Master 03 revisited -- for new pickers

[Jim Palmer]

This posting will seem very basic to most lock-pickers, but I thought it might help someone who is brand new to the hobby.

I learned to pick padlocks on the trusty old Master 03, a fairly simple lock but good experience and a real confidence-builder. I picked many of them and it taught me about use of tension (lightly does it) in most Master locks. I have gone back several times to make sure nothing has been lost. The other day I bought a new one. Some Masters are advertising themselves as "bump-proof," and I thought there might be something different about them.

Well, I struggled for a day and a half to pick it and began to feel real stupid. Finally, I took a long, hard look at the key and noticed there was a "valley" almost at the bottom of the key. So I stuck the pick back in, making sure it was inserted all the way, gave a little push on the bottom pin and worked my way back up. It opened in about four seconds. I had not looked too closely before, and had missed this little notch.

So, as most of us know, it's a good idea to look closely at the key before picking. This was a very small notch.

[MacGnG1]

hmm that might be why i cant get this new master#3 open!!!

[Lauren]

So, is this definitely the new Bump Stop locks? And if so, do you attack the Bump Stop pin first and pick as normal? Is the Bump Stop pin in random pin placement?

[Eyes_Only]

I think the Bump Stop driver is only installed in two different chambers. I believe it was either chamber number 2 and 3, or 3 and 4. I really gotta get one for practice.

[raimundo]

I believe there's a video on youtube from master lock showing an animation of the bump stop pin.

[Dooms_day]

that might have been the padlock i tried to pick once...did it have a black rubber thing on the outside? lol cause i tried for like an hour to pick it, and it finaly opened but i didnt realy examine it more than the number

[steve0527]

I find the bump stop still really easy to pick

[Archive555]

I find the bump stop still really easy to pick

Me too, I'm not sure if I should or if this is the correct way to do it, but I handle it just like a spool pin.

[New-York-Locksmith]

yeah i agree that it can be tried by handling it just like spool pin

[ToolyMcgee]

Now I'm curious. Are we talking about the new master locks at lowes with the different fake laminate shell? It is against my nature to shell out 5 bucks for a master lock, but I must know!

[raimundo]

tooly, does that padlock you refer to with the fake laminate shell have a hexagon or octagon cross section type shackle?
there was an episode on 'how its made' on discovery channel that showed the assembly of this lock.

[ToolyMcgee]

tooly, does that padlock you refer to with the fake laminate shell have a hexagon or octagon cross section type shackle?
there was an episode on 'how its made' on discovery channel that showed the assembly of this lock.

That's the one! I vaguely rember the episode now as well. Mainly the part where they were wrapping the laminate steel plates with fau shell and just thinking it was odd. I didn't think those were masters when I saw it.

Now that I look at the website the special bumpstop pin doesn't look like anything more than a barrel pin. I got remotely excided por nada. Nice PR move, but little more.

I can't find it on their website other than this one place. It is supposed to be a contractor grade lock. Wait for the ad to scroll around to contractor and it is the lock on the tool chest.
http://www.masterlock.com/residential/