Safe-cracking is the process of opening a safe without either the combination or the key.
91-426: Safes have widely different designs, construction methods, and locking mechanisms. A safe cracker needs to know the specifics of whichever will come into play. Lock manipulation is a damage-free, combination-based method. A well known surreptitious bypass technique, it requires knowledge of the device and well developed touch, along with the senses of sight and possibly sound. While manipulation of combination locks
182-534: A cryptographic key and wireless protocol. Smart locks have begun to be used more commonly in residential areas, often controlled with smartphones . Smart locks are used in coworking spaces and offices to enable keyless office entry. In addition, electronic locks cannot be picked with conventional tools. Locksmithing is a traditional trade, and in most countries requires completion of an apprenticeship . The level of formal education required varies from country to country, from no qualifications required at all in
273-441: A cubic high-temperature form, β-WC, which has the rock salt structure . The hexagonal form can be visualized as made up of a simple hexagonal lattice of metal atoms of layers lying directly over one another (i.e. not close packed), with carbon atoms filling half the interstices giving both tungsten and carbon a regular trigonal prismatic, 6 coordination . From the unit cell dimensions the following bond lengths can be determined:
364-466: A keypad , this process can be observed in order to reveal the combination. Common attacks include: Many of these techniques require the attacker to tamper with the keypad, wait for the unsuspecting user to enter the combination, and return at a later time to retrieve the information. These techniques are sometimes used by members of intelligence or law enforcement agencies, as they are often effective and surreptitious. Some keypads are designed to inhibit
455-429: A "security layer" that exceeds the reasonable gain of an intruder. Traditional key cutting is the primary method of key duplication. It is a subtractive process named after the metalworking process of cutting , where a flat blank key is ground down to form the same shape as the template (original) key. The process roughly follows these stages: Modern key cutting replaces the mechanical key following aspect with
546-486: A V-shape surrounding the keyhole. They are often called drunk man's lock , as these locks were, according to certain sources, designed in such a way a person can still find the keyhole in the dark, although this might not be the case as the ornaments might have been purely aesthetic. In more recent times similar locks have been designed. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century and
637-485: A bond length of 171 pm for W C . Sintered tungsten carbide–cobalt cutting tools are very abrasion resistant and can also withstand higher temperatures than standard high-speed steel (HSS) tools. Carbide cutting surfaces are often used for machining tough materials such as carbon steel or stainless steel , and in applications where steel tools would wear quickly, such as high-quantity and high-precision production. Because carbide tools maintain
728-443: A combination on the dial. On average, 1% radial rotation in either direction from the center of the true combination number allows the fence to fall despite slight deviation, so that for a given safe, it may be necessary only to try a subset of possible combinations. Such "slops" may allow for a margin of error of plus or minus two digits, which means that trying multiples of five would be sufficient in this case. This drastically reduces
819-409: A custom-made tungsten carbide guitar slide . The hardness, weight, and density of the slide give it superior sustain and volume compared to standard glass, steel, ceramic, or brass slides. Tungsten carbide has been investigated for its potential use as a catalyst and it has been found to resemble platinum in its catalysis of the production of water from hydrogen and oxygen at room temperature,
910-474: A cylindrical key with precise notches along the surface; these moved the metal slides that impeded the turning of the bolt into an exact alignment, allowing the lock to open. The lock was at the limits of the precision manufacturing capabilities of the time and was said by its inventor to be unpickable. In the same year Bramah started the Bramah Locks company at 124 Piccadilly, and displayed the "Challenge Lock" in
1001-528: A device was created by two students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , which took 21,000 tries to open a Sargent and Greenleaf 8500 lock on a Diebold Safe. Lockmasters, Inc. markets the QX3 Combi Autodialer (LKMCOMBI) that works on a variety of 3 and 4 Wheel combination safe locks. Another computer-aided method uses tools similar to autodialers, which instead make measurements of
SECTION 10
#17328760891051092-411: A disc that allowed the key to pass but narrowed the field of view, hiding the levers from anybody attempting to pick the lock. The Chubb brothers also received a patent for the first burglar-resisting safe and began production in 1835. The designs of Barron and Chubb were based on the use of movable levers, but Joseph Bramah , a prolific inventor, developed an alternative method in 1784. His lock used
