Hello!
Recently I have had a lot of trouble with my school issued Masterlock padlock. These are the combination locks which also have a key hole in them at the back and are typically given out by high schools or colleges for students lockers. I have been having a TON of difficulty trying to get mine to open and since the locks no longer have serial numbers on them, I can't ask Masterlock for the combination. So far, I've been trying to crack it with help from Youtube and online forums. However, each method has presented me with a few problems and I have not been successful with any yet.
I have included a video I watched for each method
Combination
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tWdaB20c9E
First method I attempted was to actually guess the code again so instead of picking my lock each time, I could write the code down and be set. However, at the first step where you pull up on the U and spin the combination lock to find which numbers it stops on, I ended up with:
3, 6, 9.5, 13, 16, 19.5, 23, 26, 29.5, 33, 36, 39.5
Because of this, I could not find the 3rd digit it the combination and consequently had no number to divide by four to complete the other two steps. I tried finding which numbers the lock stopped on several times and these are definitely the numbers. There are twelve numbers like in the video, however, the odd ones out seem to be .5 numbers. On top of this, there are only four of these odd numbers (who have nothing odd between (they all go up by ten)). Unfortunately, there are no missing numbers. You are supposed to end up with twelve, and that is what I got. I also attempted this method on my friends identical lock and came up with the exact same numbers. This makes me wonder two things:
How am I supposed to find the number to divide by four?
Are these types of locks even susceptible to this method of lock cracking?
Shim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM5g1KPJYTQ
The second method I attempted to crack my lock with was the shim technique. Simply put, the bottom portion of my shim would always tear whenever I tried to wedge it between the lock mechanism and the U.
Are school locks Shim-proof like the one in this video?
How can I shim it if it is shim proof? (without tearing my shim)
How can I shim it if it is not shim proof? (without tearing my shim)
How can I make a perfect shim that is guaranteed to work as long as I use the correct method? (in case my shims were all too big or small)
Picking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saaXqaRarn4
Simply put, nothing. I was using a paper clip and have a lock pick set on its way to my residence. However, nothing.
How much tension should be placed on the wrench?
How many pins are there in these padlocks?
Also, I read somewhere that once you have the lock open, you could find out the combination by shining a flashlight into the lock, spinning the lock and looking for which numbers make the pins inside move. Is this true? Can someone explain this a little more comprehensively to me?
Please help. I'm super desperate. My locker has all of my school stuff in it! Anyway, any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks so much for reading my post!
ardvark15