Are you facing difficulty in opening an old lock? Have you lost your keys to an old lock? Do not worry; this article will guide you on how to pick an old lock. We will go through the most common types of old locks and explain how to pick them. You can either do it yourself or contact Rekey lock in Norridge to help you fix the issue. The first step is to identify the type of lock you have.
Types of Old Locks
Warded Lock
Warded locks are one of the oldest locks. They date back to the Middle Ages, and some people still use them today for low-security requirements. These locks use wards or obstructions to prevent the wrong key from opening the lock. Only the correct key will overcome the obstructions and open the lock. Some locks have obstructions on the outside to provide additional security. You can not rotate the key if the notches on the key do not match the wards in the keyhole.
In modern times, these locks are considered outdated and low-security.
Some warded locks are double-sided, which means that you can unlock them from both sides of the door with the key. When you insert the key, the notches in the key align with the obstructions in the keyhole. After rotating the key, the spring in the lock activates and releases the bolt.
How to pick a Warded Lock?
You can bypass a warded lock by lockpicking and key impressions. The most famous attack against warded locks is skeleton keys. The skeleton key is explicitly made by removing all the excess material and only keeping the vital parts of the key to open the lock. You can read more about skeleton keys by clicking here. However, if the warded lock has obstructions on the outside, bypassing it with a skeleton key will be difficult.
Pin-Tumbler Lock
Pin-Tumbler lock uses pins of different lengths inside the keyhole. When you raise the pins at a specific height, the bolt releases and opens the lock. The pin-tumbler dates back to 2000 BC. Most pin-tumbler locks have three or five pins, and some locks have more pins for additional security.
Pin-tumbler locks have a casing on the outside that consists of a plug. There is a small gap between the plug and the casing. This gap is the shear line. The key inserts inside the plug and the plug rotates and opens the lock. There are holes above the plug that contain pins of different lengths. The pins are lower and raise smoothly with the help of the springs.
How to pick a pin-tumbler lock?
You can either buy a lock pick set or try to pick the lock with household items. You can use a bumper key to like them, but the most popular method is a tension wrench and a pick. Two normal-sized paperclips are ideal to pick this lock. One will work as a tension wrench, while the other paperclip will work as a pick. Now, insert the tension wrench in the bottom of the keyhole and apply a little pressure. The tension wrench will help raise the pins inside the keyhole to align with the shear line. Insert the pick on top of the keyhole and try to raise all the pins. It can take some time as you will have to apply the right amount of torque.
If you are doing it for the first time, it is better to contact Lock repair and replacement in Norridge to save time. After raising the pins, you have to rotate the tension wrench to unlock the lock. Tension wrench plays a significant role in picking locks. You can read more about it here.
Padlocks
Padlocks are also one of the oldest types of locks. They date back to 500 BC and were used mainly by merchants or traders who had to travel and protect their products from thieves. However, these locks are low-security locks and can easily be picked. The top of the padlock is called the shackle—the shackle locks in the padlock’s body. When you disengage the lock, the shackle will move. The body holds all the components of the lock. When the shackle is in the lock position, both sides of the shackle will be in the body. When it is not locked, only one side of the shackle will be in the body. The body has a keyway at the bottom.
How to pick Padlocks?
The locking mechanism of the padlock is similar to a pin-tumbler lock. It also has pins in the body that you must raise at a certain height to open the lock. The tools used to pick padlocks will also be the same. The tension wrench will apply pressure from the bottom of the keyhole, and the pick will raise the pins one by one from the top. After raising all the pins, the tension wrench will rotate to disengage the shackle.
Conclusion
This article has explained how to pick an old lock. There are many other old locks. The locks mentioned above are the most commonly used old locks. Professionals do not recommend these locks in modern times because of their vulnerabilities. However, there have been some modifications in these locks that make them somewhat acceptable in modern times.
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