1183-493: A double-acting pin tumbler lock was granted to American physician Abraham O. Stansbury in England in 1805, but the modern version, still in use today, was invented by American Linus Yale Sr. in 1848. This lock design used pins of varying lengths to prevent the lock from opening without the correct key. In 1861, Linus Yale Jr. was inspired by the original 1840s pin-tumbler lock designed by his father, thus inventing and patenting
1274-401: A key, keycard , fingerprint , RFID card, security token or coin), by supplying secret information (such as a number or letter permutation or password ), by a combination thereof, or it may only be able to be opened from one side, such as a door chain. A key is a device that is used to operate a lock (to lock or unlock it). A typical key is a small piece of metal consisting of two parts:
1365-474: A lower temperature fluid bed process that reacts either tungsten metal (or powder) or blue WO 3 with CO / CO 2 gas mixture and H 2 gas between 900 and 1,200 °C. WC can also be produced by heating WO 3 with graphite , either directly at 900 °C or in hydrogen at 670 °C, followed by carburization in argon at 1,000 °C. Chemical vapor deposition methods that have been investigated include: Solid tungsten carbide
1456-444: A new unique one. Sources of try-out combinations exist by manufacturer. Other easy-to-guess combinations include a birthdate, street address, or driver's license number. Autodialing machines have been developed to open safes. Unlike fictional machines that can open any combination in a matter of seconds, such machines are usually specific to a particular type of lock and must cycle through thousands of combinations before success. Such
1547-624: A number of unique profiles requiring a specifically milled key blank to engage the lock's tumblers . Keys appear in various symbols and coats of arms, the best-known being that of the Holy See : derived from the phrase in Matthew 16:19 which promises Saint Peter , in Roman Catholic tradition the first pope , the Keys of Heaven . But this is by no means the only case. Some works of art associate keys with
1638-415: A position to observe the change key hole. While spinning the dial and looking through the change key hole for certain landmarks on the combination lock's wheel pack, it is possible to obtain the combination and then dial open the safe with the correct combination. This method is common for a professional safe specialist because it leaves the lock in good working order and only simple repairs are needed to bring
1729-461: A powerful rare-earth magnet . Electronic locks are not vulnerable to traditional manipulation techniques (except for brute-force entry). These locks are often compromised through power analysis attacks. Several tools exist that can automatically retrieve or reset the combination of an electronic lock; notably, the Little Black Box and Phoenix. Tools like these are often connected to wires in
1820-411: A procedure used for recovery of scrap cemented carbide due to its selectivity. Tungsten carbide has a high melting point at 2,870 °C (3,140 K), a boiling point of 6,000 °C (6,270 K) when under a pressure equivalent to 1 standard atmosphere (101.325 kilopascals), a thermal conductivity of 110 W/m·K, and a coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.5 μm/m·K. Tungsten carbide
1911-430: A process in which the original key is scanned electronically, processed by software, stored, then used to guide a cutting wheel when a key is produced. The capability to store electronic copies of the key's shape allows for key shapes to be stored for key cutting by any party that has access to the key image. Different key cutting machines are more or less automated, using different milling or grinding equipment, and follow
SECTION 20
#17328760891052002-422: A safe is the process of drilling a hole and inserting a borescope into the safe to get an intimate look into a specific part of the security container. When manipulation-proof mechanical locks and glass re-lockers are implemented as security measures, scoping is the most practical option. One common method is called "scoping the change key hole." The safecracker will drill a hole allowing him to get his scope into
2093-488: A set of levers to prevent the bolt from moving in the lock. In its simplest form, lifting the tumbler above a certain height will allow the bolt to slide past. Lever locks are commonly recessed inside wooden doors or on some older forms of padlocks, including fire brigade padlocks. A magnetic keyed lock is a locking mechanism whereby the key utilizes magnets as part of the locking and unlocking mechanism. A magnetic key would use from one to many small magnets oriented so that
2184-409: A set of obstructions, or wards, to prevent the lock from opening unless the correct key is inserted. The key has notches or slots that correspond to the obstructions in the lock, allowing it to rotate freely inside the lock. Warded locks are typically reserved for low-security applications as a well-designed skeleton key can successfully open a wide variety of warded locks. The pin tumbler lock uses
