Yeah if that was made of hardened steel and on a secure facility, only a real lock geek would know how it works, even though it's so basic. Another means of entry would be found.
@@volvo09 hardened steel for a garage or barn door? OK, so I kick a few slats out of the boards and get in that way. Or use a cable saw to do the same quietly from the rear. Although, that is a bit much work to steal a hoe or something. Clever, easily mass produced, fit for purpose and well, more secure than a masterlock. I'll always give the Russians credit for cleverness where it's due, despite a dislike for their government.
@@spvillano that's why I said "secure facility"... A barn, or a house, is not secure... No one targets locks first. All I'm saying is that if it was the only point of entry it would confuse anyone unfamiliar with locks because it's so simple.
@@OrangeDog20 same as any other lock, tension the disk, and use a separate hooked pick to poke the open ports. This lock just rotates a circle instead of a barrel with pins. I'm not a lock picker, but it is basically a flat lock, not a cylinder like we are accustomed to.
"The exercise to design and build a pick is left to the class as homework." The three get progressively more difficult. Bonus points for developing a drill plan with time to defeat. (If I worked for a fire department, I would develop such as vandals could plug the hole for the standard key. Remember time to open matters.)
So true! Especially the biting one. I mean how do you know it has biting on the other side, how do you know the spaces or how many spring slots there are? I'll take my chances with a Master Lock.
My father used to make locks like this here in Russia in the 90s. I've seen all these types of keys and locks, but never factory made. These were the kind of locks you'd find on garage doors back then. They were often made by hand and had unique hidden features added for pick resistance. You can open the lock (even with a key), but the door won't open unless you do something non-obvious. Or the key won't turn unless you unlock the lock somehow. Brings back good memories. Thanks!
@ I'm not sure how it worked mechanically, but one of the tricks required inserting another key into the old keyhole (just insert, don't turn) to unblock the main lock. If you don't know this, you won't be able to open the door even with the key.
@@londonnight937 They even made small boxes, like it wouldn't open only if you turn a knob that might have been seen as a decor only on top, or will only open upside down.
Security through obscurity is a general garage door approach in Russia (mostly built in USSR or in 1990s). You can see a lot of uncommon or unique handcrafted locking mechanisms (they are usually part of a set, like a 1-2 normal locks and one weird) in those garage doors.
Вспомнился анекдот. "Воры обносили гаражи. Но ворота двух гаражей не тронули. Там висела записка. Извините, мы не смогли взломать столь странный замок". Вместо замка там висела скрученная проволока ;))
Exactly the same concept across the security world. It's not worth the effort to build the tools unless it's a common implementation or there's a high value target to get to. If you're in a hurry, bypass the security via brute force or the human element, which may also involve brute force.
I really value your videos on vintage and obscure locks. I appreciate all your work, but the unique locks are next-level fascinating to me. Thanks again.
@@abheekkaushal "darwin award" refers to someone getting themselves killed by doing something really stupid. Like, in this case, entering an elevator shaft.
Hey, I've seen a Master Lock that was really unpickable yesterday. At least unpickable for long enough to deter any thief. The only issue is that I, the key owner, was also locked out since the lock was frozen rock solid in ice 😂
My current security is "the road out of my neighborhood isn't passable by even most four wheel drive vehicles, you can get in but good luck getting out"
Back in 90's similar locks were used in Estonian technical school to lock the valuable computer classes. As the school had its own metal workshop, then these locks may have been made even in-house. Anyway it always looked special when teacher operated the locks to either unlock or lock the classrooms.
That Ukrainian lock reminds me of a ‘lock’ that I have seen on village huts in Africa, made completely out of natural materials. The ‘key’ was basically a curved stick - and if the curve or length wasn’t right, it couldn’t lift the bar across the inside of the door.
That would be pretty easy to pick with a mirror but one could imagine a variant where the whole backside is full of holes and the correct key grabs some combination of holes that need to be pressed. That would still be pickable, of course, but would require quite a bit of effort via small mirror.
@@MikkoRantalainen you bring up a good point! If you have enough “combinations” and some of the holes actually lock the cylinder when pressed it would make picking it incredibly consuming as it wouldn’t be obvious which holes would need to be pressed and pressing all of them wouldn’t work as the false holes would lock it up
I recognized the elevator lock immediately. Working as a security guard, I've had to use it a few times to rescue trapped guests. For reference, I have been trained in all the safety issues involved, and generally do not recommend using this key untrained... A falling elevator with trapped passengers isn't nearly as dangerous as one that starts to fall with someone in the doorway...
A brief explanation about falling elevator part might have been good. The point is that even if the cable for the elevator fails, it's safer to be inside the elevator than in the doorway. Modern elevators have both automatic brakes and heavy duty suspension in the bottom.
As a lift engineer, I used keys like these frequently. They’re really a different kind of security. Easy for engineers use but prevents accidental door opening.
That barn door one looks like the right amount of security for a barn door. Just enough to tell people to keep out, given they could probably axe thru the door in about 90 seconds anyway.
You do know locks only keep honest people out...I know you do. lol That $300 house door lock is just as secure when I go through your window...or your wall with a front end loader using a key from Amazon. Ha!
@@CanadaFree-ce9jn Locks also keep insurance companies honest -- most will refuse to pay out in a case of "mysterious disappearance". Forcing you to use a kinetic entry method doesn't protect my stuff, but does help me successfully file an insurance claim.
@@CanadaFree-ce9jn that saying was for padlocks, because they almost always have to make tradeoffs for ruggedness or price, resulting in a device that is good only for honest people or very low effort criminals. Static locks can be very secure and keep out a lot of dishonest people if used in the right context that does not allow an easy bypass. In your example you are blaming the lock for a very low security building
@@marcogenovesi8570 This, I like how these clowns always spring up as if (pretty cheap) steel doors you can only defeat with heavy industrial gear didn't exist...
Wow that last lock is so elegant. Optimised for cheap production. Love the fact there are only driver pins in the wheel and the key forms the other pins. Someone should make a miniature precision version with some refinements. Even without different pin heights you could get a lot of combinations by making the pins different shapes. Some round some square some triangular. That and moving the position of the pins. Then add fences between the pins to further hamper access to the pins. Just an idea!!
