Masterlock - marketing to pickers?

[ObiWonShinobi]

Yeah, maybe they should give us a discount.....
Being their #1 customers I mean.. hahaha

[LeeNo]

Masterlock. They slap so many words like 'maximum security' all over their packaging. The boast features such as security pins to increase pick resistance.

LOL! I was thinking the same thing yesterday when I was on their site.

What really made me laugh was some of the text for a small student lock:

"4 pins for extra pick resistance"

[mitch.capper]

Masterlock. They slap so many words like 'maximum security' all over their packaging. The boast features such as security pins to increase pick resistance.

LOL! I was thinking the same thing yesterday when I was on their site.

What really made me laugh was some of the text for a small student lock:

"4 pins for extra pick resistance"

The found the old 2 pin version was a bit too easy to hack as bumping it the wrong way could open it.

[FFVison]

I have seen that pin and tumbler for maximum resistance "feature" on the packaging. I always thought that was just funny. I don't think that masterlock necessarily markets to us pickers, but perhaps since they are pretty much everywhere and are for sale everywhere, it makes more sense that we would have a lot in our bags. I think my lock collection is probably half to three quarters masterlocks, and as of a couple of days ago, I have picked them all. I was waiting on my master 532, but I eventually got that one . So, perhaps it's not so much that they are marketing to pickers, but rather that they are so disproportionally common that we all have a bunch of them. I think also, for most consumers, a lock is a lock is a lock. For the best security, people first look at other things like pry resistance and shimming resistance, and for most consumers, this is probably a better way to protect their assets as most criminals aren't going to bother trying to pick a lock, they would just pry it open.

[FFVison]

Ok, so I went to a local locksmith shop today to see what kind of wares they had. I went in there expecting to see a wide variety of exotic locks, offering me a new challenge. So, I went in and looked around... hmm, this wall seems to have mostly Masterlocks. I looked around some more. Sure enough, aside from a few safes on the floor and some unmarked door locks (I couldn't tell the brand since they were unmarked) they stocked ONLY Masterlock locks. I said to the guy, wow, you guys sure have a lot of Masterlocks, and he told me, yeah, we do. I said I guess they are pretty common, and he told me, well they are common for a good reason. I could barely stop myself from cracking up. I looked around a little more, and when I had enough, I walked out.

On a side note, the other day, I bought a new Master 15 that I have yet to pick. I hope to have that one popped sometime soon.

[Jaakko]

I said I guess they are pretty common, and he told me, well they are common for a good reason.

One word: cheap as hell and looks/feels good. Other than that, I would not trust them even as paper weights.

[Bittersweet]

Sure, Masterlocks are easy to pick, but don't most burglars resort to brute-force techniques instead of taking the time to pick locks? In any case, being 'pick resistant' is only one of marketing slogans for locks. Masterlock uses the phrase 'Tough Under Fire', meaning while it's not necessarily pick-resistant, it is physically pretty tough, MythBusters had an episode where they tested shooting locks off doors, and the laminated steel padlocks help up very well.
So, before you completely dismiss Masterlocks as a poor choice, remember that there's more to a lock then JUST being "pick resistant". After all, the most pick-resistant lock in the world does you no good when you can break it off with a hammer.
Just my two cents.

[Jaakko]

After all, the most pick-resistant lock in the world does you no good when you can break it off with a hammer.

Yes it does: It provides a proof of unauthorized entry

[WOT]

Need to remind myself to buy a Abus Discus and change that Master look-a-like M1 keyway circular lock on my storage unit.