When using this lock, be sure to basically position it in a way to face the lock hole towards a solid object like a door, good luck rotating the crank when its blocked by the angle. Maximize physical deterrent, make the lockpicker forced to bend over backwards.
I just want to thank LPL for saving me a 3 hour drive. I had forgotten the key to my boat so it was chained to the ground when I went to retrieve it. I remembered LPL showing "bumping" a lock with a hammer and how this worked on poor locks. So, I grabbed a small hammer and held the shackle up, then gave it a single decisive tap on the side I thought was right. It popped right off the chains! Needless to say I won't re-lock with the same one, but I still have my boat, and I didn't have to drive 3 hours to get the key.
God I hate disposable culture. you forgot the key, your mistake, fix it. the fact that you can throw away your mistake into the landfill and buy a new lock (mined halfway across the world) for less effort is so much of what's wrong with the world. I get it - it's just broken.
@@StevenSkoczen That problem wasn't forgetting the key so he threw the lock away, the problem was the lock was so cheap and garbage he didn't want to keep using it for security reasons. Those locks can also be recycled, melt it down and recast it into something else. Costs maybe 30c to make most of them anyways.
Not to mention said nervous thief is probably considerably less experienced than LPL, and doesnt know the exact details of the lock before attempting to pick it
Honestly the number of times it needs to be raked is likely to do quite a bit to deter most attackers. If the lock is used for its intended purpose, an attacker is going to be out in the open and likely quite easy to spot. After the second or third rake, most people will likely be quite anxious and will either start making mistakes or abandon the attempt. Never underestimate the effectiveness of psychological warfare.
This is likely true, although when the trailer is hooked up to the towing vehicle, it provides quite a bit of cover for nefarious activities. Doubly so in parking lots. Ask me how I know.
I'm ashamed to admit it, and in my defense it was in my late teen years, but I have personal experience with stealing stuff. You're absolutely right about being anxious... The stress and fear of being caught in the act or leaving evidence behind that gets you caught makes it much more difficult to think clearly. Fortunately I cut that shit out before getting into any major trouble, so I have no idea if repetition brings a sense of security or not.
I honestly aint too sure about that since people tend to just kind of ignore things they aint involved with. I've had to break into my own car a few times, and helped friends who have locked their keys in their cars plenty of times over the years and never had anyone question it beyond "lock your keys in eh? Need help?". Obviously yeah its gonna be different if you're actually doing something illegal but I feel like most people who have a habit of stealing things like trailers are aware that people are kinda just apathetic and wouldn't pay much attention to what looks like a guy struggling to mess with his trailer hitch
Thank god I’m not someone who steals. I keep goin because I believe I can get through all my problems in whatever I’m doing. Whether it’s more time more work more resources I get it done. I’d imagine people who do this type of things for a living (steal) don’t have that problem solving mind Hince the “job” they have
@@MrSlyFoxJr_ And I don't think you understood my comment. I have no problem with the word endurance. I agreed with the OP, and added that boring the lockpicker adds to the possibly of failure.
@@runlevel_zero I can't agree with that. Delaying the intrusion increases security, but there is a LOT more to security than simple (i.e., "fundamental") delay.
As someone who owned one of those and stupidly put it on my trailer over the winter outside (locked old trailer ball inside) , I'll tell you that the thing eventually becomes exceptionally effective as it has a strange interaction with salt, snow, and water in which the thing basically becomes a solid piece of metal, requiring drilling, or sawing to remove. 'rust' maybe, but some sort of oxidation that isn't like rust, just light grey coloured.
If it's galvanized material, the zinc can form "white rust" or zinc hydroxide. It's a less stable oxide than other zinc oxides and can flake off exposing the coated steel.
They do have some more expensive locks that likely do just that (and more), but this is their cheap $12 one. for something less than the cheapest masterlock (as far as trailer locks go), it seems pretty good. which makes masterlock's quality even more pitiful in comparison of course.
I have an old door lock that takes 3.25 full rotations to open from fully locked. I've hand the keys to somebody & they came back saying the lock doesn't work. The human mind develops a preconceived expectation and creativity dies. I'd say the unusual opening process adds confusion which is befuddling and therefore a pretty good security feature.
