I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much attention.
Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some
ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to play
hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you had
to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.
But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring catches.
To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key could
not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing, key
inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this to?

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
From the moment I picked your book up until I put it down I was
convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.
-- Groucho Marx, from "The Book of Insults"

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much
attention.
Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some
ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to
play
hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you
had
to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.
But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring catches.
To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key could
not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing, key
inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this
to?

Hurd made one, ball detente, key-retain feature, nice. Google hurd
padlocks, apparently they made/make luggage padlocks as well, but don't know
if these had the ball/retained key feature. .
--
EA


--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
From the moment I picked your book up until I put it down I was
convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.
-- Groucho Marx, from "The Book of Insults"

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." writes:

I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Well, http://www.sargentandgreenleaf.com/PL-8077AD.php fits the
later issue, at least.
--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

On Aug 9, 1:24*pm, "Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:
I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much attention.

Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much attention.
Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some
ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to play
hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you had
to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.
But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring catches.
To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key could
not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing, key
inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this to?

Google "Double ball padlock"

On Thursday, August 9, 2012 2:24:12 PM UTC-4, Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's

the catch:



Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the

lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or

whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of

picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much attention.

Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some

ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to play

hero.



Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you had

to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.

But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring catches.

To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.



One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key could

not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing, key

inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.



Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this to?



--

Paul Hovnanian

------------------------------------------------------------------

From the moment I picked your book up until I put it down I was

convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.

-- Groucho Marx, from "The Book of Insults"

Good God man, this is a metalworking site!

Make a small guard that will lock in over the hasp that will disallow access to where the hasp enters the body.

Good God, you're telling the man to make unauthorized metal work changes to
a locker at a gym where he has membership!

He'll get a different locker each time he visits!

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

wrote in message
...

Good God man, this is a metalworking site!

Make a small guard that will lock in over the hasp that will disallow access
to where the hasp enters the body.

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much
attention.
Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some
ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to
play
hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you
had
to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.
But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring catches.
To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key could
not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing, key
inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this
to?

--
Paul Hovnanian

Don't know how they check out, but the hockey puck type are pretty tough.

Steve

In article ,
"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:

I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But here's
the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much attention.
Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some
ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to play
hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you had
to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.
But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring catches.
To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key could
not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing, key
inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this to?

I think you are looking for an Abloy padlock:
http://www.abloypadlocks.com/.

The smaller the model number, the smaller the padlock.

Joe Gwinn

Joseph Gwinn wrote:

In article ,
"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:

I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But
here's the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much
attention. Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker.
With some ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an
opportunity to play hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you
had to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to
depress. But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have
spring catches. To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key
could not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing,
key inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this
to?

I think you are looking for an Abloy padlock:
http://www.abloypadlocks.com/.

The smaller the model number, the smaller the padlock.

Joe Gwinn

Nice. They describe "3 mechanisms" by some marketing names. It would be nice
if they'd give the details of what each name meant.

Others have described "ball detente" "double ball" padlocks which sound like
the anti-shimming feature I'm after. A good locksmith shop should be able
to show me what they've got in stock with this feature. The big box
hardware store people are clueless.

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
Any sufficiently advanced parody is indistinguishable from a genuine kook.

Steve B wrote:


"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But
here's the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much
attention.
Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker. With some
ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an opportunity to
play
hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you
had
to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to depress.
But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have spring
catches. To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key
could not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing,
key inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this
to?

--
Paul Hovnanian

Don't know how they check out, but the hockey puck type are pretty tough.

Steve

Hockey pucks don't fit all gym lockers.

--
Paul Hovnanian
------------------------------------------------------------------
All men are mortal. Socrates was mortal. Therefore, all men are Socrates.
-- Woody Allen

In article ,
"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:

Joseph Gwinn wrote:

In article ,
"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote:

I'm looking for a reasonably priced, relatively secure padlock. But
here's the catch:

Most of the locker break-ins at the local gym are done by 'shimming' the
lock. That is, slipping a thin piece of sheet metal down the u-bolt (or
whatever its called) and depressing the spring catch. Other methods of
picking/breaking locks aren't used because they attract too much
attention. Picture bumping a padlock hanging on a sheet metal locker.
With some ultimate fighter just around the corner, looking for an
opportunity to play hero.

Many years ago, I had an old lock with no spring catch. To lock it, you
had to turn the key. That would work well, as there is no spring to
depress. But all the padlocks I've seen (in the $10-$20 range) have
spring catches. To make them more 'user friendly', I guess.

One other feature of my old lock (not a requirement) is that the key
could not be removed in the unlocked position. So I could toss the thing,
key inserted, into my gym bag and not loose either half.

Who makes one? Or what's the best Usenet locksmithing group to post this
to?

I think you are looking for an Abloy padlock:
http://www.abloypadlocks.com/.

The smaller the model number, the smaller the padlock.

Joe Gwinn

Nice. They describe "3 mechanisms" by some marketing names. It would be nice
if they'd give the details of what each name meant.

They do describe it somewhere on the manufacturer's website, or in a
downloadable catalog. You need only the oldest and simplest mechanism.

http://www.abloy.com/en/abloy/abloycom/Brochures/Padlocks/


Others have described "ball detente" "double ball" padlocks which sound like
the anti-shimming feature I'm after. A good locksmith shop should be able
to show me what they've got in stock with this feature. The big box
hardware store people are clueless.

The double ball padlocks (pioneered by American Lock) are shim-proof,
but there are many shim-proof designs. The real rationale for the
double ball mechanism is that it's very difficult to pull the hasp out
of the lock body with such a design, which is very strong.

Actually, there are two ways to shim a padlock: At the hasp and at the
cylinder. The padlock must be proof against both attacks. Abloy
padlocks are, as are all high-security padlocks.

There are lots of lockpicking websites that describe the standard
methods of attack. Here is one.

http://www.capricorn.org/~akira/home/lockpick/

Joe Gwinn

On Aug 12, 5:04*pm, Evan wrote:


Those hockey puck locks come off in less than 5 minutes
with a gasoline operated cut off saw, the skill there is in
not damaging the fixture the hockey puck lock is securing...

Problem is that most people who would typically be called
to remove them don't carry such a tool with them...

The grandkids were here this week So I spent a number of afternoons
at the local athletic center swimming pool. Did not see anyone there
with a gasoline powered cut off saw.

Another approach one could take is to make a box with a camera in it
as well as a noise maker. And put it in a locker so when the door is
opened a picture is taken and one has only a brief time to enter a
code or the noise maker goes off. Would not hurt to have the box be
electrically charged when the noise maker goes off. Maybe with a
micro switch so if the box is lifted the noise maker goes off and the
box gets charged immediately.

Dan