Lock Picking Spectrum of Difficulty

[flywheel]

6th edit 10/18 1915

Pin tumbler locks
Level 1:
Level 2: No security pins --Master, "Made in China", Kwikset, ERA rim cylinder, Defiant,
Level 3: Some security pins --Master 140 and 150, Brinks; Corbin Russwin, Schlage, Yale rim cylinder, TriCircle padlock, XPT padlock
Level 4: Sargent, Master Pro Series, Master LOTO, Brady LOTO, American, BEST, Lockwood, Squire, ABUS, Schlage Everest, Medeco BiLevel
Level 5: BEST Wx, WINK HAUS, Medeco Keymark, EVVA GPI, ASSA, RUKO, Gege, M&K, Folger Adam mogul, RR Brink mogul, CES, Burg Wachter, Lockwood V7
Level 6: Medeco (original, biaxial, m3), Medeco mogul, ASSA D12
Level 7: Emhart, EVVA DPI, ASSA Twin, ASSA Twin mogul, Schlage Primus, Schlage Primus Everest, TrioVing 7-pin
Level 8:
Level 9: TrioVing DP10
Level 10:

Dimple locks
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4: ABUS dimple
Level 5: MTL Garrison 7x7
Level 6: MTL Classic, MTL Interactive
Level 7: MTL MT5
Level 8: Sargent KESO, MTL MT5+, DOM ix10, KABA penta
Level 9:
Level 10:

Disc detainer locks
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4: S&G Environmental
Level 5: Ford Tibbe
Level 6:
Level 7: ABUS
Level 8: SOBO, ABLOY (classic, exec)
Level 9:
Level 10: ABLOY (protec, protec+)

Sidebar locks
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3: Kwikset smartkey
Level 4: Reilda, U-Change
Level 5:
Level 6: BiLock
Level 7: Medeco camlock
Level 8:
Level 9: EVVA 3KS
Level 10:

Lever locks
Level 1: warded locks, single lever lock
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Level 5: Squire 6-lever
Level 6:
Level 7:
Level 8:
Level 9:
Level 10: Kromer Protector

Miscellaneous locking mechanism
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Level 5:
Level 6:
Level 7:
Level 8: Fichet
Level 9: MIWA, Bramah
Level 10: EVVA MCS

Combination Safe Locks Why not?
Direct Entry locks (Gardall, Sentry)
Rench
S&G 6700 series
Group 2 Moslers
Diebold 177-22, LaGard 3330
Yale OC5
S&G 6630
LaGard 3332
S&G Manipulation Proof
Chubb Manifoil MkIV

Well, if nothing else it's a start...................................................

[flywheel]

Where should I start? How should I proceed? Read the list!

I need your help making this list of commercially available locks ordered by picking difficulty as accurate as possible. What you see below is a first draft outline. After level 5 I'm just guessing.
Experienced pickers what would you switch? What would you add? Car locks, 4-,5-,6-lever locks, and push locks; where do they go? Individual locks may be incredibly easy or difficult, but as a class what level do they belong at?

Of course there are many lock manufacturers and product classes (wafer, pin, dimple, disc, etc) out there. Please chime in. I've left the first comment post empty to add and edit the list with each refinement.

Level 1: no-name wafer locks, warded locks, single lever lock
Level 2: No security pins --Master, "Made in China", Kwikset
Level 3: Some security pins --Master 140 and 150, Brinks; Corbin Russwin, Schlage
Level 4: Sargent, Master Pro Series, Master LOTO, Brady LOTO, American, BEST, Lockwood, Squire, ABUS
Level 5: BEST Wx, WINK HAUS, Medeco Keymark, Mogul cylinders, TrioVing, Schlage Everest, EVVA GPI, ABUS dimple
Level 6: Schlage Primus, S&G Environmental, BiLock
Level 7: Medeco, Emhart, ASSA, EVVA DPI, ABUS disc detainer
Level 8: Fichet, ASSA Twin, Sargent KESO, Mul-T-Lock, SOBO, RUKO
Level 9: EVVA 3KS, ASSA/ABLOY Protec, Bramah
Level 10: EVVA MCS, MIWA

Thanks!

[Deadlock]

Okay, that's me on level 3 then. I'd include Yale rim cylinders (5 pin) in that level. Whereabouts would something like a Squire "Old Fashioned" lever padlock go?

[flywheel]

I've had some feedback suggesting separating pin, dimple, disc, lever, etc into their own separate lists. Might be a good idea. Of course that means I need A LOT of help since I have barely ventured outside of pin tumbler locks.
With keyways and exotic pinning schemes making a comprehensive list is not realistic. However when buying commercially available locks, it is possible to say American is tougher to pick than Master, Medeco is tougher than American, and EVVA MCS is much more difficult than medeco.

Of course, that's me saying that and I have yet to pick a 6-pin medeco. And EVVA? Ha! Let's filter all these locks through difficulty spectrum and see where they land.

I'll edit the open spot and insert the lists and await feedback for necessary changes. Thanks.

[GWiens2001]

3KS is not a dimple lock... it is a slider lock with two sidebars.

Gordon

[Norseman]

I'd put ASSA(standard) and Ruko(standard) in the same place as Trioving(standard). Cat. 5. As they are all regular/single row pin tumbler locks.

[mercurial]

Evva 3ks & DPI aren't dimple locks.

The former uses sliders, which are somewhat like wafers, which interact with two sidebars & the latter is a standard pin tumbler mechanism, with sidebar.

The Bramah isn't a lever lock, it uses sliders in a radial arrangement.

Fichet locks aren't lever locks, they make a wide variety of mechanisms. Their difficulty cannot be placed on the scale at one location, the wildly different mechanisms they use means their pick resistance varies markedly.

