Magnetic Lock

[mrfirebug]

Any body ever played with a magnetic lock?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=98855&item=5975395935&rd=1

I was just wondering what tools would be used to pick a lock like this. Granted, I know it will not be any conventional tools because it's not a conventional mechanism. Mabye I'll bid and tear it up... possibly post some pics on here if I end up winning.

Mike

[vector40]

On a similar but unrelated note, anyone familiar with magnetic door locks? I haven't a clue how you'd open one of those.

[HeadHunterCEO]

not applicable
can't pick it or manipilate it
gotta bypass it

all i say

[hzatorsk]

...I was just wondering what tools would be used to pick a lock like this. Granted, I know it will not be any conventional tools because it's not a conventional mechanism. ...
Mike

I had a similar magnetic padlock.

Actually they can be quite easy to open. I had one of these years ago and took one of the keys apart by peeling off the foil. Essentially it was a drilled with holes and small round magnets inserted in it.

The position and polarity of the magnets in the keys match the position of the magnetic 'pins' in the lock. Each of the key pins had a white dot on magnetic north.

Each magnet in the key must repel to push the pins inside lock away.

So... without a key (but having a handful of tiny magnetic pins)... take the loose magnet pins from the key... stick them on the area of the lock the key operates until they 'stick' (are attracted). Now you know which pins are north oriented, which are south and where they are in the key area.

Carefully push some cold modelling clay over the key pins trying not to move them. Remove the clay with the embedded pins intact.

With tweezers... remove each magnetic key pin and turn it around. Now... they will repel instead of attract. Some will be north... others south... this is what keeps a regular large magnet from opening the lock.

Push the clay/pins back onto the lock and it will open.

Virtually every time...

By the way... the pins in the lock have weak springs as tiny magnets must be able to overcome them... which means they are also subject to rapping.

hz

[mrfirebug]

Nice, thanks for the description. I was wondering how that worked, and knowing that I assume these are very insecure. You can, for lack of a better word, "impression" a key virtually on the spot to open it.

So, I don't think I'll be bidding on this lock. I'll save my money for a conventional one.

[Chucklz]

If your lock doesnt have "dots" just add your own. Of course, there is a rather easy way to open these. A strong enough magnet will attract the small magnets inside (regardless of polarity. Try sticking a Rare Earth magnet to a cheap refridgerator magnet) .

[Mad Mick]

Chuck:
What are the magnets used to position the heads in a HD classed as, as these little buggers are pretty d*mn strong?

[mcm757207]

Wouldn't you also be able to use just a normal magnet? As in you bind all of the inside 'pins' but pulling pu on the shackel and then find the binding pin, apply the correct polarity, go to the next one, etc.

[Mad Mick]

MCM:
The problem with these types of lock, is that the magnetic 'pins' can be spaced ( e.g.) NSNNSNSS in a very small area. A regular magnets' field is not concentrated enough to target a specific pin, hence Chuck's suggestion of a very strong magnet to pull all the pins at once.

Hope I'm on the right track here.

If not, I'm the one sat in the corner with a certain hat on.

[mcm757207]

I was just wondering, is there such thing as an electromagnet that would be powerfull enough?

[Chucklz]

The idea here isnt to manipulate the pins individualy, but rather to manipulate them wholesale. The rare earth magnet will be strong enough to pull all the magnets in one direction Just find the direction depending on the lock brand, and there you go.

Mick, yes a harddrive magnet may be enough.

[HeadHunterCEO]

ugh
thought this was a maglock thread


my bad

[MrB]

Electromagnets?

Size for size, permanent magnets like the ones you find in loudspeakers are much stronger than electromagnets. Very strong electromagnets are made, but they tend to be quite big, heavy and relatively expensive. I once got shown around a magnet factory, and the guy there had a big electromagnet on the bench that could demagnetize and remagnetize the regular kind of strong magnets that chucklz mentioned. You did not want to let your watch anywhere near that thing or it would have been turned into scrap metal.

[Mad Mick]

I was just wondering, is there such thing as an electromagnet that would be powerfull enough?

What you need here, are four di-hedral strontium magnets. Although the initial internal magnetism of strontium is pretty minimal, the actual field can be focused through a 1:3 diopter and targeted via the utilisation of a step-up transformer. The windings typically need to be 18.3 CFM/2" in circumference, and wired series-parallel through a pair of bridge rectifier inputs. The outputs must go through 1.2 meg-ohm pull up resistors, otherwise an excessive current drain will overheat the rectifier. The usual tolerance for the 1.2 meg resisters is circa 10% with the gold identifer bands, but if you have access to some white-out, the tolerance can be considered negligible. A hard-hat is strongly advised when working with electromaticity, as is a pedicure when meeting the dentist.

HTH,
Mick.

[mrfirebug]

have any of you professionals had to deal with locks of this nature on duty?