting and droping tension, hold it under tension, by your ear and shake it so that any loose bottom pins will rattle inside the plug. A little rattle indicates at least a few of the pins are not under spring presure, meaning the stack has interrupted at the shear step. I don't think the lock has any special pins in it at all, its a quality lock tightly machined, thats all.