funny cabinet lock

[cougar]

pick up a Hickory Hardware 1356 cabinet lock today. package lists it as pick resistant. Well as far as picking goes... its relatively easy. it has lil sprung discs that function much like pins from our perspective, but the clearance slots for these discs are staggered and the security is just an attempt to make them impossible to set due to high spring pressure and quite a bit of "slop" that seems designed. Its really a matter of getting them in the right order and it opens easy enough.

I accidentally found a major flaw in the lock tho. If I push the pick all the way to the back, lift, and pull, the plug slides right out. There is a simple disc that functions just like a pin being used as a retainer. this can be done in about 1 second and the bolt easily drop from that access. Ill try to video this soon.

[nostromo]

Thanks, cougar. Looking forward to the video (or even plain images).

[nothumbs]

That is a pretty standard feature of cabinet locks. However, that feature usually works only when the lock is in the unlocked state. Are you saying this feature still works when the lock is locked?

[cougar]

thats right, there is a stud on the end of the plug which, with rotation pushed the bar up or down. by picking the retainer and pulling it out, the bar simply slips off the stud and falls out.

[Kellycook]

That seems to be really fun, I just cant stop myself laughingggg

[SALocksmith]

sounds like a cam lock that has a wafer in the back that holds the plug in. We see this all the time in the lock shop, lots of cheap furniture, file cabinets etc have this. Typically the customer gets heavy handed with the lock, or the key gets worn and they force it a little and the whole thing comes out in there hand, wafers, springs and all, then they bring it to use to fix. pretty simple fix reall, just insert a straight, or broke pick in , depress the retaining wafer and slide it back in.

[HirosStorageUnit]

I have one like this on a case at work I will have to give it a try.

[Squelchtone]

I have one like this on a case at work I will have to give it a try.

Pro Tip: Stop picking locks that are in use. Every new picker does this, and we tell every new member here not to.

A. You're gonna break something that you rely on, and then the actual keys may not work, or work smoothly, or you will either be locked out of a cabinet/door/shed or they will be stuck in the unlocked position, and not able to lock up for the night.

B. it gives hobby lockpicking a bad image by going around picking all the locks in your work place, around the house, dorm room, office, etc, and that's an image we've been trying to clear up with a lot of people who already think we're suspicious and shady, we don't need to add to that.

I was hot to pick all sorts of locks around work and home when I first started, and even used excuses like "I'm just testing my own security" or "they're my locks, shove off, I'll do what I want with them", but over time I realized how wrong my logic was.

So what locks are you supposed to be picking on? A lot of us have boxes or benches full of practice cylinders, padlocks, deadbolts, etc that we find on clearance, or at yard sales, on ebay, craigstlist, or by asking local locksmith shops for their used/pull/scrap locks.

Enjoy the hobby, but be responsible with your new found powers.

Squelchtone