I hate to break it to you but pin location and length matters alot more than shape. I very small diameter pin the right length can depress driver of every shape if the length and location is correct.
@@Jonathan-hx6oy Not if there's a split-pin in a single hole. Have two of those that aren't exactly in line with each other. Then the very narrow pin only hits one side of the split pin in at least one of those holes, and leaves one untouched.
@@Jonathan-hx6oy Not really, these drivers are rounded so if your pin isnt really strong (like teeth of key above) and isnt pressing exactly in middle it will be bent out of shape instead of pushing, you will never open this with a wire...
Poland. My uncle made a drop key lock for his basement in an apartment block. He uses it together with a regular padlock, and the fact the keyway is just a hole might confuse any potential burglars who have never seen a lock like this in their lives
In Spain elevators don't use those, instead a very basic triangular key is used. And a square key in trains, where you can see Darwin award candidates opening the toilet that was out of service for a very good reason
Australian keys are similar, no drop keys (that I've noticed). An old flatmate was an elevator tech, I wound up with a set of keys for various things, including elevator keys. Never been interested in putting them to use.
We call those triangular keys Euro keys and are on nearly every UK lift. Except for lifts where Darwin Award candidates might be around where drop keys similar to those shown by LPL are often used.
@jameshodgson1609 - Euro keys are fitted to most new UK lifts - many councils still want Drop keys fitted and to their own specification, with different wards and cutouts. I used to have 5 or 6 different warded drop keys as well as a couple of different length flat drops. They are also used as fire brigade acces keys on door entry systems on blocks of flats. Euro keys are unfortunately the same as gas meter keys as they are given to virtually every household in the UK.
@@helmsman13 So, you use "ancient" as an euphemism for the repression? I'm sure this is a try to be friendly, but it wasn't the peoples fault that modern technology didn't reached them for a while... check history books...
@@Tuepp It always amused me how people find nonexistent meanings in others' words. The state produced these lock is long gone but its products are still in use even in its former parts. It is that simple.
At my old church one of the basement doors used a drop key lock similar to the barn door lock in design. The members were from the country of Belarus and have been here in USA since the end of WW2.
Yah, I'd always figured that was to open the door for maintenance and such when the elevator car wasn't there. But I thought of it more a "key" in the sense of a removable handle, to keep the average person from messing around with it -- like the hallway light switches at school that were just vertical slots, or the outside hose faucets that have a nut in place of a knob.
Deviant Ollam has a whole talk on elevators here on TH-cam somewhere, and it includes the type of lock you're describing, as well as how to bypass them, and why you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NEVER EVER DO THAT. Great video btw! Love seeing unconventional stuff like this on display
I love these videos on more unusual locking mechanisms! It's so fascinating to see all the different ways we've concocted to secure things - even if they're not the most popular or effective ways of doing so.
Hey, those are common in traditional houses and it's probably one of the first types of lock invented by humanity! It's a hole in the door frame with a sliding, notched bar inside and a metal rod with a moving flat piece of iron to interact with the notches to go into the hole and serve as key. We had one. This type of lock has been around at least since the medieval times, if not outright antiquity!
My grandfather had interesting lock like that in old house: There was a classic lock, but there was also a second lock that you could open/close using the same hole. I think it was amazing hand made solution.
My dad had a similar "lock in a lock" from a former apartment. The regular lock was with a classical large keyhole, but then there was this aftermarket device, essentially a small lock with a security key that would just fit the first keyhole, plugging it up when locked. I guess fine picking tools we're much harder to come by back then (1960s-70s), and trying to drill out the blocking lock would have permanently blocked everything.
I bought a digital safe recently where it was locked & didn't come with the backup keys. I was able to pick it open to get to where I could reset the combination to make it useful again. I could hear something inside. The keys weren't inside though. Still, a $200 dollar safe for $5 bucks is a deal that's worth it to me. The key way was one that I've never picked before. It was a 'laser track key' type of key. Your channel has helped me to go forward with things like this.
@ thats still a big hole,. As Priscilla Presley said in one of the naked gun movies, “he’s white, 6 foot three moustache “ Leslie Nielsen replied “thats an awfully big moustache “ I knew what he meant, calm down pendant.
How a drop key works in an elevator system All the landing doors (Doors on the floor) have an interlock system engaged when the doors close. The interlock release system is attatched to pair of rollers mounted on the door. when the roller is pushed, it pushes on the release arm attatched to the interlock which disengages the interlock to allow the door to open. In normal operation, the elevator door has a special arm on it called the clutch. When the elevator lines up with the floor, the clutch slides into where the rollers are, when the elevator door opens, the clutch pushes the roller to unlock the door, the rollers at this point, allowes the clutch to move with landing doors. When the elevator door's close, the clutch no longer pushes on the roller so the lock is engaged. The drop key opens the door by having the key line up with the rollers and when turned, engage the release arm to open the door.
@@Defy5 had a set of drop keys. Each company, i.e. Otis, used a different drop key to pick their lock. The one the LPL first shows could pick a G.A.L. or Otis door lock. Most commonly used one is say.
@@jaymassengill3340It was a great trade to be in allowed me to retire at 61 just about five months ago. I’d recommend it before sending someone to college for a generic degree that’s for sure. Though my son wouldn’t listen to me when I was telling him this. It can be hard work and it does have its pain in the ass moments but again overall it is a tremendous trade and a very well paying one oat that to be in.
This is amazing! While watching your videos I've considered the idea of a key like this that would be theoretically "unpickable" if the torsion points are sufficiently blocked from access. My idea was spring-loaded rather than gravity assist. Neat to see that similar concepts are a real thing instead of just in my head.
I am certain I have seen a key similar to the Russian one on my fathers work keys. He worked as a gas engineer in the UK from about 1970 to 2010. He is no longer with us, so I can't ask about it. The keys he had on that bunch were varied from simple three sided rods to double headed mortice keys, comically large key to tiny tubular keys. I guess the different manufacturers had their own key to keep unauthorised access to the dangerous gas parts of their machinery.
A fluke would require him to open a lock at least once without a key. As he opened no lock without the key and the key is intended to open the lock reliably, we can conclude that opening the locks was not a fluke.
