Alumininimn master 140???

[WilsonTrucking]

Looks like Master lock has done it again. I seriously don't understand the thinking behind most of their products. Last night I found an aluminum bodied Master 140. It's light, light, light and doesn't feel good in the hand. It feels as cheap as we all know Master lock is. Steel shackle, aluminum body ans brass core so a perfect receipe for corrosion and I swear the brass core is a harder material than the body of the lock. I put a gauge in the body just to experiment. I bit it and it left a tooth mark. For the exact same price ($9.96 CDN) I picked up a Stanley 40mm 5 pinner with security pins and a very narrow parascentir keyway. Again, WTF is Master thinking?

[billdeserthills]

I'm sure Master is thinking along the same lines that Schlage and all other greedy corporations
are thinking--That they need some fast money to give the CEO for his big bonus this year

[GWiens2001]

It is all about making the product as cheaply as possible, while maximizing profits. Quality? Not a part of the equation.

Gordon

[cledry]

Not all padlocks are meant for high security. Padlocks are sometimes aluminium for reasons of colour coding, some padlocks are safety lockout padlocks. A padlock on an electrical switch doesn't need to be high security, it is their so a switch isn't thrown inadvertently.

[CarWashGuy]

Same reason they will not change the way they manufacture their model 175 padlocks , knowing full well how easy they are to bypass. It's all about $$$ - like everyone else said.

[cledry]

Same reason they will not change the way they manufacture their model 175 padlocks , knowing full well how easy they are to bypass. It's all about $$$ - like everyone else said.

That is why any business is in business. You know your market and produce products that your market will buy. All lock manufacturers produce more budget oriented lines as well as better lines. It is up to the consumer to choose what fits their particular need. Can you imagine Schlage only selling grade 1 locks, they would entirely give up the residential market because very few will pay what these locks cost.

[CarWashGuy]

Same reason they will not change the way they manufacture their model 175 padlocks , knowing full well how easy they are to bypass. It's all about $$$ - like everyone else said.

That is why any business is in business. You know your market and produce products that your market will buy. All lock manufacturers produce more budget oriented lines as well as better lines. It is up to the consumer to choose what fits their particular need. Can you imagine Schlage only selling grade 1 locks, they would entirely give up the residential market because very few will pay what these locks cost.

Very true. I guess I just see them as not a 'cheap' lock at the consumer level. Walk into any Lowe's or Home Depot and the ONLY combination padlock of its kind you will find on the shelf is master (all easily bypassed). I guess on the broad spectrum so few people know about the bypass compared to how many 175s are sold each year it doesn't pay to fix the issue.

[GWiens2001]

They did make an upgraded model. But the original is still selling well, so they sell both models. Won't go into details, but the new model got rid of the old vulnerabilities, but introduced new ones.

Gordon

[gumptrick]

I don't see an issue with using aluminum for a padlock body. Most aluminum alloys are stronger than brass which has been a traditional lock material for years and years. I own numerous aluminum-body padlocks from various makers: Paclock, American, Abus, and Best. They all work very well. And like cledry mentioned the no. 140 isn't exactly a "high security" lock. If someone was concerned about resistance to attack with pry bars, hammers, pipe wrench, etc, I imagine the brass body 140 would be equally vulnerable and a much heavier lock would be in order.

As far as corrosion goes, yes, that is a potential concern any time you have two different metals in contact with each other. But believe it or not the combination of steel + aluminum is much better than that of steel + brass because aluminum and steel are much closer together on the galvanic series.

[WilsonTrucking]

I don't see an issue with using aluminum for a padlock body. Most aluminum alloys are stronger than brass which has been a traditional lock material for years and years. I own numerous aluminum-body padlocks from various makers: Paclock, American, Abus, and Best. They all work very well. And like cledry mentioned the no. 140 isn't exactly a "high security" lock. If someone was concerned about resistance to attack with pry bars, hammers, pipe wrench, etc, I imagine the brass body 140 would be equally vulnerable and a much heavier lock would be in order.

As far as corrosion goes, yes, that is a potential concern any time you have two different metals in contact with each other. But believe it or not the combination of steel + aluminum is much better than that of steel + brass because aluminum and steel are much closer together on the galvanic series.

Apparently you missed the part in my post where I said I left teeth marks in the body of the lock and the brass key left a HUGE gauge in the lock. The same key barely left a mark in the brass 140. So obviously this is a very soft aluminum alloy and is not normally used for padlocks. I have several other aluminum padlocks and none of those are anywhere near as soft as this one.

[WilsonTrucking]

So i finally got around to picking this lock today. Dont detect any security pins at all. I can apply heavy tension and go through the stack like clockwork, 3 2 1 4 and pop. Pitiful.

[gumptrick]

Wow, sounds like yet another another cheapening of the lock.
I have several older (brass) Master 140's and 150's that I bought as cheap training locks and those all have security pins.

To quote Bosnianbill here, it really does seem that when you think Master can't get any cheaper they find new ways to surprise you in doing so.

[mseifert]

To me the Master 140 is a visual deterrent,even their website recommends it for backpacks, suitcases, computer bags.. all things it would be easier to cut open then cut the lock.

[gumptrick]

To me the Master 140 is a visual deterrent,even their website recommends it for backpacks, suitcases, computer bags.. all things it would be easier to cut open then cut the lock.

Agreed. It's pretty clear from its thin shape that it would not resist much of any sort of physical attack, even in its brass form. You could bust one open in a matter of seconds with a prying tool (or a hammer if the lock is affixed to something rigid)

I think they're good locks to learn picking as a first introduction to security pins but I certainly would not use one to secure something of consequence.

[WilsonTrucking]

When i get home im going to mill this thing open. If im right and there are no securiry pins, im of a mind to contact master lock. It says right on the package that it contains "pick resistant pins". Could that be considered false advertising if it in fact doesnt?