I don't know. I'd imagine a thief is a pretty creative person. The great things about trailers is that they tend to return to the same spot consistently giving someone several opportunities to probe the security measures for weaknesses and capitalize on them.
Being unique seems to be a defense of its own. We tend to forget LPL may actually be the best lockpicker to ever live, Idk for sure but I would be inclined to believe he is one of the best to ever do it. So I always make the assumption that even a high quality thief will require atleast twice the amount of time or effort LPL needs.
@@KittyCatMeowMeowTime if a thief was a creative person they probably wouldn't need to resort to crime. Even if they did, stealing a trailer by picking a lock, first doing enough research to know this particular lock needs picking 11 times? Nah, just break into the house take the car keys off the table and take the car and trailer at the same time.
I actually like this. Giving it a high quality core would make it unreasonably expensive for what it is for. This is a great way of making a cheap lock "good enough".
The place I worked had a trailer mounted backup generator. Instead of a coupler lock, we jacked it up, put it on blocks and took off the wheels. If someone wanted it, they would have had to bring and install four of their own wheels. That strategy worked for 10+ years. It also helped that it was attached to the building by intimidating looking cables.
@@TheQuark6789 I can't imagine designing the same thing around a kwikset core with a single spool pin would raise the price so much to the price to make it cost prohibitive. Main thing is it would probably increase the size.
That's actually a pretty smart design, make the bolt even longer so you've gotta turn it a few more times without improving the lock it now takes 2 or 3 times longer to open. Very few thieves trying to be quiet and unnoticed would willingly stay that long to pick the lock I'd imagine.
Make it emit a box song as the core is being turned. Use a very simple jewelry box mechanism. When you lock it, the spring is wound up and turning past the first part the spring is triggered and it plays for a minute or so.
imagine, if this had a lock, that would not allow raking. not only you would have to pick every mechanism for every turn, you would have to do it in different angles all the time :D
Just to let you know these videos have caused two things for me; 14yrs in the transport business and I`m thoroughly done, been trying to figure out what to do next. One is I`ve picked up a new hobby which is recreational lock picking, and the second is I finally figured out what I want to do next and that is a locking- and security system installer so I guess you could say you`ve changed my life :D
This channel (and others like Deviant Ollam), really make me want to join the pentesting field. Being paid to break through security sounds f**king awesome, and really interesting.
That is a fascinating design feature. If it had a decent core, it might even be an effective deterrent. Heck, even as it is it might be an effective deterrent; it's not secure, but it is annoying.
Yeah, as long as its only something of middling value. I could see a lot of thieves getting to the 4th time raking and just going fuck it, and leaving it for not being worth the effort
As much as it would be a pain to pick I feel that would just lead to other bypass methods instead or simply destructive entry. By the size of the lock I doubt it would take long.
Honestly, that's kind of an elegant way to fix a problem. If you didn't know what you were doing, by the tenth pick you might think you're doing something wrong.
@@irregularassassin6380 Nah, the second or third, you can SEE the threads of a bolt coming out the other side, would make it obvious that the core itself is a bolt. Now, they _could_ hide this behind a shroud or something and it'd be harder to see what's going on in there, then you'd have a point.
@@Dhalin I think you might overestimate the intelligence of the average thief. Sure, it's obvious when you know that's how it works, but in the moment I doubt they'd figure it out that fast.
@@irregularassassin6380 the moment the first picking allowed it to start rotating they would be confused just to get more panicked confused and just freaking annoyed at this lock but honestly shrouding it would be smart they wouldn't know how much that quarter turn made toward it opening
If the materials are soft enough, a good hacksaw would cut through it. I don’t think bolt cutters would get good purchase, but I could be wrong (I don’t know the full materials list of this lock, so I’m only guessing here).
definitely, but for a $12 lock it's pretty decent. and remember, it's a trailer lock, what it's hooked up to is likely in a parking lot or yard. People won't bat an eye seeing someone fumbling with a lock on what's presumed to be thier trailer. they will suddenly pay attention when someone starts hacking open thier own lock.
