A tale of two padlocks

[Hachronn]

Have you ever had trouble picking a padlock only to tune into a YouTube video where the "same" lock seems to fall open at the touch of a pick? How about reading that post where a guy says that he can't pick a Schlage F Series deadbolt to save his business, and you pick yours both ways in under a minute?

Not all locks are created equal!

I have a Master 532 in my collection that I struggle with more than any other lock I own. It's tougher than my American 5200, and it gives me a hell of a lot more fight than my American 1305 ever did. I don't care what anybody says, that fracking 532 is a soul crusher.

Aside from the fact that it the biting is extreme (Deep, shallow, Deep, and extremely shallow), just getting something, anything, to bind is a chore. This lock has a sweet spot to beat all sweet spots. Once I have it, it's not so bad, but getting there is more than three quarters of the fight.

I've just about got this lock's number, and I've definitely moved from the luck to skill level of picking this lock, but it still a challenge every time I pick it up.

Now contrast that with the 532 I picked up over the weekend. I don't know why I bought it, but I was in a hardware store, it was hanging from a hook, and it went home with me. Talk about a lock that falls open at the touch of a pick. I all but whisper Peterson into the keyway and the hasp pops open.

I've been taking a bucket list approach to lock picking. The lesson here, at least for me, is that that needs to change. I could have just as easily picked up the second 532 first, and I would have moved on after deciding that it was trivial. Obviously, I'm learning far more from working with the PITA 532 than I am from picking the easy one. Anyway, that's my two cents for the morning.

[mseifert]

I completely agree.. I have the same situation but with 2 American 5200... I do find that the older of the 2 is a harder to pick than the brand new one I bought... May just be the grim .. but for just about every lock I own I have multiples and will pick all of them .. Because much like women .. Locks all have a different way of getting them to open up....

[Hachronn]

I couldn't agree with you more mseifert, but I'd be willing to bet that if you whispered Peterson at most women, they'd just look at you funny.

[GWiens2001]

Yes, each lock - even the same model - will pick differently. This is due to the same flaws whichwhich make picking possible.

As for the older American lock being harder to pick than the brand new lock - several possible explanations. One is that the newer lock has nice crisp edges on the pins and pin channels and plug, so it is easier to feel the 'clicks'. Another, which you mentioned, is grime deadening feedback and increasing wear.

The most likely, in my opinion, is that your older American was made before Master Lock bought American and introduced lower cost lock cores. These newer cores are just not as well made, and usually don't have the high quality serrated, spoorated, or even normal spool pins. They rely on the bump-stop pins. You can find a thread here on the site comparing the old and new American 5200 locks if you want a more detailed explanation.

Keep picking!

Gordon

[C-Horse]

I got my 5260 picked last night broke her down and cleaned out the grime. It was a great pick I am looking for another American or US lock to pick. I am willing to trade with you guys.

[mseifert]

I couldn't agree with you more mseifert, but I'd be willing to bet that if you whispered Peterson at most women, they'd just look at you funny.

[Robotnik]

Have you ever had trouble picking a padlock only to tune into a YouTube video where the "same" lock seems to fall open at the touch of a pick? How about reading that post where a guy says that he can't pick a Schlage F Series deadbolt to save his business, and you pick yours both ways in under a minute?

Not all locks are created equal!

I have a Master 532 in my collection that I struggle with more than any other lock I own. It's tougher than my American 5200, and it gives me a hell of a lot more fight than my American 1305 ever did. I don't care what anybody says, that fracking 532 is a soul crusher.

Aside from the fact that it the biting is extreme (Deep, shallow, Deep, and extremely shallow), just getting something, anything, to bind is a chore. This lock has a sweet spot to beat all sweet spots. Once I have it, it's not so bad, but getting there is more than three quarters of the fight.

I've just about got this lock's number, and I've definitely moved from the luck to skill level of picking this lock, but it still a challenge every time I pick it up.

Now contrast that with the 532 I picked up over the weekend. I don't know why I bought it, but I was in a hardware store, it was hanging from a hook, and it went home with me. Talk about a lock that falls open at the touch of a pick. I all but whisper Peterson into the keyway and the hasp pops open.

I've been taking a bucket list approach to lock picking. The lesson here, at least for me, is that that needs to change. I could have just as easily picked up the second 532 first, and I would have moved on after deciding that it was trivial. Obviously, I'm learning far more from working with the PITA 532 than I am from picking the easy one. Anyway, that's my two cents for the morning.

I completely agree. I too had taken a 'bucket list' approach to lockpicking, but recently ran across a standard Schlage SC1 5-pin deadbolt that - ordinarily - I'd have picked with my eyes closed, however this one has thrown me for a loop. Can't pick it, can't bump it, nothing.

I don't even know if the cylinder is functional, but I keep it on my shelf as a reminder to stay humble and to keep moving forward. If this was the first Schlage I tried to pick, I may have given up on lockpicking altogether, but as it turns out, I 'd picked dozens before I ran into this one. Maybe I'll pick it someday, maybe I won't, but either way, it will have definitely served its purpose, and I'll have learned a lot from it.

[Hachronn]

I completely agree. I too had taken a 'bucket list' approach to lockpicking, but recently ran across a standard Schlage SC1 5-pin deadbolt that - ordinarily - I'd have picked with my eyes closed, however this one has thrown me for a loop. Can't pick it, can't bump it, nothing...

I had a similar experience with a Schlage SC1 5-pin mortise cylinder. It was so bad that I was beginning to develop a fear of mortise cylinders. I eventually found that I had to alternate between BOK and TOK to get it picked. I'd approach it first with BOK, set a couple of pins, and then finish off with TOK. After much trial and error, that turned out to be the "key" to that particular lock.

[YouLuckyFox]

Aw, man. I thought this was going to be a review of the book of the same title by Charles Pickens; author of BEST Expectations, A Kwikset Carol, and The Posthumous Papers of the PickQuick Club.

[GWiens2001]

Aw, man. I thought this was going to be a review of the book of the same title by Charles Pickens; author of BEST Expectations, A Kwikset Carol, and The Posthumous Papers of the PickQuick Club.

Gordon

[Hachronn]

Aw, man. I thought this was going to be a review of the book of the same title by Charles Pickens; author of BEST Expectations, A Kwikset Carol, and The Posthumous Papers of the PickQuick Club.