lock recommendation?

[dbhdbhdbh]

Hey, I wish it were as simple as "don't bring anything to the gym". As I have indicated in the dialogue with Evan, I really don't have that option.

Evan,

I am not saying

a stronger lock is better rather than using a normal locker lock and not placing anything in the locker you can't deal with losing

I am asking

Given that the only thing I have control over is the lock, does it matter which lock I use? If so, which lock is best?

Is your answer that, considering all the other security gaps in gym lockers, it does not matter which lock one uses? Pick one at random? You see, I effectively tried that with my Masterlock.

Under the circumstances I don't see an alternative to placing some important things in the locker. If you see an alternative to that, where "leave it in the car" is not an option, I would be grateful.

Squelchtone "Leave phone, and other keys and wallet in your car trunk outside the gym"

I almost never have a car during these trips, I walk to the gym, so leaving in the car is not an option.

How about just come to the gym ready to work out and all you do is change your sneakers

But I have to get from hotel to gym, and back, and that often means being fully dressed in something beyond workout gear. Certainly critical in winter. Cannot get my overcoat sweaty by wearing it after my workout. So I have to shower at the gym. Besides, a less important concern but real, if I meet some of the clients on my way back to the hotel, or in the lobby, I would rather look casually dressed, but clean and neat than covered in sweat after a workout.

I appreciate that choosing the lock is only part of the overall security of the lock/locker/contents system. But it seems to be the only part that is under my control.

Is my question clearer if I phrase it like this?

Under the circumstances described, I do not see an alternative to bringing several valuable, although not expensive, items to the gym, and securing them in my locker. The methods of stealing from a gym locker other than defeating the lock are out of my control. So I can recognize that a thief could bend open a locker door made of thin steel, or punch a hole in a particle board door, or use some other method of brute Force, but I cannot do anything about that. TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LOCK MATTERS, is there a reason to favor the Abloy with Protec cylinder, the S&G 8088, 8077, or something else? If there is a difference in security using one of these, is the difference enough to make that the basis for choosing that lock?

Thanks

[dbhdbhdbh]

Globallockytoo,

That Meroni Lucotto looks like an interesting design, but would it fit a locker that presumes one uses a conventional padlock? It would seem you need a lot of clearance on the side to fit in the key. Also have not had a lot of success in finding them online. Who sells them?

Thanks

[Squelchtone]

The 8088 would be a good choice unless your attackers have bolt cutters in which case the 8088 is easy to remove, the 8077 is too chrome plated and will attract too much attention, all it is, is an 8088 in a chrome cover. the Abloy PL330 is a great lock and a pain to cut, but someone with 36 inch bolt cutter can cut it in under 5 minutes. The 330 is unpickable in the Abloy Protec flavor, but it costs $70 so its your call budget wise. Also, it may not fit all lockers, and I feel the PL321's shackle is too thin for protecting a locker. Am American Lock Series 20 or Series 50 would be a good choice, made well, hard to pick, cant be jimmied open, thick shackle, costs about $25. An Abus 24/70 is great, kinda easy to pick for an expert picker, very hard to cut off, but may not fit on some lockers that require a padlock with a longer shackle.

I hope this answers your question.

Squelchtone

[dbhdbhdbh]

Squelchtone,

Thank you . Your information is very helpful.

From the lockers I have seen, I would worry that the Abus would not fit on some of them. That would mean bringing two locks, just in case the preferred did not fit. I have never seen one of these disk locks used in a locker, either because they are simply rare, or because they don't fit. That question seems to be enough to rule it out.

Had I known about the American locks before I went on my spending spree, I might have looked at them. If they are simply an alternative to the PL330 or 8088, I will not pursue them further.

Since I already have the PL330 and the 8088, there does not seem to be any reason to get anything else. Neither has had problems fitting on any locker I have encountered. The Abloy is very shiny, but I can wrap on some duct tape and make it look less interesting. The 8088 is old and looks like the old government surplus it is. My 8077 is very shiny, it was used, but apparently lightly. I could do the duct tape maneuver, but if the extra shroud, and weight, do not contribute any more security, then clearly not worth dragging it around to the gym.