Certainly, in the UK, they are also often used on the entrance doors of blocks of flats and apartments for fire access. I remember in a rather dodgy part of London waiting outside a block for a colleague to arrive to join me on a job. Two police officers arrived and tried to access the building but no one would answer the intercom to let them in. I stood a little way away from them scratching my ear with my drop key, one of them spotted it and ran over and asked to be let in. I wasn't going to approach them and offer, it wasn't that sort of neighborhood, but I was happy to help when they asked for it.
I’m from Siberia and my dad has almost exact key as the last lock. Instant flashbacks to the childhood when I have to go to the garage and open it with this strange key. We definitely need a picking of those!
oof that's kinda illegal lol, always wait for first responders to get someone off a stuck elevator, you never know when the elevator might malfunction further, like when getting someone off of it
@@blackmoon9511 Normally, it's an elevator tech, although, I'd imagine that the fire department would probably have people that can do it. The big risk with getting people out of an elevator that's stuck between floors is somebody falling backwards and down the shaft immediately after exiting. It's highly unlikely for the elevator to move at all in that state. Especially, if somebody has had the sense to shut it down completely until the work is done. .
My late friend, an extraordinarily talented engineer had two locks on his workshop, that required lefthand threaded whitworth bolts (Metric is normal in the UK since the earlie 80's) which were used to align the main lock so that a chubb 5 lever key could deactivate a soleniod bolt. He never got broken into, ever.
Yep, the key gets inserted into there. It's been a few years since I had access to one of them. IIRC, ours as a star key, I think it had to do with the shape of the actual tip. But, it's been a while and we were never allowed to use it, it was for the responding technician to use if anybody ever got stuck in an elevator. With the dozens of elevators that the building has, it kind of surprises me that nobody ever got stuck in an elevator when I was working.
For many years I worked as a security officer in a older hospital that had 2 elevators. On occasion they would malfunction and someone would get stuck in them. The first key you showed brought back a lot of memories because it was one like that I had to use to get them out again. Ah the good old days!
Today I learnt Spotsylvania. Some of the names in America are unbelievable! Anyway love the videos. Waiting patiently for my grav pick over here in Queensland Australia. 👍🏿
In the UK, drop keys are used for emergency access to communal doors in multi-occupancy buildings ("fireman's keys"). These days they usually drive an electronic switch which opens the door. The keys themselves are very easy to get hold of, so bear that in mind if you have one on your building...
The first time I’ve ever seen a drop key lock it was made of wood. Incidentally it was on a Ukrainian Canadian heritage site. I had no idea that they were still in use today. Cool video 😊
@@Ferd414It would be a very bad thing. When someone wins an award this way, the elevator is out of service until cleanup and investigation is done. More awards means more out-of-service elevators. If people win enough awards, the elevators will be secured so people can't access them. We'd have to TAKE THE STAIRS!
I have 4 gates on my property with different latches I made. They aren’t difficult to figure out but are fun to open. One favorite designer is Rupert Goldberg. In my shop i have a handtool chest with my prized tools . That has hidden pins that should keep out most ordinary thief’s. Probably not the lawyer 🙂
That Russian one you showed looks very interesting. With spring loaded pins and an unknown number of pins. Looks like an interesting challenge to pick without a camera at least.
A form of impressioning could be effective? Unlike the earlier designs where you could just catch and turn the mechanism without a perfect match, looks like the Russian lock requires that all (three in this case) spring-loaded "pins" be depressed before the mechanism will start to turn.
@@KevinKadow Like with regular locks, you'd probably find a way to tension the rotating part and then test each of the pins, as one or more of them will likely be binding. Engage those, then continue with the others until all of them are set. I doubt they are security pins. I assume the difficult part would be to actually find them, but I guess because of the way the key is put into place, they will likely always be above and below the hole.
I think the easiest way would be making a universal key. Instead of a key with specific nubs, have a dense row of collapsible/spring-loaded nubs, so when you pull it back it engages whichever pins are there and the other nubs collapse out of the way
@@crazygoatemonky A potential way to resist such an attack: fake pins that engage to block rotation of the gear when pressed in? Maybe as simple as some captured steel ball bearings on a small ramp or cam, such that they bind if depressed under any tension but drop back when released.
You read my mind... Looking at a "drop lock key" three days ago I wondered if "the lock picking lawyer" had a video on its function. Today, this fell out of the algorithm. Happy new year!
Love it! Only a few of us know about and how to use drop keys. The newest elevator use a different style of small drop key, that is ridiculously expensive.
Either feed a camera through the hole, or have a drop bar with a modeling clay like substance to impression the pins, then attach pins in matching locations on a drop bar pick.
@@aaronbredon2948 impressioning maybe, but that doesn't sound particularly easy... also, if it's some kind of sprung pin with a sheer line like in a normal lock then what...? either way, i'd love to see LPL do that lock!
I used to be a firefighter (retired 18 years). I remember 2 or 3 times a year we had to remove the charred remains from the shaft/wall of elevators. Those were the "lucky" ones, they died quickly. A lot of elevators use 480 volts. Others that fell were usually crushed, impaled, or shredded like cheese before they hit the bottom.
It is possible (but unlikely) that even the lock as shown has a height requirement? E.g. using a key with overlong pins could run up against a backing plate, prevent the lock from turning.
@@KevinKadow Hardly, but you need to guess the number and position of pins, and then somehow press on all of them at once. This will be very hard without already having a key...
my dad's uncles had these on the family farm. nearly all the barn doors, had them. Basically used to just keep a stranger or some other animal from opening the doors where the livestock etc was. Less for security more for just a way to hold a door shut but with a simple "outside" method to open them, that had a tiny bit of drunk guy walking past opening the barn door with the bull locked up. oh wait you covered that the darwin award winners. I asked why not just a normal keyed dead bolt and he was like they freeze up in winter, rust, cost a ton for weather resistance, the key's get broken easily around the farm or lost in hay piles etc. Also one key he hung up at the back door would let him do his round of tending animals quick and easy.
I got two old locks still in use on my garage in the South of Russia. One is a gravity lock. Not all our lockpickers are ready to pick them. Usually they offer to break them.
