My dreadful padlocks.

[madasian]

I have just figured out how to upload my images. (By the way I'm sort of a computer dummy, and by the looks of it I'm also a lockpicking dummy too). So to all the senior members, please be patient with me, if I do or ask something stupid, I do not mean to be a d!#@$head it's just that I don't learn well from reading materials. I'm better at hands on learning, with someone actually showing me how to do it. Anyways enough with all the blah,blah,blah. Here are my master padlocks.



I have the keys for them. I have gone over the lockpicking MIT over and over again but I just can't seem to grasp the concept of how much torque to apply on the plug. I don't know how little is "a little tension" and how alot is "alot of tension". ( Does that sound ?) I'm gonna buy a half-ball pick next week and try the method that Knows-picker told me about(by the way, thank you Knows-picker for taking the time to explain to me). But for now I'm trying with the snake picker and the small hook picker from Southord. (I can't get the rake pick into keyways with the tension tool). I push the pick all the way in and tried picking pin by pin but cannot seem to set the first pin (from the back of the lock) properly. The first pin from the front seem to have no spring resistance at all. (therefore it can easily be pushed up) Is that normal? I try picking the pins(in no particular order since I can't seem to set the first pin from the back) until my hands get tired and then i let the tension go. When I do that, though, I can hear 3 distinctive "CLICKS". does that mean that I have managed to pick 3 pins? How can that be possible when I didn't pick the binding pin yet?(Which is the first pin from the back of the lock, no?) So that's my problem with these master padlocksso far.(tension pressure)

Also my friend just gave me this old ABUS 26/70 lock today that he found in his closet.



He does not have a key for it. I'm also trying to pick this one. . LOL. I have a couple of questions for this lock.
-(1)- Is it an "easier" lock to pick than the MASTER padlocks?
-(2)- Do I use the same concept as the pin tumbler lock? (this is not a pin tumbler lock is it?)
-(3)-What pick would be most suitable for this lock?(since the keyway is so darn small)

I also see that there's some type of "cover" with a slit, over the keyway. It kinda makes it harder to get a good look of the actual lock. I guess it's some kind of added security to prevent picking right? Would it affect the picking drastically?
I guess that's all the questions I have. I tried to compiled all my questions and comments in one shot so that I don't have to post 50 times. . Well that's is all for now. Any advice and inputs would be greatly appreciated. Again keep in mind that I AM a "greenhorn" at this. I literally just started a week ago when my wife got me the pick set. So I apologise if I asked so many questions. I really don't mean to be a pest. And again Thank you!!!!

[vector40]

... what the heck's wrong with the plug on that Diskus? Is it out of alignment? Surely it didn't come like that.

[SFGOON]

I had a master 130 myself that was very hard tp pick - those locks have anti pick pins in them and will make your life fairly difficult. Likewise, that abus is a small keywayed SOB that will make you miserable trying to pick it as a beginner. I'm gonna give you the standard advice of get a kwikset or Weiser cylinder blah blah blah... You not a lockpicking dummy, you're a lock CHOOSING dummy!

[quicklocks]

[madasian]

Is this Abus 26/70 a double-sided lock? If so then would these be the picks that I should use on them.



I bought this set from Southord. I searched using the "SEARCH" button already with no result for the method of picking this lock. Can anyone give me some pointers on how to do it? Or direct me to a link showing me how to do it? I really DID try to search it on my own but did not managed to turn up anything on it. There was alot on pin tumblers and others but not on disc tumblers locks. Is this even a disc "tumbler" lock anyways? Please help!!!

[Octillion]

Actually there is an easy way to open the 130 lock by bypassing. The two locking mechanisms that hold the latch down can be forced to open by using a small diamond pick or key extractor. All you have to do is push the pick all the way to the back, then push one locking mechanism open by moving the pick to the right, then get the other by pushing it to the left. This will make a lot more sense if you can find an inside view of the lock online somewhere.

