How do wafer locks work?

The wafers nestle into a groove in the lower part of the outer cylinder (green) preventing the plug (yellow) from rotating. When the correct key is inserted, the wafers (red) are raised up out of the lower groove in the outer cylinder, but not so high that they enter the upper groove in that cylinder.

Are wafer locks hard to pick?

Picking wafer locks is much easier than picking pin tumbler locks, mainly because of how easily they can be raked. All you have to do is insert your torsion wrench, apply very minimal pressure, and insert your rake. Jiggle the rake around a little bit, and eventually, the wafer lock should open.

How do you read a wafer lock?

To read a wafer lock, place the probe into the keyway. If the lock is equipped with a shutter unit, use a turning tool to keep the shutter open. Use a pick to determine that the number of wafers in the lock agrees with the manufacturer's information.

Can you pick a double sided lock?

Double-wafer locks have wafer tumblers on both ends of the plug. To pick these locks, you work the wafers on both sides as you apply pressure with the tension wrench. Wafer locks are found in most filing cabinets, lockers and cars, as well as in many padlock designs.

Is there a key that can open all locks?

Master key: The master key can open all locks you have in your residential or commercial property.

Picking Wafer Locks Explained

What is the most common lock pick?

Hook Pick

The hook pick is what people usually think of when they think of a lockpick. It's the most basic kind of pick, and works by lifting individual pins into the correct position one at a time.

What is a dimple lock?

Dimple locks are basically pin-cylinders that use the flat side of the key's blade as the biting area. So rather than cutting into the edge of the key as in a standard pin-cylinder, dimple locks turn the key ninety degrees and cut onto the flat side.

How did old locks work?

By the Middle Ages, some warded locks made by English craftsmen were quite intricate. They were designed with a set of obstructions, sometimes shaped as circular plates, which kept the lock mechanism secure. When a key with matching notches was inserted in the keyhole, it would unlock the bolt.

How does a tubular pin tumbler lock work?

The design of a tubular lock is similar to the pin tumbler lock, in that there are several stacks of pins. The key is a cylinder shape with notches cut around the outer or (rarely) inner edge. Each of these notches depresses a single pin inside the lock to a specific height allowing the lock cylinder to turn freely.

What is a slider lock?

A slider is a wafer-like object used as a locking component in many locks. Sliders are primarily used in additional to traditional pins or wafers as secondary locking systems, such as with sidebars. Some locks use sliders as the primary locking mechanism, notably the EVVA 3KS and EVVA DPI.

What is a 999 key?

Bump keys are specially cut keys that can bypass the security mechanisms built into traditional pin and tumbler locks. Bump keys are also referred to as “999 keys” because all of their ridges are cut to the maximum depth (999) in a key-making machine.

When did skeleton keys stop?

Little changed in the design of the mechanism until the mid 1800's when Linus Yale Sr. and Jr. introduced the modern flat keys. Skeleton keys, however, continued to be used in most houses until after WWII when the pin tumbler lock (or Yale lock) took over.

Does Home Depot sell bump keys?

Step 1 Make the Bump Key

Go to the any store that has blank keys. Wal-Mart and Home Depot have them. They look like this, without teeth at all: A bump key is made by using a triangular file (they're at every hardware store…

Do locks have tumblers?

Pin tumblers are most commonly employed in cylinder locks, but may also be found in tubular pin tumbler locks (also known as radial locks or ace locks).

What is the easiest lock to pick?

One of the most common (and easiest to pick) locks is the pin-and-tumbler, which is a type of cylinder lock. Cylinder locks are used in most deadbolts. When picking a pin-and-tumbler lock, put the tension wrench in the keyhole and turn it as if it was a key.

Can a multi lock be picked?

Firstly, Mul-T-Lock is not pick-proof by any means. Every cylinder they've produced, with the exception of the new MT5, has been opened by many people. The most popular method appears to be using a mechanical picking tool produced by H&M that assists in locating the pins.