@@1582lenindeed, if proper precautions are not taken the hoistway can be dangerous. and people often don’t educate themselves on what the proper safety protocols are and some are not obvious. elevators are designed as safely as possible but as a bearer of the drop key you have a responsibility to be part of the safety model and respect the equipment
Wat Years ago we moved into an old farmhouse in northern Michigan and we couldn't open the lock to the old barn, so we pulled a couple boards down and cut the lock off. It looked almost exactly like the first lock you demonstrated, the Ukrainian one. Never did find a key. Lmao, we had no idea.
Been interested in trying out lock picking for years, couldn't bring myself to drop the money on tools to learn, just ordered the FNG set, price was to good not to try, can't wait to get it.
I reckon a paperclip or a coathanger would work fine. Bend the J-shape into them with two 90* bends, then bend the long joint section back onto itself so it looks like an arrow, jam the arrow into the hole, and after the bent end hooks on the flat surface on the inside of the lock, pull the pick out, causing it to bend back into the original "J" shape. For a more professional pick, you could have two opposing short arrow barbs, but have their palls have a grippy rubber pad on them. Then just use the friction of the rubber against the face of the lock to turn it- that way the pick can be small, and pick a wide variety of these designs.
What I've learned from this video is that if I want to prevent non-destructive pickers from gaining access to my stuff: I don't want one really good lock, I want a half dozen acceptable locks of differing archtypes so that the picker would need to carry a certified arsenal of tools instead of something discrete.
Nice! I've had an elevator key in my toolbox for years, along with various keys used to operate light switches in public buildings, and other stuff like that. If one of our crew got stuck in a service elevator, another of our crew would have to get the stuck party out.
![[1177] Australian High Security: BiLock Version 2 Picked and Gutted](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/f5uk6C1iDkQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![[1177] Australian High Security: BiLock Version 2 Picked and Gutted](/img/tr.png)
That one with the gear and three pins is beautiful
Yeah if that was made of hardened steel and on a secure facility, only a real lock geek would know how it works, even though it's so basic.
Another means of entry would be found.
@@volvo09 hardened steel for a garage or barn door?
OK, so I kick a few slats out of the boards and get in that way. Or use a cable saw to do the same quietly from the rear.
Although, that is a bit much work to steal a hoe or something.
Clever, easily mass produced, fit for purpose and well, more secure than a masterlock. I'll always give the Russians credit for cleverness where it's due, despite a dislike for their government.
I can't visualise how you would pick it. Three separate thin hooks all inserted together and moved about until you find the pins?
@@spvillano that's why I said "secure facility"... A barn, or a house, is not secure... No one targets locks first.
All I'm saying is that if it was the only point of entry it would confuse anyone unfamiliar with locks because it's so simple.
@@OrangeDog20 same as any other lock, tension the disk, and use a separate hooked pick to poke the open ports.
This lock just rotates a circle instead of a barrel with pins. I'm not a lock picker, but it is basically a flat lock, not a cylinder like we are accustomed to.
Wait! You didn't pick a lock! That's not allowed!
"The exercise to design and build a pick is left to the class as homework." The three get progressively more difficult. Bonus points for developing a drill plan with time to defeat. (If I worked for a fire department, I would develop such as vandals could plug the hole for the standard key. Remember time to open matters.)
Today he's the Lockshowing Lawyer.
Yes, we the people demand a follow up pick video! lol
Yes, and he also didn't pick it twice to show it wasn't a fluke.
it's just a fluke
They look like they are more pick resistant than just about every Master Lock lock.
So true! Especially the biting one. I mean how do you know it has biting on the other side, how do you know the spaces or how many spring slots there are? I'll take my chances with a Master Lock.
duct tape is more resistant that any Master lock
I mean….. thats a pretty low bar
@@CanadaFree-ce9jn You'd only need to get the teeth in one hole to create a lever arm and spin the gear
uf
My father used to make locks like this here in Russia in the 90s. I've seen all these types of keys and locks, but never factory made.
These were the kind of locks you'd find on garage doors back then. They were often made by hand and had unique hidden features added for pick resistance. You can open the lock (even with a key), but the door won't open unless you do something non-obvious. Or the key won't turn unless you unlock the lock somehow.
Brings back good memories. Thanks!
Can you give a few examples of those little tricks people added to make them unique?
Wow six degrees of separation. 👆🏿
Yep, my dad’s friend from Sol-Iletsk had this one. Hand made.
@ I'm not sure how it worked mechanically, but one of the tricks required inserting another key into the old keyhole (just insert, don't turn) to unblock the main lock. If you don't know this, you won't be able to open the door even with the key.
@@londonnight937 They even made small boxes, like it wouldn't open only if you turn a knob that might have been seen as a decor only on top, or will only open upside down.
I adore locks that operate on a different paradigm. This is so freaking unique!
It isn't unique in former USSR. This lock very easy to made.
@@АлексейГордеев-п1н Prob for weather resistance, durability, ease of use etc. Makes sense. But the ingenuity of them is what I find most fascinating.
Ukrainian guy here. I had one of these on the door when I was young. Not the most comfortable to carry in a pocket...
Sure, but if you get in a fistfight with your older sister then... you know.
(I hear Ukrainian Girls are kinda Tough) XD
The same, to the shop class (one of two locks).
I was going to say that key looks like it would wear out your pocket fairly quickly.
Shouldnt be too hard to make a more compact version of that system though. Maybe add a sleeve to it?
@@D3nn1s or just have a key hook on one's belt.
Security through obscurity is a general garage door approach in Russia (mostly built in USSR or in 1990s). You can see a lot of uncommon or unique handcrafted locking mechanisms (they are usually part of a set, like a 1-2 normal locks and one weird) in those garage doors.
Yes. I have them in garage too. 3 of them in one door. And they match bigger. My father build them.
I'd say that last one offers some security even if you do know how it works.
Вспомнился анекдот. "Воры обносили гаражи. Но ворота двух гаражей не тронули. Там висела записка. Извините, мы не смогли взломать столь странный замок".
Вместо замка там висела скрученная проволока ;))
Yeah, and because of that, thieves usually break roof/walls of the garage to get inside
Exactly the same concept across the security world. It's not worth the effort to build the tools unless it's a common implementation or there's a high value target to get to. If you're in a hurry, bypass the security via brute force or the human element, which may also involve brute force.
