No need for lock picking tools

This is something I knocked up to show how terrible some locks are.

I found this one in my garage. It was from when my wife and I went to a Download festival a couple of years back and is a lock from one of those paid-for secure storage places where you can leave your car keys, phone etc.

Let’s just repeat that; paid-for secure storage.

It’s got no easy bypass and I’m useless at picking locks, but look at the little gold panel on the side…

It’s made of a different metal which has been pressure welded in place. The metal is very malleable, so a bit of levering from a thin spudger…

Once that little panel is off it looks like you could force the shackle with a screwdriver (I used a tension wrench as it was slightly thinner).

Notice where the pins are capped – that is very soft and looks like solder to me.

Couldn’t get enough heat to melt the caps without using the blowtorch, so instead tried using a hammer, a nail and some pliers to peel it back. Worked a charm.

Here it is with all the pins popped out. Easy to open now!

A final test before I go to bed: how long will it last against my dirt cheap 45 cm bolt cutters? About two seconds. I’m wondering whether to see how well the body resists a blowtorch now.

Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil I had a go at the body with a blunt junior hacksaw. Took about 30 seconds to cut through.

There’s not a lot more to say.