I use and see these locks very often at the race track and always wondered how pickable they are. I really appreciate this video, the fact that it took a little time makes me think if someone were to try to pick this at my shop, all that extra time in view of the cameras is extremely valuable and will make a big difference either catching them in the act or afterwards with good enough camera angles.
yeah my first thought when he was talking about the crap core but needing to be turned several times and relocking was "can you replace that core with something more robust"
@@djsomeguy well the problem is that with pin mechanism you can only "lock it" once per turn. that means you would need a screw that travels almost no distance per full turn or a long travel distance. you may be able to build a 2 pin set lock that relocks each half turn without making the lock body too big but that would require that the key and core pins can open both lock halfs.well that said. it is normal in germany that you can "lock" your doors with two full key turns to double lock the door. that then requires to pick the lock twice before the door is open.
It's the old story of the chase for the almighty buck. If they can spend a cent less, they will. If their product costs a cent more than the competition, they will sell less since the average purchaser only looks at the price tag. They _might_ briefly scan the marketing bullet points on the packaging, but they all say 11/10 pick-proof best hardened stainless solid unobtainium adamantium buzzwordium wishalloy anyway. Did I forget hardtofindium?
Master lock gonna start contemplating "Yeah, our locks are bad, but WHAT IF we make so they have to be turned 20 times" and everybody in the meeting just straight up loses it.
"The Value Pack !" Some marketer at Masterlock is gonna have the factory package 10 locks per blister pack, and have them up on Home Depot shelves by the end of the week ! Use all 10 for your one storage shed !
Love the concept, never seen a lock that needs picking multiple times like that. Just imagine, a slightly better, or as someone suggested a rake proof core, how much extra time would it take to get open.
I actually found this comical, both the idea that in practice someone would have to successfully pick (rake ;) ) this eleven times in a row to get it open and just imagining LPL's "you gotta be kidding me" face when he realized he would actually have to find a way to demonstrate that! XD
Many years ago I worked for a computer security device manufacturer. We used a similar solution with the following twists: 1. It required 6 picks per revolution. 2. We used a UNEF (extra fine) threads that would require many more revolutions to unscrew it (the device you just showed uses A UNC, or coarse, thread)
This is one of those funny ones that disproportionately effects people who know what they're doing-which is hilarious. Like sure, you can make a crazy tricky lock that a pro could open in 10 seconds but a novice could take an hour on; or this thing. Doesn't matter the skill level, it's going to take a few minutes.
That’s actually a really good idea: if you took the same concept, but both physically beefed up the lock to make it more resistant to brute force attacks, and replaced the core with perhaps even a master lock, but something that requires one to actually pick the lock, and you have a lock that’d take even LPL several minutes to get through.
@@andrewallan6802 I clicked on this reply to post this comment but was so satisfied to see someone else was thinking the same thing I was ...ah ah ah ah
It would be smart to hide the left part because it let you see that you are getting "progress" with each pick ... if it was hide most people probably just gave up after the first rotation .
i had a padlock stuck to my bag for months as i lost the key for it, but thanks to your videos i was able to see the weakness in it and take it apart so thank you for educating me on how locks work
Having a lock on your trailer latch is simply a tool to prevent a mischievous unlatching, not for theft protection. A simple box wrench on the nut underneath holding the ball clamp will quickly and quietly disconnect the trailer
Or the thief can bring a new coupler with him, and bolt it onto the trailer instead of the stock one, leaving the old locked coupler behind, whether it is attached to a ball or not.
@@thoughtful_criticiser just slap it with a screw the length of his arm. "The lock may take 5 seconds to unlock, but after the 1,000th time, you'll be begging for that sweet relief of death!"
@@thoughtful_criticiser Honestly, if the lock takes 30 sec to pick, having to do it 10 times means you're sitting there picking a lock for 5 straight minutes.
If they were more popular, special tools to defeat them would also become more popular. Like a lock decoder that doubles as a key. Sort of like a Lishi that lets you read the depth of each pin, but instead of having to write that down and cut a key, you could configure the tool with those presets and basically use it like a makeshift key.
