Opening Combination Padlocks: No Tools, No Problem (Paperback)

~ Carl Black (Author) "Throughout this discussion we will be using an American Lock padlock as our main reference lock..." (more)
Key Phrases: centermost point, combination padlock, true gate, Master Lock (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It is incredibly easy to forget the combination to padlocks on your own tool shed, gym locker or anyplace else these common locks are found. This handy guide teaches one thing: how to open a padlock whose combination is lost. Dissatisfied with books that showed methods that didn't allow entry into all locks or made it difficult to always accurately find the first or third number, usually the main basis for their technique, author Carl Black devised a foolproof system that allows quick entry into all combination padlocks in minutes without any guesswork or tools. He explains how it works with clear instructions and illustrations and gives problem-solving tips for difficult locks. For information purposes only.

About the Author

Carl Black is a security officer and served in the U.S. Army for three years. After a lifelong fascination with locks and lock manipulation, he decided to pass on the sure-fire techniques he has developed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581603681
• ISBN-13: 978-1581603682
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #210,544 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Could sum up the useful info in this book on one page, March 13, 2006

By	Hugo Calendar (Monument, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There is little insight, and no "trick" in this book. This book just tells you to do exaustive search, which means it just tells you to try all the combinations. It does point out that each "gate" on a lock is really a range of up to four numbers, and if you pull on the latch you can feel where the gates center. So, now, instead of exaustive search taking an amazingly huge amount of time, it instead just takes a huge amount of time. It encourages you to try the most likely combinations first, which is the vast majority of them. Gag.

Even if you value your time at minimum wage, you will save money by just BUYING A NEW LOCK, and that's without factoring in the price of this book or how exaustive search will make your hand hurt.

If you think twisting a knob back and forth for hours is fun, and you don't have the minimal brain power to make a table for it (the author says you don't have to understand his tables, and doesn't even mention the shocking ability to keep track of the last three numbers/gates in your head), then this book is for you.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not worth the money, April 12, 2006

By	ngufra "ngufra" (albany, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This book describes how a lock works with a couple of diagrams and how to open them in the shortest amount of time by only trying useful combinations : it's not because the dial goes to 40 that there are 40 choices, usually about 10 "gates". most locks combinations are low number-high number-low number or high-low-high, etc
These rules will let you make a list of combinations to try so that you find the right one as fast as possible.
All this could fit in a web page (and probably does). I don't think it's worth the price.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not really very useful, February 10, 2006

By	A. Hammond - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you want a book that tells you how to open combination padlocks, just like in the movies... this is not it...
This book tells you how to halve (maybe) the number of combinations that will open the lock. There is really nothing worth reading in this book. It narrows down the number of combinations, then you have to try them... one by one.
This book teaches you how to open locks, but youll never get any better, every time you open one, it Will take half an hour.

My suggestion, try a different book.