Security Camel

[Kheops]

Anyone familiar with these locks? I was recently given one and it's giving me a hard time and I can't understand why.

It's a very heavy padlock, must weigh a pound or two. Has a camel logo and the inscription Security Camel. Says Made in China on the bottom. Appears to be an interchangeable core pad lock.

Honestly it doesn't seem to be well put together, which is why I'm pretty puzzled as to why I can't pick it. Ex: as soon as I apply tension, it turns a few degrees, as though the pins were all too small in diameter (poor tolerances??), if I try picking some pins bind, and some bind too much. Even after I remove tension some pins need a LOT of convincing to come back down... and I'm not sure but I think I could probably easily overlift ALL the pins, and push the key pins into the bible. When I look and the lock I can see the shear for the first stack...

By the way, the locks seems to have lived a pretty hard life...

[GWiens2001]

How about a picture or two? Would like to see the front of the lock and the keyway. Might even make you a trade offer it is looks cool, even if it is cheap as heck.

Gordon

[silvfox1200]

On some of those locks you need to use TOP tension. The plug will bind to the cylinder on some using bottom tension.

[Kheops]

[Kheops]

It looks like a IC padlock... but I am not really sure.

I tried TOP tension and in all honesty, much worse. I've never encountered a lock that behaves the way this one does... I wouldn't exclude the possibility that it's got jammed springs or top pins.

[Kheops]

By the way, the springs are ridiculously weak. I would say they are just slightly stronger than gravity.. meaning that if I hold it up side down the pins don't fall into the bible....but I think they are very close to doing so, even though the pins are very small and lightweight. Also, the plug is a little different. The bottom of the plug has a row of holes that correspond perfectly to the holes for the stacks of pins.

[Divinorum]

This lock looks like a knock off of the American Series 700. Similar to the U.S. General Made in China lock sold at Harbor Freight. Its made very poorly and that actually make it somewhat challenging to pick. I agree TOK and you might need to use more tension to get it to bind.

[GWiens2001]

Kheops,

That has a removable core, but is not an IC. Either SFIC or LFIC refers to a lock that can have the core removed using a special key called a 'control key'. That lock can be disassembled by opening the lock, then removing a screw from inside the shackle hole.

It is interesting, but with a name like that, you'd think it was a knock-off from Saudi instead of a knock-off from China.

Gordon

[Kheops]

Very interesting, thanks for the replies.

Would it be worthwhile to try torquing using a Fynch type torque tool to try and pick to control? Would this have better a better chance of success?

[1mrchristopher]

Would it be worthwhile to try torquing using a Fynch type torque tool to try and pick to control? Would this have better a better chance of success?

There is not a control position on this cylinder, it's either locked or unlocked. To remove the cylinder, you open the lock, look down into the hole the shackle enters to see which type of screw is there, and use the corresponding screwdriver to remove the screw, which is holding the cylinder in the body. Once the screw is removed, if the cylinder doesn't fall out, tap on the lock with the handle of the screwdriver and it should come free.

[1mrchristopher]

Looking online several UK locksmiths are selling similar locks that they call "camel style." Made it appears, by any one of a thousand Chinese factories pumping out, as my boss puts it, "the best stuff on earth." His tongue in cheek philosophy, offered up whenever something is labeled 'made in China' is: "All good things come from China."

[Kheops]

All right, great stuff, thanks a lot!

[billdeserthills]

I have a few brand new security camel locks hanging in my shop, gathering dust. I bought them through Ultra Security Products, years ago for a few dollars each. They are a copy of a real lock, the American 700 series. I haven't put my best imported bolt cutter up against them, so I don't know just how hardened that shackle is...
I have found, as others have mentioned for some reason some cheaply constructed locks are harder to pick. I know I spent enough time to pick 3 locks this morning picking a Defiant deadbolt that was being defiant. I start with my pick gun, then switch to hand tools, but I did that several times, before it gave up and finally opened. I noticed whoever installed it made the latch so tight that much extra effort was needed to overcome that, not making my job any easier. I was actually thinking of 1mrchristopher who charges $65 on a lockout, when I heard the realtor say "Just make the bill for $100" so there went the old community discount, right into my pocket!

[Kheops]

I recently bought a used Master 930 padlock. Very similar, apparently the 930 is ALSO a knock off of the American 700... I discovered on the 930 that pushing the lock down, forcing the shackly inward, made the lock much more easy to pick.

So I decided, might as well try the same technique on the Camel... It's going a little better, I am starting to get SOME binding, but still can't open it.

[GrzyWhop33]

Maybe a little lubrication on the lock? That's what I would do to make sure everything that is supposed to move, well, moves.