I've been using this type of lock on my boat trailer for years. I'm not in an area where it is likely to be challenged and I doubt anyone has ever tried to pick it, but it's nice to know that if anyone did give it a shot, they'd be futzing around in my lit drive way for awhile, quite nervously I imagine, hoping that they're not discovered and praying I'm not armed.
This is the lock they install on the inside of an evil villain's nefarious trap so that it takes the protagonist exactly as much time as they have left to pick it.
I use this lock for my small utility trailer that I park outside my house! Not a super high stakes environment, but a good deterrent. Tbh I think it’s a pretty good option, especially given how little it costs. Plus, due to the design, it’s pretty difficult to bolt cutter/grind it off without damaging the coupler. If they just made the core a *little bit* more difficult to pick, it would be an excellent lock. Would love to see someone like MUL-T-LOCK use this design, but with their awesome core. Would be essentially perfect.
Actually it's useless. If your trailer is anything of value, they just unbolt the receiver, install a new one and drive away with your trailer. Your lock and old receiver are sitting on the ground. You have to weld your bolts in place if you want to keep your trailer, at a minimum.
LPL should go to one of those 'romantic spots' that couples often put locks on a fence... pick them all and leave them in a pile, or just rearrange them in a pattern... Spell out 'all your love has been picked'
The famous fence over the river in Paris had to have the fence cut down. All those locks were adding to the dead load of the bridge and engineers had actually told the government that the bridge was becoming unsafe. Funny how the French would actually do something that cost money and wouldn't be popular.
Probably worth adding that because it has to be picked multiple times at different positions, you have to at least be able to get at those multiple positions. This pick took decently long compared to other products shown, but the lock was also mounted in a fashion that allowed pick access on all sides needed. That's not to say this makes it impossible, but it would definitely further drive up the time.
Remember, It's a trailer hitch lock. If your trailer hitch lock is locking something valuable, it's probably going to be a trailer. That means that in general, you are going to have pretty open access to the lock, as you have to have room between the trailer and the tow vehicle. The setup here is actually more difficult, because he had to contend with a table inderneath the hitch, whereas in the "real world," there would be empty space underneath the lock, with only the trailer tongue obstructing it.
@@Skyfighter64 -- The lock could be recessed in a tube, with an extra long key. Would make most turning tools worthless, and make using two tools awkward.
@@TlalocTemporal You're right, and that would require a different set of tools that would not be in his beginners set. I seem to recall there was an old lock built in to a door made in the middle ages or something where you had to put your arm into the tube to unlock the door. If you got it wrong or used the wrong key, it would chop your arm off. Similar idea, but the idea of restricted access to the lock making it more difficult to use readily available picking tools is a very interesting idea. But it would have to come with an extra long key, and that would be a nightmare for making holes in your pockets
I like this lock! More locks should be like this. A high five for CURT locks. Job well done in my book. It's like a simple combination and key lock all-in-one.
I know some RV owners who rely on this lock alone to prevent theft. By the way, we use two (different) locks at the same time on our RV hitch as there isn't any ONE alone I'd trust "stock".
Other locks take him a minute to open, but they'd take the average picker a lot longer or resist them completely. anyone can open this in a few minutes at most with very little tools or experience.
@@Zanpaa seeing as how it works from looking at it here is that it is a metal screw into a metal body, the only weak spot is that core. With a more secure core, especially one that doesn't permit a whole lot of leeway for physical attacks, it would be very impressive.
@@Jehty_ I've hit mine with a hammer several times to unstick it because of the weather.(I live in the rust belt). It's never broken once. For reference, it's a 2lb sledge from harbor freight that I hit it with. You'll need a bigger hammer to take this apart. And if thats the case, you're not really a good thief.
It would likely result in new, specialized tools being developed (something similar to the tools LPL already has around, except with more arms); Which would make it once again all about core quality.
