Get baked! Disassembling a Brass Padlock

[unbreakable]

Well, I needed something to do well I was cooking hot dogs, so I decided to disassemble a brass padlock, using only a bar-b-que, a pair of tongs, some tin foil, and a coffee can filled with ice water.

*note* this will only work on brass padlocks with the stamped pin covers. Do not try this on laminated or removeable core padlocks.

Heres what to do-

Get your bar-b-que running on high, and place your coffee can and tongs nearby.


Place your locks on the grill.


Proceed to cover them in tinfoil shiny side down, making a "dome" above the lock. Use at least 3 layers of tinfoil.


Now bake the locks for 10-15 minutes. Remove the foil, and pick up the lock with the tongs and immediately plunge it into the ice water.
The covers will blast off, followed by the springs and pins.

Here you can see where the pin covers were.


Next, drain the water and remove all the pins. Be careful not to lose any. Here I rearranged the pins and springs. Springs are one pile, covers are another, and top and bottom springs are each their own pile.


Now, rerrange the pins and reinsert them into the lock, if you want a new pin configuration (If you're looking for difficulty, try making high low pin combos). Alternatively, you can make a "trick padlock" as I did.

Replace all but the first pin cover using a rubber mallet. Do not put springs or pins into any of these three holes. In the remaining hole, put the bottom, top and spring back in, and tap on the pin cover.


To remove any colour change in the metal that may have occured, take a wire brush or polishing wheel to the lock, and then rub it with a mix of used motoroil, dirt, and a dirty shop cloth.


The lock now only has one pin, and will open with pretty much anything you jam in it. I can open this lock in the dark behind my back. Better yet, it still looks normal, and it would look even more realistic if I left it outside for a week or two.

Enjoy,
Unbreakable

[RockInBlack]

Fast and easy, Great idea!

[cjames73]

the heat could damage the springs.
if used as a single pinned trick lock or if you replace the springs, cool idea!

[unbreakable]

the heat could damage the springs.
if used as a single pinned trick lock or if you replace the springs, cool idea!

I should have mentioned that, and meant to. The springs, much to my surprise, are fine. I didn't have to replace them, and they seem springy and fine, no visible heat damage either. Again, I was surprised, maybe because they were touching metal on all sides, and strung out like handles on wood stoves, they dissipate heat well... I dunno.


Unbreakable

[Eyes_Only]

Wasn't there a thread like this before where someone asked if they could bake a padlock in their oven and then dunk it in water to blow it apart? I think everyone shot down that idea when it was first posted. Neat project either way though.

[unbreakable]

Wasn't there a thread like this before where someone asked if they could bake a padlock in their oven and then dunk it in water to blow it apart? I think everyone shot down that idea when it was first posted. Neat project either way though.

Yeah, thats where I first heard it and got the idea to try it. I thought about it for a while, decided it could work, and gave it a go. I'm very pleased with the result, if I hadn't done this then the covers would have had to have been drilled, which wouldn't have been quite as nice.

Unbreakable

[jla]

I like it. Couldn't you use this as a way to repin a padlock, if it's brass atleast?

-Justin

[raimundo]

1. your rubber hammer is white, im jealous, I only have a black one.
2. the cover over the locking dog did not blow off, explain physics on this please
3 boy are those pins drilling out of alignment.
4. maybe you tempered those springs when you did that
5. there are other ways to gaff a lock, such as all pins same length, so that even if someone does the pin count, you can still do it easily with a straight stick or, you can make a key with a descending bitting toward the tip, such a key could be pulled out while the plug is not fully turned to top dead center, therefore even operating it with a key, you can chose to have it locked or slightly in a picked condition if you do not turn the key to tdc.
6 when you get around to testing it, what is the difference in temper of the body of the lock, or the shackle? notice anything, (some hardened shackles will not scratch with a file, others will, is that the boronsteel effect?)

[Krypos]

well nice work man, personally i would have been a bit too scared to bake a padlock and then dip it into ice water. having been through chemistry when i was a sophomore, some of the things i saw and did, well they scare me. lets just leave it at that.

props to you though, thats a very cool thing to have done. and successfully too. nice work.

[unbreakable]

Justin- Yes, this is an excellent way to repin a brass padlock.

raimundo- you should see my other hammer. Its white speckled black from hammering closed a tremclad paint lid

As for the other two covers- one for the locking dog and one for the pin to limit the cylinder rotation, neiter blew off. My only explanation would be that the 4 pin covers were being forced out by the springs...

Yes, the pins are out of alingment, chessey padlock for ya
I guess I could have tempered the springs, I should take some out of another lock and run experiments *evil laugh* Maybe when I have the time.

I like the other ideas, I'd try it but I dont have any more pins for the lock.

As for the temper, I couldn't tell you. In fact, I think the lock is so cheesy you couldn't even tell from a scratch test, although I could be wrong. Either way, I dont have another lock of the same brand to compare it to anyway.

Krypos- Thanks man. I love chem class, slightly crazy in that way I guess, in class this year the techer put a huge hunk of sodium into water, which proceeded to light on fire, and then explode, burning holes in his notes, table, and computer. I found it hilarious....favorite class all year. I still am considering going to University to be a chemical engineer.

[LockNewbie21]

Friggen A! thats awsome! haha

I thought it was a joke but that was great, I will try this

you should have said bypass

Wrap a gummer old lock up in tin floi blow torch it and dip it pins fly out. And you just showed the customer the craziest opening

[Trip Doctor]

When I read the thread title, I thought you were gonna get really high and try to disassemble a padlock, lmao. But I guess you intended for that :P.

[Krypos]

When I read the thread title, I thought you were gonna get really high and try to disassemble a padlock, lmao. But I guess you intended for that .

LMFAO. nice. i must admit, it came across my mind for a second. lol.

[Trip Doctor]

Hehe , that'd be an interesting experiment, lol.

(Perhaps next could be if extasy makes you feel pins better?)

[shimon101]

awsome idia!!!i gona try that too...