Military Locks

[vector40]

Gotcha

[raimundo]

lockstock and picklebarrel should google for the "angle grinder man" is he still working london in his gold lame' cape?

[eric343]

Those particular padlocks are what is referred to in military parlance as a "sensitive item." That means that for every one you are able to purchase, somewhere there is a weeping young Liutenant, a furious Captain, and a severely irritated Colonel. That being said I'd be very curious to know what makes them tick, has anyone taken one apart?

I photographed one of these locks when I was in the Netherlands. Quite the lock, and if anyone has a reliable source then I know a man who would like to buy a few.

The lock has a stainless steel (?) body with ceramic anti-grinder inserts. The top part, containing the shackle, can be slid off the lock through the use of a 'control' key. The control key is simply a normal key that has a part of the shoulder removed so that it can be turned in the opposite direction that one normally turns the key. Removing the top of the lock allows the cylinder to be easily replaced.

The anti-drill cylinder cover and both parts of the lock body are serial-numbered in the military version of the lock. (the anti-drill cover has no true serial number, just a number from 0 to 9 stamped on it)

New the S&G 833 cost the military around $1500 each. They are, in the opinion of an expert (Han Fey, a collector of high security locks and safes) the most secure padlock in the world.

With any luck, my photos will be appearing in at least the next version of Marc Tobias' LSS+.

[eric343]

Oh yes you can occasionally find them at surplus stores. But I'll be the first to tell you that possession of them is very iffy, because of the DOD lock program. Those locks are not supposed to be discarded they are supposed to go to someplace for disposal (read distruction)

There are two versions of the lock. The military version, in which the critical parts have serial numbers, and the civilian version, in which those parts have no serial numbers. The civilian version is or at least was at one point available direct from S&G.

[vector40]

I have to say, that price seems completely absurd. You can get a safe for that much.

[HeadHunterCEO]

I got one of these on the desk at the shop
a military one but only one

coolest padlock ever

[eric343]

I have to say, that price seems completely absurd. You can get a safe for that much.

I'd have to ask Han Fey for the complete feature list, but for a hardened stainless steel body, anti-grinding ceramic inserts, field-disassembling capability, ultra-tough shackle, Medeco cylinder, and of course the military spec anodizing, the price isn't unreasonable. This is the most secure padlock in the world after all!

(the second most secure is the RotaLok, if I remember correctly.)

[vector40]

Ehhh. I dunno.

Seems like any situation where you're padlocking something, a lock soooo secure will just mean that it's easier to get in some other way. (Like an axe through the lid.) Seems like the number of applications for a mega-ultra-super-duper high security padlock are relatively limited. (High security? Sure. God-like security? Maybe not.)

[eric343]

How about locking up arms or ammo on a ship or military base -- where the containers are as secure as the padlock

[vector40]

Then there should be a lock built in

[n2oah]

Ehhh. I dunno.

Seems like any situation where you're padlocking something, a lock soooo secure will just mean that it's easier to get in some other way. (Like an axe through the lid.)

I can't tell you how many times I've seen a HUGE american padlock on a flimsy aluminum filing cabinet.
Wow, that lock...is just amazing! Has anyone here tried to pick it?

[eric343]

The lock uses a standard Medeco Bi-Axial cylinder, so...

[n2oah]

The lock uses a standard Medeco Bi-Axial cylinder, so...

It is pickable, but tough indeed.

[thertel]

Eric, I wonder if perchance the one you photographed was one of the group I shipped over. I have a semi reliable source for the lock (maybe 2 a year) that gets them to me at no cost. I did a bunch of 831b's as well this year overseas.

Next time I come across one I'll send it your way.

Thomas

[eric343]

Thomas,
I'd love to have one!

Send me an email at earshot at 2alpha dot com or unlocked at mit dot edu when you get some.