2275-490: A set of pins to prevent the lock from opening unless the correct key is inserted. The key has a series of grooves on either side of the key's blade that limit the type of lock the key can slide into. As the key slides into the lock, the horizontal grooves on the blade align with the wards in the keyway allowing or denying entry to the cylinder . A series of pointed teeth and notches on the blade, called bittings , then allow pins to move up and down until they are in line with
2366-845: A sharp cutting edge better than steel tools, they generally produce a better finish on parts, and their temperature resistance allows faster machining. The material is usually called cemented carbide , solid carbide, hardmetal or tungsten-carbide cobalt. It is a metal matrix composite , where tungsten carbide particles are the aggregate, and metallic cobalt serves as the matrix. It has been found wear and oxidation properties of cemented carbide can be improved by replacing cobalt with iron aluminide. Tungsten carbide cutting tools can be further enhanced with coatings such as titanium aluminium nitride or titanium chromium nitride to increase their thermal stability, and prolong tool life. Tungsten carbide, in its monolithic sintered form, or much more often in cemented tungsten carbide cobalt composite (see above),
2457-475: A smaller flat key with serrated edges as well as pins of varying lengths within the lock itself, the same design of the pin-tumbler lock which still remains in use today. The modern Yale lock is essentially a more developed version of the Egyptian lock. Despite some improvement in key design since, the majority of locks today are still variants of the designs invented by Bramah, Chubb and Yale. A warded lock uses
2548-406: A so-called brute-force attack . These auto-dialer machines may take 24 hours or more to reach the correct combination, although modern devices with advanced software may do so faster. Mechanical safe locks are manipulated primarily by feel and vision, with sound sometimes supplementing the process. To find the combination the operator uses the lock against itself by measuring internal movements with
2639-549: A thin rod of tungsten carbide is 6220 m/s. Tungsten carbide's low electrical resistivity of about 0.2 μ Ω·m is comparable with that of some metals (e.g. vanadium 0.2 μ Ω·m). WC is readily wetted by both molten nickel and cobalt . Investigation of the phase diagram of the W-C-Co system shows that WC and Co form a pseudo binary eutectic . The phase diagram also shows that there are so-called η-carbides with composition (W,Co) 6 C that can be formed and
2730-684: A tungsten carbide brick onto a plutonium sphere, known as the demon core , causing the subcritical mass to go supercritical with the reflected neutrons . He fell into a coma and died 25 days after the accident. Trekking poles , used by many hikers for balance and to reduce pressure on leg joints, generally use carbide tips in order to gain traction when placed on hard surfaces (like rock); carbide tips last much longer than other types of tip. While ski pole tips are generally not made of carbide, since they do not need to be especially hard even to break through layers of ice, rollerski tips usually are. Roller skiing emulates cross country skiing and
2821-566: Is approximately three times as stiff as steel , with a Young's modulus of approximately 530–700 GPa, and is twice as dense as steel . It is comparable with corundum (α- Al 2 O 3 ) in hardness , approaching that of a diamond, and can be polished and finished only with abrasives of superior hardness such as cubic boron nitride and diamond powder, wheels and compounds. Tungsten carbide tools can be operated at cutting speeds much higher than high-speed steel (a special steel blend for cutting tools). Tungsten carbide powder
Safe-cracking - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-432: Is entered. This pin can also be moved by the impact of the safe being dropped or struck while on its side, which allows the safe to be opened. One security researcher taught his three-year-old son how to open most consumer gun safes. More expensive safes use a gear mechanism that is less susceptible to mechanical attacks. Low-end home and hotel safes often utilize a solenoid as the locking device and can often be opened using
3003-495: Is extremely hard, ranking about 9 to 9.5 on the Mohs scale , and with a Vickers number of around 2600. It has a Young's modulus of approximately 530–700 GPa, a bulk modulus of 379-381 GPa, and a shear modulus of 274 GPa. It has an ultimate tensile strength of 344 MPa, an ultimate compression strength of about 2.7 GPa and a Poisson's ratio of 0.31. The speed of a longitudinal wave (the speed of sound ) through
3094-550: Is generally utilised as a button insert, mounted in a surrounding matrix of steel that forms the substance of the bit. As the tungsten carbide button is worn away the softer steel matrix containing it is also worn away, exposing yet more button insert. Tungsten carbide is also an effective neutron reflector and as such was used during early investigations into nuclear chain reactions, particularly for weapons. A criticality accident occurred at Los Alamos National Laboratory on 21 August 1945 when Harry Daghlian accidentally dropped