I had a few similar locks, and I opened one of mine up to see exactly how it works before I was able to get the bypassing method to work. There are brass plugs that cap off all holes in the body of the lock where all the parts go. If you heat up the lock red hot, you will see these plugs start to stand out. Heat these plugs until they get as hot as possible, then quickly drop it into ice water, and all these plugs will pop off, and the lock will fly apart. If you can collect the mess, and see how it all fits together, you should get a much better idea of how the lock works.

Once you can pick the No. 3 Master, you can probably move on to picking the 130 with a lot of patience. To do so, just pick the 130 "normally", but what will happen is the plug will move only a few degrees then hit a dead stop. What happens there is one of the spool pins has caught the shear line. Pushing up the pins one by one will tell you which spool pins are caught, as they will tend to push back on the plug when you have light tension on it. Ease up on the tension, and let the pin move the plug back until the pin pops up, at which point it will catch the sheer line, and you can repeat the process as necessary. I too am new at lockpicking, but I was able to get these kinds of locks less than a week after I started picking. It took me about an hour or so to get it the first time, but it subsequently took less time each additional time I picked it. Now I can regularly pick those locks usually under 15 seconds.

By the way, for most padlocks I'll use the half diamond, but for ones with security pins, a hook seems to work nicely (but half diamonds still work on these too).

[Chrispy]

Is this Abus 26/70 a double-sided lock? If so then would these be the picks that I should use on them.

No, it has a standard pin tumbler cylinder. The 24 RK is better as it can be re-keyed easily.

[vector40]

Those picks are really meant for wafer locks.

[pick_maker]

your abus has turned as far as possible because of its mushroom pins - which are choking at the shear line. I assume you are using the raking technique? Easy, use more down pressure than torque and at the right moment the lock will open.

when is the right moment??

I've found when the plug turns more than a little that is the time to use more downward raking pressure - not more torque.

because this is a disc lock, and the shackle contacts the round perimeter of the case, that means a little more tension is needed to turn the whole works only after the pins are set, obviously.

OR

when the lock is at the state as you have there in the jpg (a false set), ease off tension a little and freeze and listen. that will let the shrooms unchoke. you might hear that. now do the heavy scrubbing and torque. should open.

[Knows-Picker]

Also as an added note to the abus lock: because of the small keyways on these locks and the super light tension needed to open these(because of spool pins and lock design) I always use a micro tension wrench. This is just a normal bobby pin that I have cut in halve, and removed the little rubber stoppers at the end of the pin. Then bend a SMALL *maybe 5-7 mm * end on the pin to make a small wrench. Insert this and then use VERY light tension. This is the only way that I have sucsess every time that I pick my abus and uhaul (abus nock-off) locks. I hope this helps you out. BTW I usually use a small half diamond pick on thses as it seems to work the best. when all else fails, try less tension and vary your picking angle. Good Luck.

[raimundo]

Vecotor 40 was commenting on the drill shield that spins freely in front of the keyway in that particular discus lock, I haven't seen that before, but that is the typical discus keyway, yale#6 I think, or it could be a #12 the small 999 type keyway, with a drill shield on the front which is new to me.

[love to pick]

what u doing bringing back a 2 year old topic? lolz

[spidr_mnky]

Since the thread is "refreshed" ...

I just can't seem to grasp the concept of how much torque to apply on the plug. I don't know how little is "a little tension" and how alot is "alot of tension".

Obviously, it varies by the lock, and you'll make gradual changes as you pick, but I understand the need for a starting point. Using one finger, touch the top of your ear and fold it almost all the way over. Feel how much pressure it takes to hold it there. That's about the pressure I start with. If the pins don't slide freely, let go and try again with a little less pressure, and so on. Once you get down to where they slide freely, increase the pressure a little, try each pin, lather, rinse, repeat. Sometimes just before it goes I have to back off on the pressure just a hair -- I don't know why.

I'll continue my reading around here and try to find out, though. Hope that helps someone, whether the OP's still around or not.

[Budmaster11]

On the #3 padlock like he has I like to use more tension than usual, it usually makes it a lot easier. That is a really good way to describe the nessecary tension I like it.