I really value your videos on vintage and obscure locks. I appreciate all your work, but the unique locks are next-level fascinating to me. Thanks again.
And sometimes Darwin award recipients 😅
I busted out from that comment.😂😂😂
For more information, look up "elevator wedgie"...
I dont get it
whats the joke about??
@@abheekkaushal "darwin award" refers to someone getting themselves killed by doing something really stupid. Like, in this case, entering an elevator shaft.
@@abheekkaushal Pretty sure it was a bit of a nudge at people who surf elevators
Hey, I've seen a Master Lock that was really unpickable yesterday. At least unpickable for long enough to deter any thief. The only issue is that I, the key owner, was also locked out since the lock was frozen rock solid in ice 😂
Squirt rubbing alcohol into the keyway, enjoy a cup of coffee then turn the lock open.
A Nice opportunity to go peeking....
My current security is "the road out of my neighborhood isn't passable by even most four wheel drive vehicles, you can get in but good luck getting out"
Missouri Ozarks?
I saw a master lock that was unpickable.
Some kid fed it some Super Glue.
Back in 90's similar locks were used in Estonian technical school to lock the valuable computer classes. As the school had its own metal workshop, then these locks may have been made even in-house. Anyway it always looked special when teacher operated the locks to either unlock or lock the classrooms.
0:50 Darwin Award Recipients??? Total Gold, best laugh in weeks
I was coming down to say the same
Yeah, that was hilarious. And randomly opening a door to an elevator shaft does seem like a solid first step to winning a Darwin award.
@@burke615 definitely seems like a good first step to breaking some of the 4 rules of elevator safety
@@burke615Waiting can be really annoying!
Yeah, Can imagine after getting through security and sophisticated locks to receive the reward, it would be like saying they evolved backwords-lol
That Ukrainian lock reminds me of a ‘lock’ that I have seen on village huts in Africa, made completely out of natural materials. The ‘key’ was basically a curved stick - and if the curve or length wasn’t right, it couldn’t lift the bar across the inside of the door.
We see those in Egyptian tombs, as well- you need a stick with nubs in the right spaces or the bar won't move.
I really like the last one. A very elegant design.
That would be pretty easy to pick with a mirror but one could imagine a variant where the whole backside is full of holes and the correct key grabs some combination of holes that need to be pressed. That would still be pickable, of course, but would require quite a bit of effort via small mirror.
@@MikkoRantalainen you bring up a good point! If you have enough “combinations” and some of the holes actually lock the cylinder when pressed it would make picking it incredibly consuming as it wouldn’t be obvious which holes would need to be pressed and pressing all of them wouldn’t work as the false holes would lock it up
I recognized the elevator lock immediately. Working as a security guard, I've had to use it a few times to rescue trapped guests. For reference, I have been trained in all the safety issues involved, and generally do not recommend using this key untrained... A falling elevator with trapped passengers isn't nearly as dangerous as one that starts to fall with someone in the doorway...
A brief explanation about falling elevator part might have been good. The point is that even if the cable for the elevator fails, it's safer to be inside the elevator than in the doorway. Modern elevators have both automatic brakes and heavy duty suspension in the bottom.
As a lift engineer, I used keys like these frequently. They’re really a different kind of security. Easy for engineers use but prevents accidental door opening.
That barn door one looks like the right amount of security for a barn door. Just enough to tell people to keep out, given they could probably axe thru the door in about 90 seconds anyway.
You do know locks only keep honest people out...I know you do. lol That $300 house door lock is just as secure when I go through your window...or your wall with a front end loader using a key from Amazon. Ha!
@@CanadaFree-ce9jn Locks also keep insurance companies honest -- most will refuse to pay out in a case of "mysterious disappearance".
Forcing you to use a kinetic entry method doesn't protect my stuff, but does help me successfully file an insurance claim.
that's a pretty weak barn door
@@CanadaFree-ce9jn that saying was for padlocks, because they almost always have to make tradeoffs for ruggedness or price, resulting in a device that is good only for honest people or very low effort criminals.
Static locks can be very secure and keep out a lot of dishonest people if used in the right context that does not allow an easy bypass. In your example you are blaming the lock for a very low security building
@@marcogenovesi8570 This, I like how these clowns always spring up as if (pretty cheap) steel doors you can only defeat with heavy industrial gear didn't exist...
Wow that last lock is so elegant. Optimised for cheap production. Love the fact there are only driver pins in the wheel and the key forms the other pins.
Someone should make a miniature precision version with some refinements. Even without different pin heights you could get a lot of combinations by making the pins different shapes. Some round some square some triangular. That and moving the position of the pins. Then add fences between the pins to further hamper access to the pins. Just an idea!!
Now that's an idea!
I hate to break it to you but pin location and length matters alot more than shape. I very small diameter pin the right length can depress driver of every shape if the length and location is correct.
@@Jonathan-hx6oy Not if there's a split-pin in a single hole. Have two of those that aren't exactly in line with each other. Then the very narrow pin only hits one side of the split pin in at least one of those holes, and leaves one untouched.
That's right. It goes in the square hole.
@@Jonathan-hx6oy Not really, these drivers are rounded so if your pin isnt really strong (like teeth of key above) and isnt pressing exactly in middle it will be bent out of shape instead of pushing, you will never open this with a wire...
I learned something new today. Drop-key locks, very interesting. Thank you, LPL!
Poland. My uncle made a drop key lock for his basement in an apartment block. He uses it together with a regular padlock, and the fact the keyway is just a hole might confuse any potential burglars who have never seen a lock like this in their lives
In Spain elevators don't use those, instead a very basic triangular key is used. And a square key in trains, where you can see Darwin award candidates opening the toilet that was out of service for a very good reason
Australian keys are similar, no drop keys (that I've noticed). An old flatmate was an elevator tech, I wound up with a set of keys for various things, including elevator keys. Never been interested in putting them to use.
We call those triangular keys Euro keys and are on nearly every UK lift. Except for lifts where Darwin Award candidates might be around where drop keys similar to those shown by LPL are often used.
@jameshodgson1609 - Euro keys are fitted to most new UK lifts - many councils still want Drop keys fitted and to their own specification, with different wards and cutouts. I used to have 5 or 6 different warded drop keys as well as a couple of different length flat drops. They are also used as fire brigade acces keys on door entry systems on blocks of flats.
