Tubular Tension Wrench

[Kaotik]

Eyes_Only, Yes that would work. Most people say it takes many times to have to pick the tubular lock, but in reality it only needs to be picked a couple of times. When you have picked it once it has about a third of the rotation that just slides before turning further and setting the pins again.

At that time you have the option to use a bic pen cap. Since you mentioned Crayola marker lid, that sounds more promising as that plastic is softer; your right. The kids like to chew on them.

[Eyes_Only]

They are soft but you'd be surprised at how strong they can be sometimes. A customer came in with a flat tire and when I took a look at it a Crayola marker cap had somehow punched right through the tire. Funniest thing I've ever seen since the dead sparrow I found lodged behind a hubcap.

[nekret]

Just a random idea but what if you could adapt a plug spinner to grab onto the tubular lock and spin it, then you would only have to pick it once and use your spinner to open it the rest of the way.

Doesn't seem like too hard of a modification to make since all the plug spinner would need would be a cut down key or maybe a rubber sleeve for a compression fit on the lock. Other than that it would be pretty much stock.

[skeeve]

That sounds like a pretty good idea nekret. Do you have a plug spinner? I'd love to hear from you or anyone else as to whether this works.

[Knows-Picker]

I don't know how well a bic cap or crayola marker cap would work to impressoin the set lock with out first applying a little heat with a heat gun or a lighter. But I can offer an alternative, which I know to work as I have used this method on quite a few aplication.


Remember back in the day when mcgyver was on? there was an episode where he used some air hardening hoby clay and just stuck it in the lock and then pulled it out, while he was talking it hardened up and then he stuck it back in the lock and used it as a key. Total movie magic.......But.....


It got me thinking, while this is not possible, how about using the theory behind it, with standard picking?

So here is what you do. First you pick the lock using a standard fat tension wrench and a half diamond.* I actually use a broken "W" rake missing the head, only the shaft is used* and pick the tubular lock, but stop between the spots where the pins reset. Doing simple math this should be just short of 12.5 degrees of rotation. Right before they reset, or about halfway between the to spots where they will reset, remove your tesion wrench and tools. The lock is now perfect to impression as we have all discussed. At this point open up your air hardening model clay and roll up a small piece about 2/3 the size of a standard plug follower's diameter and about 2 inches long. Let this start to harden, when it is starting to get a little brittle then shove this STRAIGHT into the lock, make sure you don't put it in at an angle, or that you don't twist it in. Put nice even pressure on itand push it straight in. keep pushing it in until it hits bottom and starts to mold around the outside of the lock. Let this sit for10-20 seconds and then carefully pull it straight back out. If you let this sit for 5-10 minutes, then you now have a temporary key that will open the machine and allow total rotation of the plug.

You can use this temp key to pull the code off of the key with a decoder, and either cut it yourself, or have someone code cut you a new key.

It seems like the majority of what mcGyver did was infact feasable, but it seems like they always left an important step out of the tv show so that people at home wouldn't get into more trouble than they could handle....lol

Give this a try, and see how easy it is. When it works, don' t thank me, thank McGyver, as he started the DIY mentality for alot of us.

[nekret]

I currently don't have one but I do have a tubular bike lock that I'm planning on playing with during my spring break. couple that with the guides to make a plug spinner and I should have something interesting.

[skeeve]

@knows-picker: have you actually done this? it sounds like a great idea. but there have been a lot of good ideas here. i'm not trying to discount your suggestion i'm just curious if anybody's had some actual success with any of these

[jimmyboy]

the spinner is a great idea -- it should work just like any regular pin tumbler lock - if you get it to spin fast enough the pins should stay set in position - then you only have to pick it once then spin

[Shrub]

The clay idea does work as it was tested on here a while ago, i think it may have been a krypos, locknewbie, skold type thread,

The better thing to use is polymorph which is a moulable plastic, it goes soft in hot water then when it cools it makes a hard nylon type material,

The thing with shoving anything in those locks is that once you get past a certain point the clay or whatever (more often with clay) starts to bulge out at the bottom and spread out underneath the lip on the face of the lock making it a working key but one that can never be removed whole,

[Knows-Picker]

yes, I have done it on quite a few locks, and it works almost every time. sometimes you have to make another key, depends on how you do extracting it, because like shrub said, it does start to bulge down by the pins. The trick is to pull it out before it is hard, but while it is hard enought to keep shape. usually about 3-4 mins of it sitting in the lock, and then about 10 for it to cure once it is out and drying.

[skeeve]

Wow I've gotta try this. Any chance of somebody posting pics/vids or more detailed instructions of this? Obviously I wouldn't try this on any lock that's important to me but I'd like to minimize my chances of damaging a lock as much as possible. Also I think it'd be really cool to have a video of this

[PuI2e_PLaYaZ]

is IdealCreations.com a legit company ? I been trying to contact them about shipping to Canada and their phone seems to "hung" like I was being ignored. But when I call back and explain they say technical difficulties then it gets cut off again. Then I call again ... same story. Are they hiding something ?

[PuI2e_PLaYaZ]

sorry that was IdealCreations.net

[Shrub]

I think so,

Is this on the same day youve tried this? if so its as they say, technical issues,

You could try emailing them,

[PuI2e_PLaYaZ]

Technical Difficulties ... we'll see. I'll try calling back in a few.