Picking and Solving Combination Lock ( Lost Combination )

This should never be used to break into or steal from locked boxes which you do not or are not supposed to have access to. This was a trick i used to find the combination to a lock that has been in my desk for a few years.

strip of aluminum can. about 1/4inch wide at least 2 inches long. locked combination lock with no known combination.

cut the strip with crappy scissors.

shape it to the lock curve, remove and give more bend but no folds as that will weaken the curve.

face the lock towards you and slide the strip into the left hand side about 1/2 inch.

rotate the strip to the inside of the lock loop. you should hear a faint click.

pull open the lock and remove the strip.

you may want a camera and a bright light i used my phone to watch what i was doing. there are 3 circular plates inside. i rotated the face clockwise as you would with a combination lock and you see the first gap appear. now this does not point out the correct number.. if you align its right side as close ( visually ) to the lock face on the right the correct number should be on the exact left side of the face. my lock here has notches and i know that the first digit here is in fact 6. so it is lined up properly. Write your first number down ( note it may be off by 1 if you're not fully sure where the exact left side is.

Rotate the lock face left past this number and then slowly rotate it until the second notch appears. align it with the first one as closely as possible. in this case i know my lock is 26 and it shows up correctly at the exact left side of the face.

rotate it back to the right as you do with normal combination lock use and look for that final notch and line it up. Mine shows up half a digit off as it should have shown 7. however its close enough. Re-lock your lock and try your combination. if it fails try 1 number higher as the tumblers may align a little low visually through the lock opening.