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How To Pick A Master Lock in 90 Seconds

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with 3B Realty: 951-347-3818, CA DRE# 01864774

How To Pick A Master Lock in 90 Seconds?  It's easy.

Shockingly easy.

I own a couple of Master Lock lock boxes. I have occasionally used them to hold keys to my home.

How to pick a Master Lock in 90 secondsNot anymore.

The other day, I realized that I could not remember the combination to one of my lock boxes. It had been awhile since I last used it, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what combination of four numbers would release the locking mechanism.

I contacted a local locksmith to see if he knew how to open the lock box, but he didn't. His reply? "Once you lock that box and forget the code, it's over. You can't open it again."

That was surprising to hear. I thought, "Surely there has to be a way to open this box!" After all, I could not have been the only person to forget the code to their lock box, could I?

So I Googled "lost my master lock code" to see if I could find any useful information.

And I did.  Lots of it. Including YouTube videos showing exactly how to pick a Master Lock.

The process is simple: Use a locksmith's shim (such as a Weiser shim pick or a Peterson knife tool), slip the shim in-between the wheel and the lock's face plate, and while slowly turning the wheel, feel for the depression that indicates the wheel's code. Perform this process with all four wheels until you have the combination.

Using this process, I picked my Master Lock in about 90 seconds.

The locksmith shims range in price from about $2-$20 and can be purchased online. However, I didn't want to buy one and wait for it to be delivered, so I Googled "how to make a locksmith shim" and, once again, found plenty of sites explaining how to make one: using an aluminum soda can, scissors, and pliers. (My homemade shim is in the bottom of the photo. I happened to have had an aluminum soda can on hand.)

From start to finish, it took me about an hour to Google for tutorials and learn how to pick a Master Lock and how to make a locksmith's shim, to then build the homemade shim, and then to pick the lock in just 90 seconds.

So, as I mentioned at the beginning of my post, I own a couple of Master Lock lock boxes and I have occasionally used them to hold keys to my home.  Not anymore.

Posted by
 

 Serving home buyers and sellers in Murrieta with homes for sale, foreclosures, REO‘s, & short sales.Content provided by Bill Burchard
3B Realty

Serving the real estate needs of Southern California home buyers and home sellers.

Willaim Burchard, Broker, REALTOR®
 DRE# 01864774
Cell: 951-347-3818
Email: 
Bill@my3BRealty.com`

Comments(6)

Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Bill Burchard Troubling information and another reason why we exclusively use the Sentrilock boxes. Much more security with a log of who has entered the lockbox and when.

Dec 27, 2014 02:16 AM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Bill Burchard this is disturbing, and sad to hear it is all over the Internet.  Should not be surprised!  

Dec 27, 2014 02:26 AM
Bill Burchard
3B Realty: 951-347-3818, CA - Murrieta, CA
Broker, Realtor, Representing Buyers and Sellers

I agree, Sandy & Norm: it is troubling.

 

I like the SentriLock boxes. Their one-day codes are a key benefit for providing access to non-cardholders, such as home inspectors, appraisers, maintenance workers, etc.

Dec 27, 2014 02:26 AM
Bill Burchard
3B Realty: 951-347-3818, CA - Murrieta, CA
Broker, Realtor, Representing Buyers and Sellers

I agree, Joan!

Dec 27, 2014 02:32 AM
Tim Lorenz
TIM LORENZ - Elite Home Sales Team - Mission Viejo, CA
949 874-2247

Nice tio know.  Glad it is not a style of loc box I use.

Dec 27, 2014 05:19 AM
Bill Burchard
3B Realty: 951-347-3818, CA - Murrieta, CA
Broker, Realtor, Representing Buyers and Sellers

Smart move, Tim!  (And I'm not using it from now on, either!)

Dec 27, 2014 06:00 AM