Perhaps naive, but I think it could be tough for someone to work on a lock with 3 ft bolt cutters for several minutes in a locker room, even at 5:30 am, without attracting unwanted attention. If the 8088 will snip off quickly with bolt cutters, that seems to be a reason to go with the PL330. I was alarmed to learn that my old combination lock could be popped off in a couple of seconds with a shim. If someone can pick a keyed lock in a few seconds, then that would not be obviously different than the legitimate owner opening it with a key. Casual passersby would not notice. So, I imagine, a lock that is too easy to pick would fail in this application. As a non-expert, it was "which lock is relatively difficult to defeat" was what I needed to know.

Again, I am not storing launch codes here. Just trying to make it hard enough to break into my locker that the low lifes in that line of business will find an easier locker to attack. Suffering a locker burglary does not cause a significant financial loss, but costs me time and aggravation.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I realize this may not be that interesting to lock picking enthusiasts, but I really appreciate your expert insights into what security is possible in this setting.

[Evan]

Again, I am not storing launch codes here. Just trying to make it hard enough to break into my locker that the low lifes in that line of business will find an easier locker to attack. Suffering a locker burglary does not cause a significant financial loss, but costs me time and aggravation.

Which is why time and time again, I tried to explain to you that if you use a big fancy lock, your locker will draw attention from the thieves FIRST...

Like I said, use your fancy lock, you will one day find that you have a learning experience where you come back to find the locker open and the door slightly mangled with your big strong lock still in place unmolested...

Amateur locker burglars mess with the locks, those who know what they are doing only need a small pry bar or large flat bladed screwdriver to open them...

It is fine that you came here asking for very specific advice, and you really were not receptive to the complied knowledge of those here who have seen and done repairs on lockers are telling you that the lock on the locker matters the least, just one that locks and doesn't draw too much attention to itself would do fine...

~~ Evan

[globallockytoo]

Globallockytoo,

That Meroni Lucotto looks like an interesting design, but would it fit a locker that presumes one uses a conventional padlock? It would seem you need a lot of clearance on the side to fit in the key. Also have not had a lot of success in finding them online. Who sells them?

Thanks

2 lengths 22mm and 36mm long shackles......I have them in stock.....i am the US distributor for Meroni.

[dbhdbhdbh]

Evan,

Thanks for your feedback. I hope I have made clear that it was not a matter of being receptive to the other information, but that it was not actionable.

Interesting to know that thieves may attack the locker. But at the gym all the lockers are the same. It is not as if I get to choose the sturdiest one. I cannot bring my own locker. So, while it is a concern, there is nothing I can do about that vulnerability. It would be great to leave things in the car, but I don't have one. Not that it helps the security issues, but working out later in the day is not an option. Similarly, bringing less than I do to the gym won't work.

If it does not matter which lock I use, my Masterlock experience notwithstanding, then I could keep using it and hope for the best. I just would rather be a little better off if I can. I can make the locks look old, if that helps, but I still have to use some lock.

Hence my question "Which lock?"


Thanks again.

[keysman]

.....Hence my question "Which lock?"

Go to your local locksmith ,purchase an American Padlock. Ask for an older model ( the newer “ bump stop” models are not what you want.)
They should be able to pin it up to a six pin key with a hard to pick bitting.
The six pin key will eliminate most picking attempts, and be much more bump resistant, than a standard off the shelf master padlock .
There is not much you can do about other ( destructive) methods of entry.

[dbhdbhdbh]

Keysman,

Thank you for the advice. As I indicated, I have already purchased an Abloy PL330 with a Protec cylinder. Would buying the American lock get me something I don't already have?

Besides not wanting to get yet another lock if I don't need it, in my area I despair about finding a locksmith who could follow those instructions. It was hard enough finding one who could duplicate a car key that I ended up getting that from a dealer.

[globallockytoo]

personally I'd stick with the protec....the keys should be registered with the company that made them, so getting a key cut to code should be fairly easy. No one will pick that lock or bypass it in a hurry....or even if they have time uninterupted

Well..... time to eat my words.....

http://keydecoder.alle.bg/pick-tools-de ... oy-protec/

[MBI]

Well..... time to eat my words.....
http://keydecoder.alle.bg/pick-tools-de ... oy-protec/

I wonder if they're really available, and work in the field.
They've been up on that site for a while, I've contacted them twice to try to buy a set but have never received a response.
I'm not saying I think it's impossible to pick them, it was really only a matter of time.
I just have to wonder about the lack of response.

[bobhdus]

Whether they cut the lock or pry the door open, if your that concerned about theft, you should consider rigging a cheap door alarm that is triggered by pulling a pin or magnetic separation. My kid has one he bought from thinkgeek.com. That thing will screeeeeech(!!!) if not disabled within 5 seconds depending on how you set it. I wake him up for school by opening his bedroom door. He nearly hits the ceiling when it goes off. I think he bought it for under $10.

