
A difficult lock to pick [video] - bane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ey2SFHbZV8
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steakejjs
If you ever listen to people who really love locks talk about locks they all
seem to say one thing. "All locks are pickable [or attackable]". This just
means that this particular lock is abnormal and most lock-people don't have
the experience to attack it, not that it is secure.

If you are semi-interested in locks, I really recommend listening to Schuyler
Towne talk about locks. He's one of those people who is very passionate about
what he does in a way that interest in locks really rubs off onto you in a
really educational and relatable way.

Here's a longer talk about the history of locks by him from 2012. It's a great
place to start.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqjacHSTd48&list=UUBDpLXSbLH...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqjacHSTd48&list=UUBDpLXSbLHkPVocZgMuBTMw)

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jrockway
The other thing to keep in mind is that a system is only as secure as its
weakest link. You might not be able to pick this lock, but if you really want
to get inside, a crowbar might work.

~~~
Animats
Better doors are available, especially in countries with terrorism problems.
See, for example, Israel's "www.rb-doors.com". Their residential doors look
like ordinary doors, but when the door is locked, seven bolts come out four
sides, like a vault door.

~~~
TheLoneWolfling
And then they go through the wall.

~~~
Animats
In difficult areas, making residences out of reinforced concrete, stone, and
cinder block is very common.

~~~
TheLoneWolfling
Yep. Still. You'd be amazed at the number of people who install reinforced
doors in non-reinforced walls.

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dsl
It looks like the lock is made by the Sheng Jhou Co. of Taiwan and probably
stamped with English/European markings by an OEM.

They seem to sell it in a few different formats as a "flexible key" lock.
[http://www.ttnet.net/search/products?list=products&flag=1&cs...](http://www.ttnet.net/search/products?list=products&flag=1&csrf_token=ypW66dhUaQh%2FL5v45ceMNA%3D%3D&find=flexible+key)

EDIT: Looking up the inventor yields a few patents that seem to cover the
design as well as some other pretty nifty mechanical stuff
[https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=pts&hl=en&q=ininvent...](https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=pts&hl=en&q=ininventor:%22Yun-
Tung+Hsu%22)

~~~
danbruc
The key says "FÜR HERVORRAGENDE LEISTUNGEN" on the left, German meaning "for
outstanding performance", a phrase commonly used to honor something that is
very good but still did not win the award. On the right is "SALON DES
INVENTIONS DE GENEVE", French for "International Exhibition of Inventions
Geneva" [1]. So it did probably well in the "1991 GOLDEN AWARD" but did not
win. On the metal it just says "SOFT KEY", "PATENT" and the company logo, the
back side of the plastic part contains the company logo and "PATENT" again and
another round logo with 12 stars and something in the middle I am unable to
identify.

[1] [http://www.inventions-geneva.ch/index.html](http://www.inventions-
geneva.ch/index.html)

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Wistar
Here's another thread about HYT locks but with a deadbolt assembly.

[http://www.keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=9161](http://www.keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=9161)

And another video with an HYT padlock that shows the "curving" key. Pretty
amazing.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhfTh_tcqc](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhfTh_tcqc)

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Intermernet
According to
[http://www.keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?p=81902&sid=69cf8ad0...](http://www.keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?p=81902&sid=69cf8ad0beb481163a4fc4a5d184eeca#p81902)
This lock _can_ be picked, but not easily:

"If you want to open one of these, I made a diamond pick out of thick plastic
from an engine oil bottle. It was flexible enough to bend at the curved
keyway, but if you were careful, they were still strong enough to manipulate
the pins. The shank of the plastic pick will need to be wide enough to give
some strength to the pick.

Also made a back-up key from a milk jug that lasted for one opening, and
another from the oil bottle that lasted for four openings. The picks an
plastic keys wear out quickly."

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Groxx
Obviously not unpickable (and the video doesn't claim it is), just hard with
standard tools. That is a very neat key system though.

~~~
thret
Once you have a pick that can follow the curves like the key, picking it
should be just as simple as any other lock.

You certainly couldn't make the pick out of street-cleaner bristles! It isn't
clear if you could do that with some other material (I'm thinking of a thick
kind of flexible wire) or if you would need to make a similar type of chained
pick. Depends on the force required I guess.

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gnoway
Is there a rigid section penetrating into the lock channel at all? It seems
like this lock would be especially prone to broken keys from over torquing.

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inportb
It appears that the tip of the chain housing fits into the lock "vestibule" to
apply torque.

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BorisMelnik
beautiful piece of machinery. would love to see this lock make an appearance
this year in 2600's lock pick village at HOPE con.

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x1798DE
Who is claiming that this is unpickable? Very misleading title.

~~~
dang
Good point. We changed it. (The original title is baity, which is why we
haven't reverted to it.)

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seany
I love bosnianbill's channel. It's nice watching videos by someone who both
knows that they're talking about and is passionate about it.

