Masterlock dodginess

[JoR]

I am quite annoyed with 2 Masterlocks I got. A No.5 and a No.160. The 160 has 5 pins apparently but one - yes one - rake unlocks it immediately. In a couple seconds. And the No.5 is horriffic also, single pin pick, pick, pick, pick, open. About 4 seconds.
I can't believe "big name" companies are able to produce this utter rubbish and sell them for a respectable sum of money, and then have poor sods believe they are protected to a certain degree when a basic beginner like me can come along and pick the locks easily. I hope for the consumers sakes the two locks I got were both flukes and so very easy to pick, because that's ridiculous.
Er, rant over?

[digital_blue]

Well JoR, believe it. Actually, not that I am just accepting of poor craftsmanship, but consider this. You are among the top 2% most knowledgable people on the topic of pin tumbler locks. I have nothing scientific to go on when I say that but I think that's pretty fair to say. I am pretty sure that if we were able to conduct a survey of people, say, in your community, and asked them a number of questions pertaining to the mechanics and bypass of tumbler locks, you would test among the top 2%. How many people really have the knowledge that you, even as a beginner, posess?

This is the attitude I take when I consider locks in general. They are designed as deterent. No more, no less. I do think it's a shame when companies produce a product that can be easily bypassed with, oh, I don't know, say a rolled up piece of paper, and then have the big brass ones to retail it for $59.99CA. But what the heck, it is enough to keep 99% of people out of it.

As I am so often saying in life.... it is what it is.

db

[Wolf2486]

Digital Blue is right. These locks are for those who have a false sense of security and just want something to keep "punk kids" from reaking havoc. The only reason Master is "big name" is due to their advertising. For those of us in the know here at Lp101, Master locks are low end security locks. A goal of some lock pickers is to show the world how they are being tricked into a false sense of security, I am not one of those lock pickers, but if it is something you would like to take up. All power to you.

[jessopher]

Most locks are little more than a visible cue. But in all fairness, master lock does make quite a few good locks, they just charge you accordingly. Their low end locks, what you can get for 5 bucks at a walmart, are 5 bucks worth of lock. But even then, low end master locks are durable locks, which is really all the average oerson needs, a lock that isnt going to stop functioning if it gets rained on a few times, or knocked around a little. If you want more than 5 dollars worth of security, expect to pay more than 5 dollars.

[raimundo]

Master lock co has made its 'big name' sell billions of these things. They are almost impossible to beat open with a pine stick.

[Wolf2486]

You certainly can't beat them open with a pine stick, your right; however, there are other ways that do work for these locks. No lock picking knowledge necessary. First of all get a tool such as the one pictured below. You insert this tool through the cylinder at the top (near the pins) and push. Then go to the bottom of the cylinder, and repeat. The shackle will pop right open. So far, this has worked on all the master locks I've tried.

This tool is just a pick in which I grinded off the head.


Yeah, they are durable against gun fire. However, for the No. 21 master locks and those like it, breaking off the rivit and just taking out the cylinder is not hard, after that all you read is a screw driver.


The red lines show the areas your pushing in when "popping" the padlock.

[JoR]

I suppose as you chaps say, it does keep 99% out. We're just that other 1. Thanks for your input.

And Wolf, thats one hell of a security flaw. Well done for working it out. I'd like to try it sometime.

[JoR]

I suppose as you chaps say, it does keep 99% out. We're just that other 1. Thanks for your input.

And Wolf, thats one hell of a security flaw. Well done for working it out. I'd like to try it sometime.

[jessopher]

Well i wasnt talking tamper resistant, or even bullet resistant, i was talking rocks and rain resistant, but wow @ the #21 bypass, thats ridiculous. Maybe the tone of my previous post seemed a little grouchy, but master DOES make some good locks, people just dont buy those. Is that really master's fault? I guess producing the crap locks in the first place is a little objectionable, are they not cheaper to manufacture?

[RenderMan]

I generally tell people that any lock you buy at Wal-mart/Home Depot/etc is nothing more of a glorified way of keeping something closed so it won't fall open.

Security from humans should not be something that even enters your mind if your using this lock (demo usually follows).

[vector40]

Jeez.

Not that I disbelief Wolf, but can anyone else verify that bypass? Seems like a pretty amateur thing to allow; a door lock where that was possible would be a joke. I mean, you're not even talking about interacting with the tumbler, as far as I can tell; you're talking about sticking a tool all the way past it and poking open the latch itself.

I'd try it, but I don't have a single Master padlock around here.

[digital_blue]

I believe that what wolf is talking about is engaging the locking dogs directly. This doesn't work on the master locks I have, but I could see that it may well work on some.

db