How to Open a Padlock   

Padlocks are handy locks used to secure your belongings against theft, harm, and any unauthorised use. They are intended to withstand some degree of force allowing for a certain degree of protection from unauthorized users. A typical padlock consists of a body with locking mechanism, and a shackle. The shackle is usually shaped like the letter “U” and is made from a hard metal. This shackle goes through the housing of what is being protected by the padlock. There is no better way to open a padlock than to use the correct key or code combination. On the other hand, there are other ways to unlock a padlock. Harm to possessions secured by padlocks has been a big problem since its first use and as a result, manufacturers always kept on improving the design of these padlocks to make it difficult to unlock them illegally. However, people always find new ways to open padlocks of any kind.

Here are some ways to open a padlock aside from using the correct key or combination:

Picking

Picking a padlock involves great skill and perseverance to master the craft. Lock picking is closely associated with criminal activities but there are other applications wherein it is perfectly legal like in the case of an emergency where a locksmith is needed to open a padlock without damaging it. Lock picks can be purchased in “sets” and basically includes several types of picks and tension wrenches.

The tension wrench is inserted into the padlock’s cylinder and a light pressure is applied to turn the cylinder. The pick is then used next to push the locking pins up and out of the cylinder’s way. The most important thing to remember when picking a padlock is to apply just enough pressure on the tension wrench rather than the movement in picking the pins. When the right amount of pressure is used via the tension wrench, it will cause the pins to jump into alignment, and with a few more strokes the padlock will open.

Shackle Shims

The shackle (U-shape) of the padlock is normally fastened into the body by means of tiny spring loaded bolts. Most padlock models have a small space around the shackle and the hole of the body where the shackle will enter. A shackle shim is an extremely slim piece of metal like the ones used in soft drink cans. The shackle shim will then be slid down the side of the shackle and pushed deep into the body. This action can drive open the locking bolts, and the padlock will then unlock.

Bump Keys

Less expensive padlocks usually consists of a few pins only compared to padlocks of high-quality. These cheap padlocks do not serve their purpose well as they can be unlocked by just using a bump key. A bump key looks like a regular key save for the uniform grooves.

The bump key can be inserted into the padlock’s cylinder using enough force to get it all the way in, which can make the pins jump into alignment correctly. This technique is at times called “a quick bump”. The skill needed for this technique is less compared to picking a lock using a lock pick set.

Combination Padlocks

Ball bearings are mostly being utilized in combination padlocks to establish when the proper combination is keyed-in. But sometimes even if these bearings align properly, there is some resistance that you can feel when releasing the shackle. This can signify that the code used is accurate or at any rate just five codes away from the exact code if the bearings are intended to line up on the opposite side of the padlock. However, this technique doesn’t always work especially for good quality combination padlocks.

We open locks in London with our locksmith service.

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