3185-429: Is normally performed each time the keypad is powered on. The buttons usually contain a lenticular screen in front of the display, which inhibits off-axis viewing of the numbers. When properly implemented, these keypads make the " shoulder surfing " attack infeasible, as the combination bears no resemblance to the positions of the keys which are pressed. While these keypads can be used on safes and vaults, this practice
3276-544: Is now generally of the sabot type. SLAP, or saboted light armour penetrator , where a plastic sabot discards at the barrel muzzle, is one of the primary types of saboted small arms ammunition. Non-discarding jackets, regardless of the jacket material, are not perceived as sabots but as bullets. Both of the designs are, however, common in designated light armor-piercing small arms ammunition. Discarding sabots such as are used with M1A1 Abrams main gun are more commonplace in precision high-velocity gun ammunition. Tungsten carbide
3367-573: Is often used in armor-piercing ammunition , especially where depleted uranium is not available or is politically unacceptable. W 2 C projectiles were first used by German Luftwaffe tank-hunter squadrons in World War II . However, owing to the limited German reserves of tungsten, W 2 C material was reserved for making machine tools and small numbers of projectiles . It is an effective penetrator due to its combination of great hardness and very high density. Tungsten carbide ammunition
3458-431: Is prepared using techniques from powder metallurgy developed in the 1920s. Powdered tungsten carbide is mixed with another powdered metal, usually cobalt (alternatives include nickel , iron and paraffin wax ) which acts as a binder . The mixture is pressed, then sintered by heating it to temperatures of 1,400 °C (2,550 °F) to 1,600 °C (2,910 °F); the binder melts, wets, and partially dissolves
3549-479: Is resistant to acids and is only attacked by hydrofluoric acid / nitric acid (HF/ HNO 3 ) mixtures above room temperature. It reacts with fluorine gas at room temperature and chlorine above 400 °C (673 K) and is unreactive to dry H 2 up to its melting point. Finely powdered WC oxidizes readily in hydrogen peroxide aqueous solutions. At high temperatures and pressures it reacts with aqueous sodium carbonate forming sodium tungstate ,
3640-541: Is roughly 10 times harder than 18k gold. In addition to its design and high polish, part of its attraction to consumers is its technical nature. Special tools, such as locking pliers, may be required if such a ring must be removed quickly (e.g. due to medical emergency following a hand injury accompanied by swelling). Tungsten carbide is widely used to make the rotating ball in the tips of ballpoint pens that disperse ink during writing. English guitarist Martin Simpson uses
3731-571: Is still a time-consuming and difficult process. Some high- security safes use a tempered glass relocker . This has wires that lead from the glass to randomly located, spring-loaded bolts. If a penetrating drill or torch breaks the glass, the bolts are released, blocking retraction of the main locking bolts. A gas abrasive drill can sometimes be used to safely drill through a glass relocker. Plasma cutters and thermal lances can be as hot as 2,200 °C (3,990 °F), much hotter than traditional oxyacetylene torches , and can be used to burn through
Safe-cracking - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-415: Is the most common method used by locksmiths on malfunctioning or damaged locks, and commonly used in burglary. Drill-points are often located close to the axis of the dial on the combination lock, but drilling for observation may sometimes require drilling through the top, sides or rear of the safe. While observing the lock, the attacker manipulates the dial to align the lock gates so that the fence falls and
3913-459: Is uncommon. Movies often depict a safe-cracker determining the combination of a safe lock using his fingers or a sensitive listening device to determine the combination of a rotary combination lock. Other films also depict an elaborate scheme of explosives and other devices to open safes. Some of the more famous works include: Three safecracking methods seen in movies were also tested on the television show MythBusters , with some success. While
4004-439: Is used by many skiers to train during warm weather months. Sharpened carbide tipped spikes (known as studs) can be inserted into the drive tracks of snowmobiles . These studs enhance traction on icy surfaces. Longer v-shaped segments fit into grooved rods called wear rods under each snowmobile ski. The relatively sharp carbide edges enhance steering on harder icy surfaces. The carbide tips and segments reduce wear encountered when
4095-399: Is used extensively in mining in top hammer rock drill bits, downhole hammers , roller-cutters , long wall plough chisels, long wall shearer picks, raiseboring reamers, and tunnel boring machines . In these applications it is also used for wear and corrosion resistant components in inlet control for well screens, sub-assemblies, seal rings and bushings common in oil and gas drilling. It
4186-424: Is usually performed on Group 2 locks, many Group 1 locks are also susceptible. The goal is to successfully obtain the combination one number at a time. Manipulation procedures vary, but all rely on exploiting mechanical imperfections in the lock to open it, and, if desired, recover its combination for future use. Similar damage-free bypass can also be achieved by using a computerized auto-dialer or manipulation robot in