This seems like a great lock for a public place. Imagine trying to pick a lock that takes this long to get open somewhere that anyone might walk by and see you doing it. The fact that it takes a *long* time does feel like a quality all on it’s own.
I've had one of these on my personal small trailer for 2 years now. Nobody has ever tried messing with it. I figured if the lockpickinglawyer was in a situation like that, he'd have to pick it several times to get in with his EDC kit, so it should be plenty annoying to your average thief when they can't pick it enough to get the lock off the trailer.
There's an old sailor's saying "If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot". Which means do an inferior knot multiple times instead of doing one proper knot. This reminded me of that...
As an owner of several Curt hitch locks, I can tell you this will make it practically invincible. The lock cylinders tend to corrode and jam. I've had to drive keys in with a hammer and spray them with oil to get them to turn, which makes them super hard to pick. Combine that with a lock like this that re-locks several times while removing and the cops can finish their donuts before responding and still catch the thief.
I keep a lock like this on my trailer so, when removed with a giant screwdriver, I can tell someone was messing with my trailer. My much more difficult lock is hidden away so it wouldn't be the first thing attacked and will hopefully convince someone to move on.
I met someone who installed an anchor bolt in the concrete pad the trailer gets parked on. their correct means of using the trailer is to pull it forward three feet and unlock it from the anchor bolt. the theory is if someone tries to steal it, the noise will alert them.
I have one of those locks on my tramper, & lost my key a month ago… It opens pretty easy with a big flathead, no wrench required…I'm still using it, still with the Stanley "key". Works more smoothly every time!
I have one of these locks, and the other issue is that you can tighten it down quite a bit with the key (like tightening a bolt). When it's tight, I can't imagine being able to tension it enough with a wrench to be able to rake, SPP, or anything else. Of course, a simple hammer would get it open very quickly.
I had one like that on my trailer. You can turn it to lock it tighter requiring a couple more picks. Ultimately, when I couldn’t find the key, it took my one swing and 10 seconds with a hammer and I broke the aluminum housing and it came right apart. Much much faster. And I bought a new lock.
I've got a Treg trailer coupler with a similar lock. I've been planning on changing the coupler, as it annoys me no end, and I was thinking about sending the lock to the LPL. This video answers most of my questions
@@jrd33 But how many amature lockpickers would have the nerve to stand and rake a lock for a minute +... A pro would pick a easier target unless the payday is great.
On the topic of quantity adding quality - a few years ago I left my old bike parked outside a train station over Christmas, locked with 2 standard, cheap, identical bicycle locks (with steel wire). When I came back the wires of one lock were obviously chewed through with pliers, but the second one was untouched. So the thought of having to go through the experience of cutting it again probably deterred the thief enough that he left my bike alone :D
I have no ideal how to pick locks other than what I have learned here and have no intentions of ever picking a lock. I just really enjoy watching a real pro working his craft.
I wonder how that 11 turn with a normal key will work after a few months in the rain and sun.. especially if we consider the quality of the lock. At that point, just weld it shut xD
I have a 1930 Ford Model "A" that I tow in an enclosed trailer behind me when I travel to different car shows and events around the country. I always have trailer theft fear stuck in the back of my mind, even though I have Web enabled cameras and GPS trackers on both the trailer and the car. I remind myself that most people aren't as able, nor nearly as "professionally adept" at picking locks as you are. I still want better security; though. I saved this video for reference. I'm always on the search for a strong, reliable, and confusing lock. It's obvious you yourself can pick almost anything. Very few have your tools or skill set, though. I'd really LOVE to see a video ranking what you consider the best locks, sometime.
Just got the learning kit from your site I actually have a door in my house that's locked with a dead bolt and I've never been able to get in it without breaking the door which I don't want to do... ima try to pick it open 🤣
I was able to rake it open but not single pin pick it... I can't find the pins that way, and it's harder to do when you can't hold it in your hand and it makes your hands and fingers tired really fast 🤣
Locked trailer hitches are quite often in low traffic areas, so this is a perfectly reasonable pick time. Also, it can be quite normal to be messing around with a trailer, changing lights and wiring, messing with axles and tire pressures and this lock does not have to be picked all in one go.
