Security dinner theatre

[hirez]

I've been quietly fiddling with a set of picks and a demo lock for a few months now. I fear I must admit that I've been getting precisely nowhere.

Earlier, I was digging through the coffee tins filled with random stuff in the cupboard under the stairs, hunting for some longish nails to use as soil probes so I could build an Arduino-based pot plant monitor. As well as finding more or less the right sort of nails, I found a pair of padlocks that I probably bought on the off-chance that I'd need to secure, er, something.

For a laugh, I set about the one on the left first. Probably because the thing sprang apart with a reassuring clank when you operated the key.

I fiddled with the picks for a few seconds and, lo! It sprang open with a somewhat less reassuring clank.

I tried it again, just to be sure. The same result. On the third go, I leaned on the torsion lever a bit harder. It sprang open with a not-reassuring-at-all-now clank, the picks some few centimetres away in my other hand.

I'm rather glad I never used that one, though it looks all hefty and secure and everything.

The one on the right required actual work. Admittedly only about eight or ten seconds of ham-fistery, but still. That one came from a proper shop, too.

In short: Yikes.

Meanwhile, the potential pot plants I want to monitor may end up as chili bushes.

Comments

[jarkman.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think that right-hand one is the one we used to use to secure the garage here. I doubt it was very expensive. Hopefully more expensive than detent-boy on the left.

On the subject of chillis, much of our cooking lately has been fuelled by a random chilli plant that D bought in the supermarket. Very tasty. And fresh, obv.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

I should probably try the tights-and-hammer trick on the one that's all mouth and trousers. For science.

The chilli(s) came from a chap at ex-work who grew them on the windowsill. 'ex-work' - that's weird. Like a muppet, I managed to scratch the inside of my ear shortly after chopping them up, which entirely predictable results.

[evilmattikinz.livejournal.com]

I've found the cutaway locks from mad bob to be really quite challenging, despite the fact you can sort of see what you are doing (presuming this is the one you are talking of?). Mine has a good number of spool pins and I find it hard to get a pick to do anything sensible at the back of the lock.

In positive news, at new company I've encountered colleagues spontaneously gathering in the kitchen brandishing company picks and a motley collection of locks so I'm hoping there is something to be learnt.

[nalsa.livejournal.com]

Gah. Am now looking at lockpicks online. My work browsing history is now a justifiable termination waiting to happen.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Yarp. I imagine it's because it's a nice new lock and all the surfaces mesh well together. Yon padlocks were mostly deliberately Not Terribly Good. I have also avoided finesse and wang the Bogota rake back and forth with gusto.

That sounds jolly good. More of that sort of thing.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of service!

[evilmattikinz.livejournal.com]

You working in that Londinium place like me nowadays? We should catch up for a swift half and exchange of notes on how not to pick locks.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Yes.