4277-419: The bit or blade , which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow , which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. In its simplest implementation, a key operates one lock or set of locks that are keyed alike, a lock/key system where each similarly keyed lock requires the same, unique key. The key serves as a security token for access to
4368-478: The metal on a safe. Many modern high-security safes also incorporate additional thermal safeties to foil blow torches and thermal lances . These are usually in the form of fusible links integrated into the glass relocker cabling, which trigger it when a set temperature is exceeded. Drilling is an attractive method of safecracking for locksmiths, as it is usually quicker than manipulation, and drilled safes can generally be repaired and returned to service. Scoping
4459-610: The reduction of tungsten trioxide by hydrogen in the presence of water, and the isomerisation of 2,2-dimethylpropane to 2-methylbutane. It has been proposed as a replacement for the iridium catalyst in hydrazine -powered satellite thrusters . A tungsten carbide coating has been utilized on brake discs in high performance automotive applications to improve performance, increase service intervals and reduce brake dust. The primary health risks associated with tungsten carbide relate to inhalation of dust, leading to silicosis -like pulmonary fibrosis . Cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide
4550-402: The shear line of the inner and outer cylinder, allowing the cylinder or cam to rotate freely and the lock to open. An additional pin called the master pin is present between the key and driver pins in locks that accept master keys, to allow the plug to rotate at multiple pin elevations. A wafer tumbler lock is similar to the pin tumbler lock and works on a similar principle. However, unlike
4641-645: The shoes ; in the United States, borium – chips of tungsten carbide in a matrix of softer metal such as bronze or mild steel – may be welded to small areas of the underside of the shoe before fitting. Tungsten carbide is also used for making surgical instruments meant for open surgery (scissors, forceps, hemostats, blade-handles, etc.) and laparoscopic surgery (graspers, scissors/cutter, needle holder, cautery, etc.). They are much costlier than their stainless-steel counterparts and require delicate handling, but give better performance. Tungsten carbide, typically in
SECTION 50
#17328760891054732-662: The Greek goddess of witchcraft known as Hecate . The Palestinian key is the Palestinian collective symbol of their homes lost in the Nakba , when more than half of the population of Mandatory Palestine was expelled or fled violence in 1948 and were subsequently refused the right to return . Since 2016, a Palestinian restaurant in Doha , Qatar , holds the Guinness World Record for
4823-495: The Kaba Mas X-10 and S&G 2740B, which are FF-L-2740B compliant. Low-end electronic fire-safes, such as those used in hotels or for home use, are locked with either a small motor or a solenoid. If the wires running to the device (solenoid or motor) can be accessed, the device can be 'spiked' with a voltage from an external source - typically a 9 volt battery - to open the container. If an electronic lock accepts user input from
4914-493: The North and South poles would equate to a combination to push or pull the lock's internal tumblers thus releasing the lock. An electronic lock works by means of an electric current and is usually connected to an access control system. In addition to the pin and tumbler used in standard locks, electronic locks connect the bolt or cylinder to a motor within the door using a part called an actuator. Types of electronic locks include
5005-532: The UK, to a simple training certificate awarded by an employer, to a full diploma from an engineering college . Locksmiths may be commercial (working out of a storefront), mobile (working out of a vehicle), institutional, or investigational (forensic locksmiths). They may specialize in one aspect of the skill, such as an automotive lock specialist, a master key system specialist or a safe technician. Many also act as security consultants, but not all security consultants have
5096-856: The WC phase to high temperatures using plasma, then quenching in inert gas (plasma spheroidization). This process causes macrocrystalline WC particles to spheroidize and results in the non-stoichiometric high temperature phase WC 1-x existing in a meta-stable form at room temperature. The fine microstructure of this phase provides high hardness (2800–3500 HV) combined with good toughness when compared with other tungsten carbide compounds. The meta-stable nature of this compound results in reduced high temperature stability. At high temperatures WC decomposes to tungsten and carbon and this can occur during high-temperature thermal spray , e.g., in high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) and high energy plasma (HEP) methods. Oxidation of WC starts at 500–600 °C (773–873 K). It