Euro keys are unfortunately the same as gas meter keys as they are given to virtually every household in the UK.
here in Estonia we have quite many garage doors still guarded by those locks. Installed before 90s.
Go around and see how many you can open with the same key. Ha! No don't do that. That would break Rule #1 and Rule #2.
@@CanadaFree-ce9jn This lock is easy to modify so that a stranger's key, even with same pins, won't fit.
The legacy of the ancient civilization
@@helmsman13 So, you use "ancient" as an euphemism for the repression? I'm sure this is a try to be friendly, but it wasn't the peoples fault that modern technology didn't reached them for a while... check history books...
@@Tuepp It always amused me how people find nonexistent meanings in others' words. The state produced these lock is long gone but its products are still in use even in its former parts. It is that simple.
At my old church one of the basement doors used a drop key lock similar to the barn door lock in design. The members were from the country of Belarus and have been here in USA since the end of WW2.
The drop key is very simple and easy to use. I was a firefighter for many years and used it to get people out of stuck elevators numerous times.
I’ve always noticed that hole on elevators but never thought it being a lock. Thanks for that
Same!
Yah, I'd always figured that was to open the door for maintenance and such when the elevator car wasn't there. But I thought of it more a "key" in the sense of a removable handle, to keep the average person from messing around with it -- like the hallway light switches at school that were just vertical slots, or the outside hose faucets that have a nut in place of a knob.
Always knew it, but ours is a 7/8 th outline of a triangle. No hole. Love to know how.
Deviant Ollam has a whole talk on elevators here on TH-cam somewhere, and it includes the type of lock you're describing, as well as how to bypass them, and why you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NEVER EVER DO THAT.
Great video btw! Love seeing unconventional stuff like this on display
I love these videos on more unusual locking mechanisms!
It's so fascinating to see all the different ways we've concocted to secure things - even if they're not the most popular or effective ways of doing so.
Hey, those are common in traditional houses and it's probably one of the first types of lock invented by humanity! It's a hole in the door frame with a sliding, notched bar inside and a metal rod with a moving flat piece of iron to interact with the notches to go into the hole and serve as key. We had one. This type of lock has been around at least since the medieval times, if not outright antiquity!
Not even noon yet and I have achieved my daily goal of learning something entirely new to me! Thank you LPL!
My grandfather had interesting lock like that in old house: There was a classic lock, but there was also a second lock that you could open/close using the same hole. I think it was amazing hand made solution.
My dad had a similar "lock in a lock" from a former apartment. The regular lock was with a classical large keyhole, but then there was this aftermarket device, essentially a small lock with a security key that would just fit the first keyhole, plugging it up when locked. I guess fine picking tools we're much harder to come by back then (1960s-70s), and trying to drill out the blocking lock would have permanently blocked everything.
I bought a digital safe recently where it was locked & didn't come with the backup keys.
I was able to pick it open to get to where I could reset the combination to make it useful again. I could hear something inside. The keys weren't inside though. Still, a $200 dollar safe for $5 bucks is a deal that's worth it to me.
The key way was one that I've never picked before. It was a 'laser track key' type of key.
Your channel has helped me to go forward with things like this.
0:30 I’m sure I’d have noticed a 6 foot hole in the lift before now
That’s probably why he said 6 foot HIGH hole.
@ thats still a big hole,.
As Priscilla Presley said in one of the naked gun movies, “he’s white, 6 foot three moustache “
Leslie Nielsen replied “thats an awfully big moustache “
I knew what he meant, calm down pendant.
That's a big Twinkie...
@@Thecrazyvaclav don’t get hysterical just because your “joke” was objectively bad
@@fakename287 when did I get hysterical? I missed that
This guy is a legitimate genius. Years now I've been watching this man solve puzzles like it was nothing. Good show.
Darwin Award recipients 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Sly and humorous way of also suggesting nobody try messing with these.
How a drop key works in an elevator system
All the landing doors (Doors on the floor) have an interlock system engaged when the doors close. The interlock release system is attatched to pair of rollers mounted on the door. when the roller is pushed, it pushes on the release arm attatched to the interlock which disengages the interlock to allow the door to open. In normal operation, the elevator door has a special arm on it called the clutch. When the elevator lines up with the floor, the clutch slides into where the rollers are, when the elevator door opens, the clutch pushes the roller to unlock the door, the rollers at this point, allowes the clutch to move with landing doors. When the elevator door's close, the clutch no longer pushes on the roller so the lock is engaged. The drop key opens the door by having the key line up with the rollers and when turned, engage the release arm to open the door.
I always thought they were for a beam to be inserted and forced open. I didn't think there was a catch. Thanks!
@@longbow6416 theres a video by Jared Owen on how elevators work, and it covers how the doors operate
For 34 years as an elevator mechanic, that was one lock that I had no problem picking.
Did you have a set of keys or a special tool?
How was the elevator business over that time span?
@@jaymassengill3340 had it's ups and downs........
@@Defy5 had a set of drop keys. Each company, i.e. Otis, used a different drop key to pick their lock. The one the LPL first shows could pick a G.A.L. or Otis door lock. Most commonly used one is say.
@@jaymassengill3340It was a great trade to be in allowed me to retire at 61 just about five months ago. I’d recommend it before sending someone to college for a generic degree that’s for sure. Though my son wouldn’t listen to me when I was telling him this. It can be hard work and it does have its pain in the ass moments but again overall it is a tremendous trade and a very well paying one oat that to be in.
My grandparents have this lock on their dacha country house, I believe grandpa welded it himself!
A key that Bruce Willis might have needed a few times at Nakatomi Plaza.
This is amazing! While watching your videos I've considered the idea of a key like this that would be theoretically "unpickable" if the torsion points are sufficiently blocked from access. My idea was spring-loaded rather than gravity assist. Neat to see that similar concepts are a real thing instead of just in my head.
I am certain I have seen a key similar to the Russian one on my fathers work keys. He worked as a gas engineer in the UK from about 1970 to 2010. He is no longer with us, so I can't ask about it. The keys he had on that bunch were varied from simple three sided rods to double headed mortice keys, comically large key to tiny tubular keys. I guess the different manufacturers had their own key to keep unauthorised access to the dangerous gas parts of their machinery.
never heard of those before; neat concept!
