U.S. General padlock

[dboeren]

I stopped by a Harbor Freight store and found some U.S. General padlocks for $5 apiece so I grabbed a couple of them.

For the price, I didn't expect them to be that challenging, but so far I haven't been able to do anything with them and I was wondering if anyone out there is familiar with these things.

1. It looks like a knockoff of an American 700 (left photo):
http://www.keymart.com/american_locks.htm#700%20Series

2. It says "U.S. General" and "China" on the front of the lock. The back says "HARDENED".

3. The bottom of the keyway is extremely wide. I have a set of SouthOrd picks and I have to double up two of the wider tension wrenches if I want to grip this thing, which also tends to reduce the space I have to work. The bottom of the key fits loosely, you can wiggle it around in that big open keyway.

4. Examining the key, it definately has five pins. Unknown whether any of them are spool pins. I did find this post on ezpicking which seems to be about the same model and claims there are five spools:
http://ezpicking.com/forum/showpost.php ... stcount=44

5. Now here's the wierd part. I can't get any pins to set, even falsely! I apply plenty of tension, and push all pins up to the top. Normally once you slack off on the tension you can hear the pins snap back down, but with this lock no snaps are heard. I don't know if this makes sense, but the only explaination I can think of is that no pins are even binding.

6. Before anyone claims the lock is defective in any way, the keys that came with it open the lock just fine.

If anyone has any ideas about this lock I'd really appreciate it.

[delocking]

I'm sure the more knowledgeable here will be able to provide information as to the picking problems, but "U.S. General" on a padlock also appears on these "borrowed" Squire designs http://www.alca.us/Squire_Locks.html

[cdman]

I realize that the original poster has probably long-since moved on from this lock by now, but for anyone else who stumbles across this post looking for info about this lock, here are a couple tips:
The lock requires A LOT of tension to turn. So much so that I don't think a normal tensor can turn it. You really have to use something as strong as a screw driver. I'm filing down a big hex wrench at the moment to use pretty much solely on this lock. You can also try starting the turn with a screw driver, after which it will stay in position long enough to insert a tensor, apply a bit of tension, pick the lock, and then insert the screw driver again to finish the turn. *Note- you don't need the monster amount of tension during the actual picking, just to start the process and then turn the lock after it is picked.

Another neat tidbit on this lock: At first attempt the lock appears to not be fully disassemble-able, as it has a locking pin that keeps it from turning more than a quarter-turn or pulling out of the hull. But, if you have nimble picks you can reach in and depress the locking pin enough to rotate the plug counter-clockwise , removing the locking pin from its groove, after which you can pull the plug straight out.
Its a bit tricky as the plug is hollowed out at some parts- so beware that you can jam pins and springs- potentially damaging them, but its a cheap lock anyway, and with some wiggling I was able to remove the plug without damaging the springs.

enjoy
-cd

[Joshua904]

Old thread, new question. We have (had) one of these at work for our general locker we stash consumables like brakleen and Pb blaster in. Long story short, it broke so I decided to try and fix it. What ensued was probably hilarity to others, but pure aggrevation to me.

Why in the hell would someone design a plug like this? Is there any benefit other than making a simple rekey job super @$&#!ing difficult?

Thanks.
I ended up modifying a core from a plastic masterlock and making it work.

Also, I figured out the point of the last pin (steel btw) - just to limit rotation.. It's the cutouts that trap pins I am wondering about.

[ARF-GEF]

If your questions is why are there parts missing from teh plug?

I think it is to save on raw materials. Copper is expensive, so brass is expensive. Many less reputable lockmakers try to put as few material inside the lock as possible.

What is weird that it's usually molded that way not cut out. Maybe there is another reason, maybe they just refined the molding.
Is it just this one or do all of these locks have the same issue with the plug?

Ps: Will it trap the pins during normal use? I think this is the kind of plug you can only move a bit and to only 1 direction so the driver pins never reach the "empty area".

[Joshua904]

I thought it was cost savings at first, but it's milled out. I'd imagine that would cost more than the tiny bit of material saved, considering they'd have to reclaim the chips, then melt.
This is the only lock like this we have. It's a five pinner, but the sixth one is used to limit rotation, so no you wouldn't trap pins under normal usage. I think maybe the cover plate became loose or something and allowed too much slop between the core and the unlocking mechanism. I don't think the pins got trapped until I tried to remove the plug, but I'm not sure. The key worked, but not until after I gave it a couple swipes with a rake. My intention was to free pins that may have been stuck and over set.

[davesnothere11]

For what it's worth:

I was given a US General padlock from a fellow picker similar to the one mentioned earlier in the thread. It required heavy tension to pick and shortly after I got it it became impossible for me to pick. Below is the core:



As you can see the bottom of the plug split after repeated heavy tension and now when tension is applied the plug would spread and no binding of pins would occur. The key still worked. I replaced the core with an extra I had from an Abus lock and sent it off to someone else.

[kwoswalt99-]

Those cheap locks aren't worth saving IMO. Not only do they offer minimal security, but they aren't durable either.

[ARF-GEF]

I thought it was cost savings at first, but it's milled out. I'd imagine that would cost more than the tiny bit of material saved, considering they'd have to reclaim the chips, then melt.

What if they leave that part mostly empty and just "refine" the hole with a bit of milling. Though why they would do that... (?)
Not a great theory but I don't have a better one.

While I thin Davesnotthere did good by replacing the plug I usually agree with what kwoswalt99- says, that unless for some reason (part of master key ssytme, lock used on a common door with many keys) the customer insists, there is no point in prolonging the life of bad locks.