Mul-T-Lock make more than one product. I'd seperate that into the Classic, Garrison 7X7, Interactive, MT5, MT5+
I do not know where the Garrison 7X7 goes, I've heard it said they are more difficult than a Classic, but otherwise those are listed in order of increasing difficulty. The Classic & Interactive belong at the same level in my opinion.

I was under the impression that the Schlage Primus & Assa Twin are extremely similar. Is the Assa Twin a harder pick as suggested here? (This is purely a question, I'm not trying to disagree with their rankings).

...Mark

[rerun12]

agree with primus being in the same class as assa twin

[GWiens2001]

Thought the ASSA Twin version has the tricky driver pins. Also, there is more than one type of Twin. The 6000 uses different finger pins that are serrated, while the Combi has finger pins that need to be rotated like the Primus.

Gordon

[huxleypig]

I think the MCS has to be in level 10 on its own, with no known attacks.

Are mogul cylinders not worthy of being higher?

Garrison 7x7 is just 7 dimple pins, and big ones at that, much easier than Classic or Interactive. It is very deceptive calling them "7x7", all it means is there are 7 pins in each end (of a Euro), not 7 pin in pin.

Cool thread!

[flywheel]

Not every lock is perfectly placed. Some are shoved into a certain category because I believe (maybe incorrectly) they are more similar than somewhere else. If you have a ranking of difficulty for a number of locks please include the recommended level for at least one and I can arrange the others accordingly. Do I need a completely separate category for sliders or will combining them with dimple locks be acceptable?

If these lists ever approach a semblance of completion the next step would be to add approximate new and used prices to each lock.
Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it.

[spandexwarrior]

If you're really interested in this type of info for high security locks, check out this book by Graham Pulford. It's expensive but worth it. He has categories for the types of locks that have been discussed here (and many more) as well as a security rating based on some expert evaluations. The book really isn't about picking or bypassing but it's got excellent info and pictures of hundreds of different locks and designs. http://www.amazon.com/High-Security-Mechanical-Locks-Encyclopedic-Reference/dp/0750684372.

-Brian

[GWiens2001]

That is an amazing book. Got it when I first came out, and there was a serious problem. Namely, that it became a shopping list. Great pictures of the internals, well categorized. Very few high security locks can not be found within those pages, though there are some.

Gordon

[mercurial]

I absolutely agree with the sentiments expressed regarding Graham
Pulford's book. It is an outstanding reference resource, the only one in its class!

In my opinion, the Evva 3KS should not be categorised as a dimple lock, not only is it a slider based lock, its primary security is derived from the sidebar principle, whereas a dimple lock is a pin tumbler mechanism, secured by a shear line.

I don't know if the difference is large enough to justify it being a level higher, but the Medeco cam lock (assuming same number of pins) is more difficult than the Medeco Classic, BiAxial & M3. Pin rotation & lift must be dealt with simultaneously with the cam lock & in my experience this adds significant difficulty.

I agree that (standard) Assa & Ruko belong in the same category as Trioving. Perhaps Gege & M&K also belong here.

Mogul cylinders need to be broken down by type to hold any meaningful ranking. An Assa Twin, Medeco, Folgar Adams & RR Brink cannot be ranked together.

The Evva MCS certainly belongs in a class of it's own, in terms of difficulty. It certainly is not a pin tumbler lock & does not belong on that list. Putting magnetic locks with pin tumblers makes no sense. Perhaps to accommodate locks like this, the 3KS, the many different Fichets & the Bramah, a miscellaneous mechanism list should be created?

It is hard to compare locks with different operating principles, but I cannot think of another way to rank these unusual locks.

Some of these locks could be placed in a "sidebar locks" section, intended for locks that employ a sidebar as their primary key verification. The Briggs & Stratton lock would fit here, as would the Kwikset Smartkey, Reilda & U-Change. Strictly speaking, Bilock & the Medeco camlock would also be more accurately placed here.

I think there comes a point where technical accuracy must be sacrificed for convenience & simplicity, which may for example result in some sidebar locks ending up in the pin tumbler list.

DOM dimple locks aren't rated yet, I would suggest the ix10 would be at or close to the Sargent Keso.
KABA dimple locks belong on the list, but I lack the experience to rate them. I have experience with just one Kaba Penta, and it is extremely difficult(unpicked).

I lack experience with Abloy, but it is safe to say that the Abloy Classic & Exec should be ranked below the Protec & Protec+. The latter two surely rank as the most difficult of the disk detainer locks.

Whilst on the topic of disk detainer locks, the Ford Tibbe lock could be placed above the S&G environmental & below the Abus. The S&G could be pushed down to level 4 to accommodate this. The S&G is quite easy.

Although it isn't lockpicking, is a ranking of safe locks useful? If so, here is my list in order of increasing difficulty. Locks on the same line are ranked equally :

Direct Entry locks (Gardall, Sentry)
Rench
S&G 6700 series
Group 2 Moslers
Diebold 177-22, LaGard 3330
Yale OC5
S&G 6630
LaGard 3332
Chubb Manifoil MkIV

I have not included S&G 8400, 8500, Mosler 302 Group 1 or Diebold 180-33. I know at least the 8400 & the Mosler can be manipulated, but without knowing the method, it isn't possible to gauge the difficulty. I have it on good authority that the 8400 can sometimes be manipulated quite quickly, so whilst the method not be known to most outside the safe tech community, it might not be terribly difficult, with knowledge of the method.

...Mark

[flywheel]

Great post mercurial!
A miscellaneous and sidebar category might just do the trick. That will mean a complete transfer of disc detainers into sidebar arena. I'll take another look tomorrow, check out any other responses, and then update the lists.
Might as well throw in some safe lock stuff while I'm at it.

Thanks!