В СССР такие делал каждый токарь и фрезеровщик. Это очень сильно распространенный замок. Сейчас много продается. Цена примерно 20-30 долларов
....he didn't pick the locks.....HE DIDN'T PICK THE LOCKS......how am I supposed to know it wasn't a fluke?
A fluke would require him to open a lock at least once without a key. As he opened no lock without the key and the key is intended to open the lock reliably, we can conclude that opening the locks was not a fluke.
This is the only channel I don't mind seeing really short videos from, just see something interesting and know I'll be informed very quickly
Certainly, in the UK, they are also often used on the entrance doors of blocks of flats and apartments for fire access.
I remember in a rather dodgy part of London waiting outside a block for a colleague to arrive to join me on a job. Two police officers arrived and tried to access the building but no one would answer the intercom to let them in. I stood a little way away from them scratching my ear with my drop key, one of them spotted it and ran over and asked to be let in. I wasn't going to approach them and offer, it wasn't that sort of neighborhood, but I was happy to help when they asked for it.
I’m from Siberia and my dad has almost exact key as the last lock. Instant flashbacks to the childhood when I have to go to the garage and open it with this strange key.
We definitely need a picking of those!
Worked at "The Sands" in Atlantic City and had to use that "elevator key" quite a few times to get passengers from stuck elevators!
oof that's kinda illegal lol, always wait for first responders to get someone off a stuck elevator, you never know when the elevator might malfunction further, like when getting someone off of it
@@blackmoon9511 Normally, it's an elevator tech, although, I'd imagine that the fire department would probably have people that can do it. The big risk with getting people out of an elevator that's stuck between floors is somebody falling backwards and down the shaft immediately after exiting. It's highly unlikely for the elevator to move at all in that state. Especially, if somebody has had the sense to shut it down completely until the work is done. .
My late friend, an extraordinarily talented engineer had two locks on his workshop, that required lefthand threaded whitworth bolts (Metric is normal in the UK since the earlie 80's) which were used to align the main lock so that a chubb 5 lever key could deactivate a soleniod bolt. He never got broken into, ever.
I’ve always seen that hole on the elevator doors. Now I know! Thank you LPL.
Yep, the key gets inserted into there. It's been a few years since I had access to one of them. IIRC, ours as a star key, I think it had to do with the shape of the actual tip. But, it's been a while and we were never allowed to use it, it was for the responding technician to use if anybody ever got stuck in an elevator. With the dozens of elevators that the building has, it kind of surprises me that nobody ever got stuck in an elevator when I was working.
For many years I worked as a security officer in a older hospital that had 2 elevators. On occasion they would malfunction and someone would get stuck in them. The first key you showed brought back a lot of memories because it was one like that I had to use to get them out again. Ah the good old days!
Amazing set of locks, never seen them before, always wondered what that hole was in the elevators
I knew the hole was to open the door but I was thinking like an allen key and not this floppy thing
Today I learnt Spotsylvania.
Some of the names in America are unbelievable!
Anyway love the videos.
Waiting patiently for my grav pick over here in Queensland Australia.
👍🏿
Instead of lock picking lawyer you should be lock encyclopedia lawyer. great stuff, love it, carry on Sir.
love the unexpected, thanks for sharing a not so ordinary style for us day to day folks :)
1:28 ah interesting with the pins! Do they need to be pressed simutaneously? Would like to see that one picked! :)
да, он блокирует поворотных механизм.
In the UK, drop keys are used for emergency access to communal doors in multi-occupancy buildings ("fireman's keys"). These days they usually drive an electronic switch which opens the door.
The keys themselves are very easy to get hold of, so bear that in mind if you have one on your building...
But can you pick them with a carrot?
(Da)
I can pick a rabbit with a carrot.
@@shawbros - Will one make my wife open up though..?
This was a refreshing twist on the content. Always interested in different lock designs.
I like them for their obscurity (and simplicity). That alone could make them somewhat useful.
The first time I’ve ever seen a drop key lock it was made of wood. Incidentally it was on a Ukrainian Canadian heritage site. I had no idea that they were still in use today. Cool video 😊
Master Lock is jealous of this high security wizardry.
Locks I never heard of. So simple, yet so sophisticated. LOVE IT!
I feel like if you did start selling those keys to the public, then we would have a lot more Darwin award winners out there.
Good point.
You say that like it would be a bad thing...
You say that like they're hard to get when they're $20 on Amazon lol
@@Terratops474 Dang, you're right. Seems like most are made by the same company. I do think the screwdriver handle one is cool.
@@Ferd414It would be a very bad thing. When someone wins an award this way, the elevator is out of service until cleanup and investigation is done. More awards means more out-of-service elevators.
If people win enough awards, the elevators will be secured so people can't access them. We'd have to TAKE THE STAIRS!
"...and, less often, by Darwin award recipients."
Damn, I love your brutal sense of humour, man!
“Darwin award recipients” LMAO! 🤣
I have 4 gates on my property with different latches I made. They aren’t difficult to figure out but are fun to open. One favorite designer is Rupert Goldberg. In my shop i have a handtool chest with my prized tools . That has hidden pins that should keep out most ordinary thief’s.
Probably not the lawyer 🙂
That sounds cool. I’m also a Rupert Goldberg fan.
That Russian one you showed looks very interesting. With spring loaded pins and an unknown number of pins. Looks like an interesting challenge to pick without a camera at least.
The key is "without a camera"
A form of impressioning could be effective?
Unlike the earlier designs where you could just catch and turn the mechanism without a perfect match, looks like the Russian lock requires that all (three in this case) spring-loaded "pins" be depressed before the mechanism will start to turn.
@@KevinKadow Like with regular locks, you'd probably find a way to tension the rotating part and then test each of the pins, as one or more of them will likely be binding. Engage those, then continue with the others until all of them are set. I doubt they are security pins. I assume the difficult part would be to actually find them, but I guess because of the way the key is put into place, they will likely always be above and below the hole.
