I am a newly obsessed picker, and after making quick work of a cheap chinese acrylic lock (using the bundled cheap chinese picks), I ordered a couple padlocks to practice on. A Master 140, and an Abus 55/40 to be exact. I expected the Master to be easy, I was not expecting it to be comical. It is something of a challenge to get the pick fully in the plug without accidentally setting all the pins. I say that not as a joke or insult, but as a statement of fact. It is easier to pick this lock than it is to not. Let's look at the bitting to see why:
http://i.imgur.com/s4Ytf5Q.jpgThe last three pins are so level and so shallow that they are all set as soon as the pick touches them. From there all you have to is accidentally tap the first pin with the shaft of the pick, and you're in. It is almost useless to learn SPPing on, as it opens itself before you can start moving your pick around!
My Abus presented a similar weakness. A class ahead of the 140, the 55/40 provided the challenge I was hoping it would. However, while poking around its spools I discovered an exploitable weakness. Take a look at this photo:
http://i.imgur.com/vTz2tVz.jpgSee the similarity between the bitting and the hook? Angled properly, and rocked ever so slightly, the hook acts as a key holding the pins in the proper position. I still struggle a bit to honestly SPP this lock, but with this exploit I can open it in under a second nine times out of ten.
Did I get really unlucky with my first two locks, or is cruddy bitting part of the bargain with cheap locks? Do higher security lockmakers have some sort of quality control for their bitting?
I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of an Abus 90/50 today, wish me good bitting!