Imagine a door deadbolt with a few security pins that had a setup like this, so you had to turn the lock three complete revolutions to open, and it would relock every quarter or half turn when being picked.
The question remains, would you want to operate a deadbolt every day which required three full turns to lock or unlock vs. the 1/4 to 1/2 turn which is more customary? Perhaps it's a convenience vs. security trade-off, but I think in most cases, a lock which is impervious to low skill covert attacks but is easy to open with the correct key or thumb turn is much more desirable than one which is such a pain to lock or unlock that you run the risk of authorized users "forgetting" to lock it.
@@jeremyhanna3852 Well yes, I'm well aware of that. But people are willing to pay thousands of dollars for house locks, many of which are jokes. Foe a couple hundred you could market a multi-turn lock and honestly advertise that it is difficult to pick, and you would probably get lots of takers.
It would be very interesting to see lock mechanism of higher quality applied in this fashion where you have to turn it multiple times and it relocks every time you turn it
I am not arguing against your results...but this particular lock is used when a trailer is hooked up to a vehicle...so depending on how it was parked...it might be a real PITA to do that rake unlock.
It would be more interesting to have a multi-turn lock where there was some kind of mechanism that caused the core to snap back to the starting position upon 'failure', if that makes sense. Makes sure a real key is in there the whole time, and each additional turn makes the lock multiplicatively harder to pick instead of additively.
I was imagining a light clock spring and bevels on one side of the gate cuts. If your tension wrench slips it goes back in until it stops.. and flings your tension wrench into the weeds.
If only... unfortunately, I feel like the tension device prevents that by applying pressure to the core so it stays in place until the pins are in the correct place. It's hard to make a failure state that doesn't simply brick the whole lock
Presumably you could duplicate some of this functionality with an appropriately designed core. Though it would presumably make it more bulky and costly (possibly not so much for a wafer).
I have had that headache on some older Detex alarms. Especially annoying when it's cranked down tight, making it pretty much impossible at getting the right feel on the tension wrench the first few quarter turns.
Интересно, как быстро вскрываются советские навесные замки, что висели у всех на гаражах в моём детстве. Огромные, ключ тоже огромный. Там ещё ключ сам пустотелый, а внутри замочной скважины стержень, на который ключ вставляется. Аналогов на канале пока не увидел))
He has kinda already done that with Stuff Made Here. The dude over there made some locks for LPL to try to beat, and afterwards advice and suggestions were given. A new one should ready in 2ish years
I was thinking LOL would make the design of the lock. LPL has already demonstrated his extensive knowledge of how locks work and he can use that to help design a lock like none other.. all he needs is someone with some more engineering know how to make his ideas a reality
Lock he made with Stuff Made Here was... Over-engineered. He is more of a software guy, those 2 years might approach infinity :). Cost and expertise are key here, not necessarily fancy thinking.
There's a style of bar lock for outboard motors that works very similarly, with the key operating a threaded action to tighten. I've actually had to jiggle one off after losing the key and once I found the right jiggler tool and the knack to jiggling the particular lock it took ~2 minutes to open, even on a lock cylinder that's pointing straight down into the deck of a boat and relocks ever half turn.
I thought the thumbnail said 77 (seventy-seven) times so I was quite confused at first. Although I figure it would be possible to make a lock that re-locks more times per revolution and/or requires more revolutions to open with a key ...
I thought this would be a video about a Masterlock picked in 11 different ways, I was waiting for picks, Lishi tools, magnets, yellow hammers, cans, pieces of packaging, ... Happy December!
I hate to admit it, but the design is kinda genius. Unless they’re aware of the gimmick, most thieves would walk away confused after the first or second successful pick. I suspect this lock would fold pretty quickly under forceful attacks though.
Man, one spool in there would turn that lock into something super secure. I imagine that the multiple lock points wasn't intended for security but rather adjust-ability to fit different trailer latches but actually added quite a bit to pick resistance. You should modify that core with a security pin and then try it again.
![[1490] When Quantity Adds Quality: Curt Trailer Lock](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
