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This is a quote from an article (http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-bike-lock/) I was reading on bicycle lock reviews' about how thieves open American padlocks:

"Then he ditches the first bike and snips another cable or cracks a hardware-store-sold padlock such as this, known as “the potato lock” for its round shape and potato-like ubiquity. Using the screwdriver as a chisel and the wrench as a hammer, he pops the cylinder of the potato lock with three elegant whacks (which he happily demonstrated)."

This is the lock the author is referring to:

http://www.americanlock.com/solid_body_ ... dlocks.jsp

I always viewed these locks as fairly strong re brute strength attacks. Anyone aware of this technique?

so much for surreptitious technique
The "elegant whacks" part made me lol

I'm quite surprised with the assertion that this model of American lock could be broken so easily! They seem to be very robust locks.

Having read the article reviewing the bike locks, it is clear that the author doesn't know much about locks.

I'm wondering if it was perhaps a cheap clone of the American lock that was opened with "three elegant strikes"?

It is quite likely that the author of the article wouldn't notice or appreciate the difference between the genuine article &
a cheaply made imitation.

I've seen very cheap padlocks that look almost identical to that type of American padlock for sale at "Two dollar shops" here & wouldn't be surprised to see one fail to a screwdriver struck with a wrench.

...Mark

"Popping the cylinder" sounds to me similar to the videos that show cheap disk detainer locks being defeated by levering out the retaining ring that holds the cylinder in. I agree that there must be confusion by the author as to which lock was opened. Unless someone knows of a way to do this to American locks, I believe those locks are quite robust.

I have been trying to find some video of this lock defeat .. But cant find anything that shows it being done.

Same here. If someone does know how this is done, PM me if you don't feel like posting the information. The American padlocks seem to be rather robust.

Gordon

I've not seen one of these locks in a while, but I'm not buying it. I've never seen one at a hardware store thats for sure. I'm not saying American locks are the best but I've worked with a ton of them and a hammer and screwdriver chiseling out the cylinder that don't sound right to me.

I have been doing some more searching and I can not find anything that shows a American lock being smashed with a hammer and screwdriver.. As a matter of fact, most of the article or photo you look at show a ULock or the cable/chain just being cut.

So, I don't know what they would consider a Potato Lock... I have an American 700 Series like the link shows.. And your right it is a pretty robust lock .. So here is my thinking..

In regards to the hammer ans crew driver method.. Maybe the screwdriver is modified to fit the top of the Key way and as you hammer it in it will shear off the Key pins ..

Just a thought

Unless the "such as this" in the article indicates the kind of padlock,the generic shape and not the real brand and model.
Maybe some unknown clone?

I use one on my Harley and the only thing that came to my mind was if he was somehow using the screwdriver to pry out the cylinder retainer, but that's just crazy talk, I can't see it taking place.

Well you can park your bike in the Bronx and lock 'er up, then sit down across the street and watch. Hey, MBI, can we 'borrow' your bike for a simple test" We can almost promise you will get it back!

Gordon

I don't think MBI would be caught dead anywhere near New York anything lol.

I had and awesome lock body that had been engraved, it was a 5200 with a special forces emblem engraved in it, that a buddy of mine wanted redone and the cylinder was gummed up someone had tried to pry the pins out. We tried wedging, drilling and some other destructive measures and it took literately drilling the keyway out and pulling pins out to open it. I know it's not the exact same but should be the same type of cylinder and parts right? Point is that thing was a PITA and I knew how it worked and what I wanted done to it. I don't see someone prying off anything the "potato lock" linked. I could see a small power drill and drilling the pins out working to a point but that is a lot of attention and time.

I did end up fixing up the lock for him so he could use it again it was pretty awesome.

http://thesweethome.com/ is a website aiming to inform the consumer as to what is the best or most suitable product for them. As such, I would expect them to be completely truthful about the products they test, or even mention.

Any reasonable person would think that Eric Hansen was referring to the American Lock, Round Body Padlock in his article. If this is not the case, it should be made plain that it is not, by him, as soon as possible.

If anybody's got a spare one of these padlocks, and is willing to try some DE on it in the interests of science, I would recommend deft or dextrous whacks. But maybe elegance is the charm?

Remember, to elegantly whack the screwdriver, you must have the little finger holding the 'hammer' sticking out. And rather than cursing when you miss and hit your hand, you must say "Oh my, how disappointing", or some other such elegant quote.



Gordon

I think this whole thread boils down to using the screwdriver as a wafer breaker and then popping the lock open directly. I don't know how many wafers you can break at one time considering the tight spaces within the lock body.