5187-419: The aforementioned attacks. This is usually accomplished by restricting the viewing angle of the keypad (either by using a mechanical shroud or special buttons), or randomizing the positions of the buttons each time a combination is entered. Some keypads use small LED or LCD displays inside of the buttons to allow the number on each button to change. This allows for randomization of the button positions, which
5278-513: The bolt is disengaged. Bypass attacks involve physical manipulation of both the lock and its bolt mechanism. Punching, peeling and using a torch are other methods of compromising a safe. The punch system is widely used by criminals for rapid entry. Punching was developed by Pavle Stanimirovic and used in New York City. Peeling is a method that involves removing the outer skin of the safe. All quality safes protect against drilling attacks through
5369-466: The brittleness of these phases makes control of the carbon content in WC-Co cemented carbides important. In the presence of a molten phase such as cobalt, abnormal grain growth is known to occur in the sintering of tungsten carbide, with this having significant effects on the performance of the product material. There are two forms of WC, a hexagonal form, α-WC ( hP2 , space group P 6 m2, No. 187), and
5460-419: The button is pressed. Generally the car door can be opened with either a valid code by radio transmission, or with a (non-electronic) pin tumbler key. The ignition switch may require a transponder car key to both open a pin tumbler lock and also transmit a valid code by radio transmission. A smart lock is an electromechanics lock that gets instructions to lock and unlock the door from an authorized device using
5551-411: The concomitant development of precision engineering and component standardization, locks and keys were manufactured with increasing complexity and sophistication. The lever tumbler lock , which uses a set of levers to prevent the bolt from moving in the lock, was invented by Robert Barron in 1778. His double acting lever lock required the lever to be lifted to a certain height by having a slot cut in
SECTION 60
#17328760891055642-464: The design of early 20th century key duplicators. Key duplication is available in many retail hardware stores and as a service of the specialized locksmith, though the correct key blank may not be available. More recently, online services for duplicating keys have become available. A keyhole (or keyway ) is a hole or aperture (as in a door or lock) for receiving a key. Lock keyway shapes vary widely with lock manufacturer, and many manufacturers have
5733-529: The dial numbers. More sophisticated locks use advanced mechanics to reduce any feedback available to a technician in identifying a combination. These group 1 locks were developed in response to group 2 lock manipulation. Wheels made from lightweight materials will reduce valuable sensory feedback, but are mainly used for improved resistance against radiographic attacks. Manipulation is often the preferred choice in lost-combination lockouts, since it requires no repairs or damage, but can be time consuming for an operator,
5824-516: The distance between the tungsten atoms in a hexagonally packed layer is 291 pm, the shortest distance between tungsten atoms in adjoining layers is 284 pm, and the tungsten carbon bond length is 220 pm. The tungsten-carbon bond length is therefore comparable to the single bond in W( CH 3 ) 6 (218 pm) in which there is strongly distorted trigonal prismatic coordination of tungsten. Molecular WC has been investigated and this gas phase species has
5915-439: The fitting and replacement of keys remains an important part of locksmithing, modern locksmiths are primarily involved in the installation of high quality lock-sets and the design, implementation, and management of keying and key control systems. Locksmiths are frequently required to determine the level of risk to an individual or institution and then recommend and implement appropriate combinations of equipment and policies to create
6006-563: The flys mechanism to deduce the combination. Some modern safe locks are made of lightweight materials such as nylon to inhibit this technique, since most safe exteriors are made of much denser metals. The Chubb Manifoil Mk4 combination lock contains a lead shield surrounding part of the lock to defeat such attempts to read its wheels. Large bank vaults which are often located underground have been compromised by safe-crackers who have tunneled in using digging equipment. This method of safe-cracking has been countered by building patrol-passages around
6097-419: The following: A keycard lock operates with a flat card of similar dimensions as a credit card . In order to open the door, one needs to successfully match the signature within the keycard . The lock in a typical remote keyless system operates with a smart key radio transmitter. The lock typically accepts a particular valid code only once, and the smart key transmits a different rolling code every time
6188-513: The form of a cemented carbide (carbide particles brazed together by metal), has become a popular material in the bridal jewelry industry due to its extreme hardness and high resistance to scratching. Even with high-impact resistance, this extreme hardness also means that it can occasionally be shattered under certain circumstances. Some consider this useful, since an impact would shatter a tungsten ring, quickly removing it, where precious metals would bend flat and require cutting. Tungsten carbide
