Losing your key to your lock might just be one of the most annoying things that can happen to you, especially when you need to open something and time is of the essence.
You might think about breaking it with a hammer or cutting it with bolt cutters, but you would only do more harm. The rest of your choices include drilling a hole into the keyway, picking a disc lock, or calling a locksmith to do the job.
In this article, I will show you how to open a disc lock without a key with these steps.
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Ways to Open a Disc Lock Without a Key
To remove a disc lock without a key, you have to choose between the two what process is right for you. Depending on the skills that you have and the necessary materials needed, one process might be easier or harder to do.
Drilling the lock might be the easier thing to do, especially when you do not know the basics of lockpicking. However, if you want to unlock it without breaking it, this process might not be for you.
Before diving into the actual drilling, you might want to prepare the following materials first:
- Disk padlock drilling jig
- Electronic drill
Remember that drilling the keyway is not the safest way to open a round padlock without key. This is because there will be tendencies where either the drill might slip or pierce the lock and hit your hand.
Here are the steps to drill out a disc lock:
- Step 1: Put your disc lock in between the drilling jig. The drilling jig will take advantage of the shape and form of the disc lock to fit the lock without making it slide away.
- Step 2: Tighten the drilling jig. Turn the tightening wheel of the drilling jig until the disc lock will not budge off the jig.
- Step 3: Drill the lock. Make sure that you use a 3/16 drill bit to pass through the drilling hole.
- Step 4: Crank up the torque. To avoid having your drill jammed, increase the drilling torque.
- Step 5: Check the lock’s keyway. If you feel that your lock is already drilled, remove the lock from the drilling jig. If otherwise, put back the lock on the drilling jig.
- Note: if you have drilled enough, the shackle of the disc lock might automatically unlock on its own. And that’s how you can open a round lock without key.
If you want to take the safer route of round padlock removal, you might want to do lockpicking. However, you might need to practice how to do lockpicking or have previous experience of basic lockpicking.
Before diving into how to break a disc lock through lockpicking, you might want to prepare the following materials first:
- Hook
- Turning tool
Here are the steps to pick a disc padlock:
- Step 1: Prepare your tools. Choose a hook that has a thin tip to raise the tumbler pins and a turning tool that is hard but flexible enough to turn the lock.
- Step 2: Turn the lock. To make it easier for your finger to put pressure on the turning tool, turn your lock upside down.
- Step 3: Put pressure on the turning tool. Secure the turning tool with your finger while putting pressure on it.
- Step 4: Push the pins. Slide the tip of your hook inside the keyway and push the tumbler pins one by one.
Note: do not let go of the turning tool. If there is not much pressure on the turning tool, the tumbler pin might go back unset.
- Step 5: Navigate through the pins. With your hook, make sure all the pins are set until the lock will unlock itself from the turning tool.
If you have already tried the two options and you can’t find the lost key to disc lock, your last resort is to call your trusty locksmith. The average cost for a locksmith to unlock your disc lock is $160.
Choosing to hire a locksmith is always an option, especially if you don’t want to break a disc lock and the locked valuables.
The locksmith can also give you a disc padlock pro replacement key to make the lock reusable for you. However, this might get you an additional charge of another $50 to $100 depending on your zip code.
Related: A detailed Comparison Between Disc Lock Vs Padlock
FAQs
What is a disc lock?
A disc-style lock has a shielded or covered short shackle that is built into the lock and is shaped like a round disc. This modern circular lock has a keyed body made up of pin tumblers.
It usually has a strong shielded shackle for added security, a dual-locking lever and cylinder to prevent picking, and weatherproof and rust-resistant materials like stainless steel.
Due to its reliability and security, disc locks are used as storage lock for valuable things.
Tips to keep a disc lock safe and secure
Disc locks, by nature, are already safe and secure due to its build and safety features. However, there are things that you can do to make sure your lock is safer and more secure.
- Cover the lock and its hasp. To avoid the eyes of robbers who will break padlock without key, cover the lock with a cloth to hide it.
- Put shade above the lock. Especially on rainy days, your disc lock might get rusty due to it becoming wet.
- Hire a guard. You might want to avoid other people to cut a disc lock off a storage unit when no one is looking.
Can you use a bolt cutter on a disc lock?
The straight is “no”. You cannot cut a disc lock with bolt cutters.
Due to it being a u-haul lock, the shackle of a disc lock is concealed and protected by the body of the lock itself. This means that there is little to no space of the bolt cutters to cut through the shackle.
https://youtu.be/9v110OJRzfE
Conclusion
Security is of utmost importance when it comes to the safety of your home, family, and your precious belongings. However, it should not hinder you from accessing things in need of immediate action.
Now that you know how to open a disc lock without a key, your handiness is now improved and you can save money and time if you encounter losing your disc lock’s key again.
I am the last member to join Revolar and might be just the luckiest to work with dedicated people like Teddy and John. Our team has established a process where my only job is writing the best content to deliver incredible ideas and guides.