I think the easiest way would be making a universal key. Instead of a key with specific nubs, have a dense row of collapsible/spring-loaded nubs, so when you pull it back it engages whichever pins are there and the other nubs collapse out of the way
@@crazygoatemonky A potential way to resist such an attack: fake pins that engage to block rotation of the gear when pressed in? Maybe as simple as some captured steel ball bearings on a small ramp or cam, such that they bind if depressed under any tension but drop back when released.
Mr. Lawyer,
When you mentioned “Darwin Award” recipients when you were talking about those who use the gravity key, I could not agree more.
you know what would be different approach?
Carrot approach
Drop carrot.
You read my mind...
Looking at a "drop lock key" three days ago I wondered if "the lock picking lawyer" had a video on its function.
Today, this fell out of the algorithm.
Happy new year!
Thanks, I learned something new today. I really enjoy your videos. God Bless 🙏🏼
*Gasp!* What a tease! I was waiting for him to explain how to pick the geared one with bated breath, only to be left hung out to dry 😱
Waw those are brilliant and satisfying lock. Especially the last one, it must feel super nice to open a backyard shed armored door
Great episode.
Love it! Only a few of us know about and how to use drop keys. The newest elevator use a different style of small drop key, that is ridiculously expensive.
Never seen how those work. Simple but I bet it was complex as heck back when they were invented! Cool!
I bloody *love* seeing interesting lock systems. IDK why, but they're fascinating to me.
Hold up.... How would you pick that russian lock without having to resort to a trial and error approach of guessing where the pins are?
Either feed a camera through the hole, or have a drop bar with a modeling clay like substance to impression the pins, then attach pins in matching locations on a drop bar pick.
@@aaronbredon2948 impressioning maybe, but that doesn't sound particularly easy... also, if it's some kind of sprung pin with a sheer line like in a normal lock then what...? either way, i'd love to see LPL do that lock!
LPL, this has to be one of your most informative videos ever. Much appreciated.
guys lockpickinglawyer mentioned elevators!!!!!!
DeviantOllam collab incoming?
Lmao
wait till everyone sees your Darwin Award winning video on your channel
Would not be surprised if he had a video about elevator keys and puts said keys on his store😂
I used to be a firefighter (retired 18 years). I remember 2 or 3 times a year we had to remove the charred remains from the shaft/wall of elevators. Those were the "lucky" ones, they died quickly. A lot of elevators use 480 volts. Others that fell were usually crushed, impaled, or shredded like cheese before they hit the bottom.
I'd sure like to see LPL pick that Russian version
I have definitely seen such locks and keys in my family, and still use one of them regularly.
The russian lock that has bitting could get particularily evil to pick if it was upgraded with tumbler pins with different cut height.
It is possible (but unlikely) that even the lock as shown has a height requirement?
E.g. using a key with overlong pins could run up against a backing plate, prevent the lock from turning.
@@KevinKadow Hardly, but you need to guess the number and position of pins, and then somehow press on all of them at once. This will be very hard without already having a key...
That's the coolest thing I'll see all week!
Security through obscurity. Love it :)
I've never seen this before, nor did I know it existed. Thank you for the introduction!
Audio was a little low on this one.... maybe we can find a key to turn that up next time.
His audio has been getting progressively quieter for some time. Perhaps a battery going flat or a microphone component failing.
my dad's uncles had these on the family farm. nearly all the barn doors, had them. Basically used to just keep a stranger or some other animal from opening the doors where the livestock etc was. Less for security more for just a way to hold a door shut but with a simple "outside" method to open them, that had a tiny bit of drunk guy walking past opening the barn door with the bull locked up. oh wait you covered that the darwin award winners.
I asked why not just a normal keyed dead bolt and he was like they freeze up in winter, rust, cost a ton for weather resistance, the key's get broken easily around the farm or lost in hay piles etc. Also one key he hung up at the back door would let him do his round of tending animals quick and easy.
How would you pick the last one?
I got two old locks still in use on my garage in the South of Russia. One is a gravity lock. Not all our lockpickers are ready to pick them. Usually they offer to break them.
Drop keys for elevators are also dangerous especially for someone whos clowning around with one. From moving elevator cars to big drop offs
The drop keys are not dangerous, it's the stupidity of the unauthorized people that might have gotten ahold of one.
Hence the reference to Darwin awardees
@@richardhole8429 Exactly. I was a firefighter and used one dozens of times with no problems
@@1582lenindeed, if proper precautions are not taken the hoistway can be dangerous. and people often don’t educate themselves on what the proper safety protocols are and some are not obvious. elevators are designed as safely as possible but as a bearer of the drop key you have a responsibility to be part of the safety model and respect the equipment
Fascinating. Thank you for showing them.
WOW, a couple locks that the LPL can't pick..... yet.....
Wat
Years ago we moved into an old farmhouse in northern Michigan and we couldn't open the lock to the old barn, so we pulled a couple boards down and cut the lock off.
It looked almost exactly like the first lock you demonstrated, the Ukrainian one. Never did find a key.
Lmao, we had no idea.
But can you pick it?
Been interested in trying out lock picking for years, couldn't bring myself to drop the money on tools to learn, just ordered the FNG set, price was to good not to try, can't wait to get it.
Could you pick it?
I reckon a paperclip or a coathanger would work fine. Bend the J-shape into them with two 90* bends, then bend the long joint section back onto itself so it looks like an arrow, jam the arrow into the hole, and after the bent end hooks on the flat surface on the inside of the lock, pull the pick out, causing it to bend back into the original "J" shape.
For a more professional pick, you could have two opposing short arrow barbs, but have their palls have a grippy rubber pad on them. Then just use the friction of the rubber against the face of the lock to turn it- that way the pick can be small, and pick a wide variety of these designs.
What I've learned from this video is that if I want to prevent non-destructive pickers from gaining access to my stuff: I don't want one really good lock, I want a half dozen acceptable locks of differing archtypes so that the picker would need to carry a certified arsenal of tools instead of something discrete.
I actually see these every day as I work at an elevator manufacturing plant. More specifically I work on a door line.
Nice! I've had an elevator key in my toolbox for years, along with various keys used to operate light switches in public buildings, and other stuff like that. If one of our crew got stuck in a service elevator, another of our crew would have to get the stuck party out.
Darwin Award recipient 😂😂😂