6279-472: The internal components of the lock then deduce the combination in a way similar to that of a human safe cracker. Mas Hamilton's SoftDrill was one such device, but is no longer in production. Some safes are susceptible to compromise by drilling . Manufacturers publish tightly-guarded drill-point diagrams for locksmiths for specific models. Drilling is an aid in bypassing the locking mechanism, as well as gaining more information about it in order to defeat it. It
6370-599: The keys as rings on their fingers. The practice had two benefits: It kept the key handy at all times, while signaling that the wearer was wealthy and important enough to have money and jewellery worth securing. A special type of lock, dating back to the 17th-18th century, although potentially older as similar locks date back to the 14th century, can be found in the Beguinage of the Belgian city Lier . These locks are most likely Gothic locks, that were decorated with foliage, often in
6461-695: The lever, so lifting the lever too far was as bad as not lifting the lever far enough. This type of lock is still used today. The lever tumbler lock was greatly improved by Jeremiah Chubb in 1818. A burglary in Portsmouth Dockyard prompted the British Government to announce a competition to produce a lock that could be opened only with its own key. Chubb developed the Chubb detector lock , which incorporated an integral security feature that could frustrate unauthorized access attempts and would indicate to
6552-447: The lock that can be accessed without causing damage to the lock or container. Nearly all high-end, consumer-grade electronic locks are vulnerable to some form of electronic attack. The combinations for some electronic locks can be retrieved by examining electromagnetic emissions coming from the lock. Because of this, many safe locks used to protect critical infrastructure are tested and certified to resist TEMPEST attacks. These include
6643-441: The lock's owner if it had been interfered with. Chubb was awarded £100 after a trained lock-picker failed to break the lock after 3 months. In 1820, Jeremiah joined his brother Charles in starting their own lock company, Chubb . Chubb made various improvements to his lock: his 1824 improved design did not require a special regulator key to reset the lock; by 1847 his keys used six levers rather than four; and he later introduced
6734-460: The locked area; locks are meant to only allow persons having the correct key to open it and gain access. In more complex mechanical lock/key systems, two different keys, one of which is known as the master key, serve to open the lock. Common metals include brass , plated brass, nickel silver , and steel . The act of opening a lock without a key is called lock picking . Locks have been in use for over 6000 years, with one early example discovered in
6825-436: The pin lock (where each pin consists of two or more pieces) each wafer is a single piece. The wafer tumbler lock is often incorrectly referred to as a disc tumbler lock, which uses an entirely different mechanism. The wafer lock is relatively inexpensive to produce and is often used in automobiles and cabinetry. The disc tumbler lock or Abloy lock is composed of slotted rotating detainer discs. The lever tumbler lock uses
6916-472: The ruins of Nineveh , the capital of ancient Assyria . Locks such as this were developed into the Egyptian wooden pin lock , which consisted of a bolt, door fixture or attachment, and key. When the key was inserted, pins within the fixture were lifted out of drilled holes within the bolt, allowing it to move. When the key was removed, the pins fell part-way into the bolt, preventing movement. The warded lock
7007-418: The safe barrier back to its original condition. It is also a common way to bypass difficult hard plates and glass re-lockers since the change key hole can be scoped by drilling the top, side, or back of the container. Other methods of cracking a safe generally involve damaging the safe so that it is no longer functional. These methods may involve explosives or other devices to inflict severe force and damage
7098-415: The safe semi-permanently (a safe whose relocker has tripped must then be forced, as the combination or key alone will no longer suffice). This is why a professional safe-technician will use manipulation rather than brute force to open a safe so they do not risk releasing the relocker. Penetrating radiation such as X-ray radiation can be used to reveal the internal angular relationship of the wheels gates to
7189-405: The safe so it may be opened. Examples of penetration tools include acetylene torches , drills, and thermal lances . This method requires care as the contents of the safe may be damaged. Safe-crackers can use what are known as jam shots to blow off the safe's doors. Most modern safes are fitted with 'relockers' (like the one described above) which are triggered by excessive force and will then lock
7280-604: The skills and knowledge of a locksmith. Historically, locksmiths constructed or repaired an entire lock, including its constituent parts. The rise of cheap mass production has made this less common; the vast majority of locks are repaired through like-for-like replacements, high-security safes and strongboxes being the most common exception. Many locksmiths also work on any existing door hardware, including door closers, hinges, electric strikes, and frame repairs, or service electronic locks by making keys for transponder-equipped vehicles and implementing access control systems. Although
