tapered shackles?

[dontlook]

Has anyone ever seen a tapered shackle?

I was looking at a lock(actually two different locks) that are internet connected and it seems that instead of using ball bearings, they use the vulnerable pawls.

The shackle holes only fit the shackle where it is thinner, and it tapers quickly that it ate my regular coke can shims. The fit was snug enough that when a close the lock with the shim, it wouldn't rotate(just tear), even a couple different thicknesses of metal.

The question I have, is wouldn't this make the shackle more susceptible to snapping?

[gumptrick]

I've never seen a shackle that was tapered in the true sense of the word, i.e. conical.

But I have seen shackles that have a sudden change in diameter right where they enter the body of the lock. You are correct--that would make the lock more susceptible to physical attack compared to having the shackle at its full large diameter with no reductions anywhere. That's for two reasons: the smaller diameter metal is weaker simply due to reduced cross section, and also because any change in diameter, notch, groove, etc, creates a stress concentration.

But that might be moot if the shackle is thick enough even at its narrowest point.

I've seen some pretty extreme examples of this too. Here's a really good one:

...That's a special version of the Abloy 321. It has a seriously secure core (Protec2) yet you could probably get into that with ordinary pliers given how thin the shackle is!

[GWiens2001]

Is that for locking out electrical breakers while you work on the circuit?

Gordon

[gumptrick]

To be honest I am not 100% sure what its purpose is. The site I found the photo on (Security Snobs) suggests that it is for luggage. But I think your idea of it being used for breakers or some other industrial application makes more sense.

Then again, aren't most LOTO locks brightly colored for visibility and color coding? I did LOTO training for a company I worked for many years ago; I often had to visit customer sites at chemical plants, etc, and it was part of the basic safety training needed for working onsite. They were big on insisting that the LOTO locks were color-coded for what department used them. I.e. the electricians used one color, plumbers had another, and so on.

[demux]

Most LOTO gear will fit a standard diameter padlock shackle (at least 1/4", if not 5/16") just fine.

The first thing that came to my mind when reading this was something like this:

https://www.grainger.com/product/MASTER ... lock-1U176

Were the locks you were looking at perhaps designed for some sort of emergency egress situation?

[gumptrick]

Most LOTO gear will fit a standard diameter padlock shackle (at least 1/4", if not 5/16") just fine.

I think what Gordon was getting at is that many circuit breakers have a narrow hole through the lever which you use to turn them on and off. A long narrow hasp like the one I posted a pic of could fit directly into that hole. The lock would be fitting to the breaker directly, not via the usual LOTO gear. This is just a guess, but I have seen similar locking devices many years ago.

What I suspect that dontlook was talking about is how some padlocks appear to have a very thick hasp, but the diameter where it actually goes into the body of the lock is reduced somewhat. My pic was an extreme example. A more normal one might be some of the newer Master locks that have the hexagonal shackle. The shackle is only hexagonal for the part that's visible outside the body. The parts that stick down inside the body to do the actual locking are circular and of smaller diameter than the main hexagonal part.

[femurat]

Master lock speed dial has the tip of the shackle turned down to a funny shape. I think this is what you're talking about.
Can't post a picture right now but I think you can easily find it if you haven't seen one already.

Cheers

[GWiens2001]

The master speed dial does not have a vulnerable pawl.

Gordon

[femurat]

I know it's not shimmable. But it has the shackle end, where it enter the lock body, thinned down.

Cheers

[GWiens2001]

Agree that it sounds like a likely candidate for the OP's lock. The comment on the pawl not being vulnerable was in response to Don'tlook's post.

Ciao!

Gordon

[femurat]

Well, my bad. Never mind.

Ciao