[ARF-GEF]

1. First of all I would recommend choosing hotels with their own in-house gym, thus eliminating this whole problem.
2.I think it was and is still pretty much a communications issue between Evan and Dbh... I think what Evan is trying to say is not only that the door is the weakest link, but that by using a too high security lock actually reduces the security on a whole. Because a super-high-security-hard-to-pick,-hard-to-cut lock does show that there are valuables in the locker, but since the door is easy to open, no matter what the lock is, the high security lock does not provide high security.
Probably any lock higher than medium security is probably harder to defeat than simply prying the door open. So we are aware that you cannot control the door and that you can only control the lock. But the point is that the super secure lock isn’t any safer, because they will probably pry the door open anyways. Now I can’t really think any other way to describe the issue.
(Hope I could make it clearer.)
So admittedly, I am not really the most knowledgeable in the field I would say I you should use for example masterlock 175 or 1174d tops, but American lock is also a pretty good recommendation.
To answer your question this would give you the advantage of blending in. (As I mentioned above an S&G padlock stands out to anyone even remotely familiar with locks.
3. a So all in all I would buy reasonably secure lock albeit from a widespread manufacturer so that it does not stand out.
3.b I have been using a 4 digit combination lock for quite a while now, and no one ever tried to open it until now. I know it’s not secure in the ways something is considered secure in these forums, but it seems enough, and I value the fact that I don’t have to worry about losing the key during running for example. So if you insist on them make you S&G 8088 look as cheap and shabby looking as possible.
4.a One more thing you have to consider: of course they can take a high powered saw into a gym, but if it’s too noisy there’s not much point in using it. Also if we consider it, gym lockers are ain’t no safes. And please keep in mind that any lock can be opened so if they really want to open in they will. Even if it has super reinforced steel doors,(I don’t think any lockers have in any gym) with S&G 951 padlocks, they can theoretically take in a thermal lance and open it. So there’s not too much point in saying” this can be opened by some kind of special equipment” because the aim here is not to stop specialist but to stop the average opportunist thief. So the S&G lock is probably already an overkill.
4.b The very best would be if you could work out some method circumventing this whole problem. Secure your belongings some other way, leave them home, or see point 1.
5. But the thing is: use a lock which provides you peace of mind. No matter what we all say with our best intentions, if you only feel secure this way or that way, you should probably do that. There’s not much point in working out at all if you can’t concentrate on the exercise and keep thinking about the safety.

[i_b_larry]

The OP said he put his stuff in a locker that was secured by a combination lock. When he came back, his lock was still in place but his stuff was gone. His conclusion is that someone picked his lock, opened he door, took his stuff, and replaced the lock.

Sorry to disagree with everyone but the problem is not the lock.

What are the chances that someone could walk up to a locker and pick a combination lock in a short time? Everything I have ever read about picking combination locks always gets down to trying one combination after another. Who is going to stand there trying 9,000 combinations looking for the one that works?

I have seen many lockers that have a sliding bar inside either the door or the frame. Lifting the bar opens the door. If one inserts a J-hook of some sort through the louvers and catches the sliding bar at the right place, the door will open.

The most likely suspect would be the guy who checked the OP into the gym. The man at the counter would know that he is a one-time visitor from out-of-town and could guess what he is carrying with him. The employee's presence in the locker room would raise no suspicions. The employee guessed which locker the customer put his stuff in and made a bee line for it. If someone spots the employee manipulating the locker he could claim the customer forgot his combination or that the door is not working correctly. Since no one knows the visitor no one will think to tell him that the employee is messing with his locker. Since most travelers are on tight schedules, as in this case, the victim is not going to have the time to hang around waiting to make a police report.

The best lock in the world is useless if there is a way to bypass it altogether. I think that's what happened here.

[kyzer]

I go to gyms and rec centers a lot I have heard of a few locker break ins a couple were with bolt cutters and pry bars but most thieves hit un-locked lockers.

I seriously doubt your neighborhood crackhead is going to walz in and pull out a lock pick set, more likely they are going to have someone watch the door while they cut or pry open as many lockers as they can in a short period.

Personally I was worry about locker security I would use the most visible locker closest to the door where people walk in and out, thieves like hidden places.

Many gyms I go to the lockers have small and strange handles so big bulky locks will not fit a lot of the time.