7371-432: The snowmobile must cross roads and other abrasive surfaces. Car, motorcycle and bicycle tires with tungsten carbide studs provide better traction on ice. They are generally preferred to steel studs because of their superior resistance to wear. Tungsten carbide may be used in farriery , the shoeing of horses , to improve traction on slippery surfaces such as roads or ice. Carbide-tipped hoof nails may be used to attach
7462-442: The specific difficulty depends on the unique wheel shapes and where the gates rest in relation to them. A novice's opening time will be governed by these random inconsistencies, while some leading champions of this art show consistency. There are also a number of tools on the market to assist safe engineers in manipulating a combination lock open in the field. Nearly all combination locks allow some "slop", or deviation, while entering
7553-425: The strategic use of specially tempered or alloyed hardplate steel, or composite hardplate (casting tungsten carbide chips into alloys such as cobalt-vanadium, designed to shatter the cutting tips of a drill bit). These include protecting the locking mechanism, the bolts, and areas where drilling could be used to advantage. Special diamond or tungsten-carbide drill-bits can make some headway with some hardplates, but it
7644-406: The team was able to blow the door off of a safe by filling the safe with water and detonating an explosive inside it, the contents of the safe were destroyed and filling the safe with water required sealing it from the inside. The safe had also sprung many leaks. Lock (security device) A lock is a mechanical or electronic fastening device that is released by a physical object (such as
7735-521: The time required to exhaust the number of meaningful combinations. A further reduction in solving time is obtained by trying all possible settings for the last wheel for a given setting of the first wheels before nudging the next-to-last wheel to its next meaningful setting, instead of zeroing the lock each time with a number of turns in one direction. A safe may be compromised by using a manufacturer-set combination. Known as try-out combinations, these allow an owner initial access to their safe in order to set
7826-470: The tungsten grains, binding them together. The cobalt-tungsten composites specifically are known by a number of trade names, including Widia and Carboloy. There are two well-characterized compounds of tungsten and carbon: tungsten carbide, WC , and tungsten semicarbide , W 2 C . Both compounds may be present in coatings and the proportions can depend on the coating method. Another meta-stable compound of tungsten and carbon can be created by heating
7917-400: The underground vaults. These patrol-passages allow early detection of any attempts to tunnel into a vault. A number of inexpensive safes sold to households for under $ 100 use mechanical locking mechanisms that are vulnerable to bouncing. Many cheap safes use a magnetic locking pin to prevent lateral movement of an internal locking bolt, and use a solenoid to move the pin when the correct code
8008-598: The window of his shop from 1790, challenging "...the artist who can make an instrument that will pick or open this lock" for the reward of £200. The challenge stood for over 67 years until, at the Great Exhibition of 1851, the American locksmith Alfred Charles Hobbs was able to open the lock and, following some argument about the circumstances under which he had opened it, was awarded the prize. Hobbs' attempt required some 51 hours, spread over 16 days. The earliest patent for
8099-549: The world's largest key – 2.7 tonnes and 7.8 × 3 meters. Tungsten carbide Tungsten carbide ( chemical formula : WC ) is a chemical compound (specifically, a carbide ) containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms. In its most basic form, tungsten carbide is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into shapes through sintering for use in industrial machinery , engineering facility , mold industry , cutting tools , chisels , abrasives , armor-piercing bullets and jewelry . Tungsten carbide
8190-549: Was also present from antiquity and remains the most recognizable lock and key design in the Western world. The first all-metal locks appeared between the years 870 and 900, and are attributed to English craftsmen. It is also said that the key was invented by Theodorus of Samos in the 6th century BC. 'The Romans invented metal locks and keys and the system of security provided by wards.' Affluent Romans often kept their valuables in secure locked boxes within their households, and wore
8281-414: Was first synthesized by H. Moissan in 1893, and the industrial production of the cemented form started 20 to 25 years later (between 1913 and 1918). Colloquially among workers in various industries (such as machining ), tungsten carbide is often simply called carbide. Tungsten carbide powder is prepared by reaction of tungsten metal (or powder) and carbon at 1,400–2,000 °C. Other methods include
#104895