Homemade S&G enviro key

[quabillion]

So today i was able to make a good working key for my enviro lock. it is a 102. I started with some 5/16 brass rod stock, a hacksaw and some files. After several tries and much cussing I have a working key. I am thinking that i will produce several more to sharpen my skills at making them not only work well but look good, as this one dosent look very good to me. I have the key that came with the lock, made from a large cotter pin, to help guide me. One funny thing about my key is that it defeats the key retaining feature of the enviro as i can remove the key while the lock is open. I do not know why other than my sloppy manufacturing technique.

[flywheel]

Good job!
Is a stock key made from a larger diameter?

[quabillion]

i dont think that it is a larger diameter than a factory key. The keyway is 5/16 diam before you get to the discs, then it is cut in half diagonally. All of this was homebrew made. the key itself was just a brass rod, and the bow was a brass tag with the number 4 on it that i had laying around. I found the brass rod at the hardware store.

[GWiens2001]

Would have to dig one out to confirm, but fairly certain they all can be locked in the open position with the shackle at 180 degrees as in your picture. Can your key be removed with the key in any position, or just at 180 degrees or in the locked position?

Gordon

[flywheel]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SARGENT-AND-GREENLEAF-NO-102-ENVIRONMENTAL-PADLOCK-KEY-/261517990007?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce3afd877

[GWiens2001]

Think that wider diameter section is to provide a more aesthetically pleasing key bow mounting area. It can keep the key from going too far into the keyway, but that can be take care of by the end of your 'half circle' cut just as easily.

Gordon

[quabillion]

being able to remove the key while unlocked is not a feature of this lock, it is key retaining for sure. my other key cannot be removed while unlocked, no matter the position of the shackle. plus while the key is removed you cannot lock the lock. there are no springs on the locking balls, you must turn the key to push them out into the notches in the shackle. however this key can be removed with the shackle at any position. weird

[quabillion]

what stops the key insertion is the tip of the key hitting the back of the keyway.

[mister sour]

Your center cut is thinner than the original design allowing the key to wiggle past the disc and come out. Some of my homebrew keys are like that too. The center cut is the cut that gets trapped (with 102 keys) and makes it key retaining.

[quabillion]

Your center cut is thinner than the original design allowing the key to wiggle past the disc and come out. Some of my homebrew keys are like that too. The center cut is the cut that gets trapped (with 102 keys) and makes it key retaining.

That is the conclusion that i have come to also, sour.

[quabillion]

While taking a look at a master 175 variant today i saw the potential for another homemade enviro key, with the shackle material. The combo lock was junk from work. For some reason the combo could not be reset and so they lock guy at work started to destructively take it apart, then he gave it to me. This lock has a small 4 pin key override feature that i wanted to probe for weaknesses, so i finished the disassembly but found no real weakness other than the standard 175 bypass. When i got done i looked at the pile of mangled parts and spotted the shackle and thought that it would make a nice key for my enviro. It is Boron-Carbide alloy and is an octagon shape. The metal machines nicely with a dremel but the work is a bit slow. After about 20 minutes i had a working key. All that is left to do now is come up with some kind of bow for the top.

[GWiens2001]

Nice usage of what some would consider junk, Quabillion. Using a broken lock part to open another lock.

Gordon

[Deadlock]

Interesting, if somewhat disappointing, that a shackle with words like Boron and Carbide on it should grind away so easily. How long did it take to cut through it?

[quabillion]

to just straight cut it took about 2 minutes with the dremel cut off wheel. but i was going slow and careful because i wanted a good clean cut.

[Deadlock]

I've always wondered how hard one of these 'hardened' shackles is. I guess the best you can hope for is bolt cutter proof. Here's a link I found:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/tests/can-your-padlock-withstand-a-bullet


The OnGuard one looks pretty good for that. Shame how it performed in the other tests.