bogotas and padlocks

by **Rodfather23** » 11 Jul 2007 19:00

I found a 40 mm master rip off padlock with HomeCenter written on the plastic bumper. I messed around picking it all last night but I've still only managed to pick it open 3 times. (all times SPPing with a hook) I have had no luck with any of my rakes or my diamonds.

Even my bogota is not working, which brings me to my question. Are bogotas designed to work on something like a 4 pin 40 mm padlock. I did some searching on it of course, everything says it will work on any lock. But what about a 40mm 4 pin master rip off? Right before I sat down to post this, I went to the garage and tried to make a mini bogota scaling the dimensions down to fit the 4 pin key. oddly enough it still will not open the dang lock. Although it opens my schalge and kwikset almost as good as the original bogota :-/

PS when I say found I mean I was going through some old boxes of junk I had yesterday in my closet and stumbled upon it. I have no idea where or when I got it.

by **JackNco** » 11 Jul 2007 19:44

if my understanding of the BogotÃ¡ is correct the spacing is what counts. the spacing on this lock may be different of if I'm first guess is right the lock is smaller than the BogotÃ¡ is designed for.

I have most luck with master locks (and the like) with slimline hooks, diamonds can also be good if the pinning allows it.

all the best

John

by **horsefeathers** » 12 Jul 2007 1:58

The bogota is very effective on alot of locks with the right technique but is not 100% on every lock - or it would be the only tool a locky would carry for pin tumblers!!

As john said, it is the spacing that is probably the key and the bogota is probably designed to work well with the most common (door) locks found in the designer's area, rather than padlocks.

regards

by **blake1803** » 12 Jul 2007 13:58

horsefeathers nailed it. The bogota is a brilliant tool, but it isn't a magic wand..

It sounds to me like you might just be dealing with a particularly tough bitting, maybe a high/low combo in an awkward spot which, by raking, you might be oversetting, etc. I don't suppose you happen to have the key, do you? That would help reveal your difficulties with this particular lock. And if you don't, then hey -- there's always impressioning! Seriously... the last time I was having an unusual amount of trouble with a cheap lock that I didn't have the key to, I just made a key to help figure it out. Impressioning the lock was good practice and the key I made helped me pick the lock. Two birds with one stone

by **blake1803** » 12 Jul 2007 13:59

On second thought, that's more like one bird with two stones, but hey, as long as I can pick the lock I'm happy :lol:

by **Rodfather23** » 12 Jul 2007 16:00

I think the main problem I'm having with it SPPing is that there is so much play in the plug I can't get the tension just right I'm either putting too much or not any at all. The key cut doesn't look too bad....I've picked real masters b4 with worse.

by **raimundo** » 13 Jul 2007 8:17

I think that impressioning is the sure er choice for opening a lock that you cannot pick, and if you get the blanks and do the impressioning, you will open the lock and reveal its bitting.

since impressioning is the way to open a lock that you cannot pick, I think that it should be a respectable NDE for any ones, Can't Pick Lock. Instead of beating yourself up and bending the picks with too much frustration, you should be trying to key it. this has the added benefit of learing a skill that only gets better with practice.

It should be understood in the sport that if you cant pick it, making a key is the face saving alternative and you can still say, I got it open. if not by art, at least by technique.

by **Rodfather23** » 13 Jul 2007 15:54

Oh don't worry ray.........I'm also practicing my impressioning. As I said in the PM I sent you right before I read this, I'm not so much interested in picking this particular lock as I am at making a bogota type pick for 4 pin pad locks. I'm going to give making a scaled down sabana a try hopefully tonight or tomorrow.

On the impressioning though.....anyone who has not tried this, should really give it a try. It is the most (impressive....lol) way I've seen of opening a lock you do not have a key for. I was probably 3 times more excited the 1st time I impressed my 1st lock (a week or so ago) than when I picked my 1st lock.

by **Rodfather23** » 13 Jul 2007 16:35

I might add also, I finally had enough money today to purchase I decent file for impressioning. I was just going to buy a #4 cut rat tail, but the #4 cut pippin wasn't very much more so I went for that.

Using a chain saw file got old fast..........I kept having to wrap sand paper on it in order to polish the cuts so I could see the marks.

by **th3anvil** » 15 Jul 2007 10:27

I've found that the Bogota is a wonderful pick for certain types of locks, but it isn't always the best tool for the job. I've never been able to get my Bogota to work with security pins as I would always over set them. It is usually my first choice for pt locks, but when in doubt I switch over to SPP with a hook.

by **raimundo** » 11 Oct 2007 7:50

the bogota will open muliple security pins with a light and quick motion and loose tension, pulsed intermittent tension, don't get upset if you drop some pins that you think were set, they will reset easily again.

by **maxxx** » 31 Oct 2007 23:00

raymundo says: "making a key is the face saving alternative and you can still say, I got it open. if not by art, at least by technique."

On the contrary my friend, I think impressioning is every bit (sorry for the pun) as important a skill as picking, if not more so. Especially when you can make a working key with a blank and a file, just as fast as it can be picked.

A solid impressioning skill would make a locksmith a lot of money, faster than picking. For example, someone with cash in thier hand lost the last key to the lock. You can pick it open, take apart the lock, drop the pins, mike them out/or re-pin it, and cut a key. (at least an hour, maybe more)

If you can impression it, you file it, clone it, and collect your fee. (10 min if you are good, maybe less. same $ amount in your wallet, less equipment)

Forgive me if I place lockpicking into monetary terms, but its not an endeavor everybody has a skill/interest/ability to do. Why not make money doing it? Nothing better than doing something you enjoy doing and getting paid to do it.

by **LockNewbie21** » 1 Nov 2007 10:37

the bogota will open muliple security pins with a light and quick motion and loose tension,

Yea the do, freakin love them picks

by **maxxx** » 20 Nov 2007 1:39

I wish I could explain it, but I cant. There is something about Raymundos' Bogata design that works for me in the first 30 seconds, or it doesnt. A unique combination of polish and design? I dont know, and I dont want to know.

I spent way too much time trying to determine what I did, how it worked, why it worked when it worked when using the Bogata. It really saved the day for me last week. No BS.

bogotas and padlocks

bogotas and padlocks

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