HN Theater @HNTheaterMonth

⬐ dsl

It looks like the lock is made by the Sheng Jhou Co. of Taiwan and probably stamped with English/European markings by an OEM.

They seem to sell it in a few different formats as a "flexible key" lock. http://www.ttnet.net/search/products?list=products&flag=1&cs...

EDIT: Looking up the inventor yields a few patents that seem to cover the design as well as some other pretty nifty mechanical stuff https://www.google.com/search?tbo=p&tbm=pts&hl=en&q=ininvent...

⬐ danbruc

The key says "FÜR HERVORRAGENDE LEISTUNGEN" on the left, German meaning "for outstanding performance", a phrase commonly used to honor something that is very good but still did not win the award. On the right is "SALON DES INVENTIONS DE GENEVE", French for "International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva" [1]. So it did probably well in the "1991 GOLDEN AWARD" but did not win. On the metal it just says "SOFT KEY", "PATENT" and the company logo, the back side of the plastic part contains the company logo and "PATENT" again and another round logo with 12 stars and something in the middle I am unable to identify.

[1] http://www.inventions-geneva.ch/index.html

⬐ Wistar

Here's another thread about HYT locks but with a deadbolt assembly.

http://www.keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=9161

And another video with an HYT padlock that shows the "curving" key. Pretty amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhfTh_tcqc

⬐ Intermernet

According to http://www.keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?p=81902&sid=69cf8ad0... This lock can be picked, but not easily:

"If you want to open one of these, I made a diamond pick out of thick plastic from an engine oil bottle. It was flexible enough to bend at the curved keyway, but if you were careful, they were still strong enough to manipulate the pins. The shank of the plastic pick will need to be wide enough to give some strength to the pick.

Also made a back-up key from a milk jug that lasted for one opening, and another from the oil bottle that lasted for four openings. The picks an plastic keys wear out quickly."

⬐ Groxx

Obviously not unpickable (and the video doesn't claim it is), just hard with standard tools. That is a very neat key system though.

⬐ kweks

Yeah, one of the obvious means is key duplication; even the key guide could be cut into pieces, re-attached with sticky tape, and fed in with a shim feeler.

⬐ thret

Once you have a pick that can follow the curves like the key, picking it should be just as simple as any other lock.

You certainly couldn't make the pick out of street-cleaner bristles! It isn't clear if you could do that with some other material (I'm thinking of a thick kind of flexible wire) or if you would need to make a similar type of chained pick. Depends on the force required I guess.

⬐ gnoway

Is there a rigid section penetrating into the lock channel at all? It seems like this lock would be especially prone to broken keys from over torquing.

⬐ inportb

It appears that the tip of the chain housing fits into the lock "vestibule" to apply torque.

⬐ BorisMelnik

beautiful piece of machinery. would love to see this lock make an appearance this year in 2600's lock pick village at HOPE con.

⬐ x1798DE

Who is claiming that this is unpickable? Very misleading title.

⬐ dang

Good point. We changed it. (The original title is baity, which is why we haven't reverted to it.)

⬐ seany

I love bosnianbill's channel. It's nice watching videos by someone who both knows that they're talking about and is passionate about it.

⬐ leorocky

What is up with the home page today? It's mostly general interest, non-startup, non-engineering time wasting fluff you'd see on metafilter or reddit.

⬐ smtddr

>>non-engineering.

If you can't see the beauty of engineering here, nor have your mind race for any possible ways to defeat this - I don't know what to tell you. I've never seen anything like this before and I literally started laughing out loud at my desk when I saw that chain-link key come out. I can picture the lock-picking community drooling over a chance to find a way to defeat this thing. It's like one of tptacek's hacker challenges, but for mechanical-engineer types or something.

I'm sure whatever picking-solution is used, it will make me grin from ear-to-ear thinking: "that is the most clever thing I have seen in a long time"

⬐ steakejjs

If you ever listen to people who really love locks talk about locks they all seem to say one thing. "All locks are pickable [or attackable]". This just means that this particular lock is abnormal and most lock-people don't have the experience to attack it, not that it is secure.

If you are semi-interested in locks, I really recommend listening to Schuyler Towne talk about locks. He's one of those people who is very passionate about what he does in a way that interest in locks really rubs off onto you in a really educational and relatable way.

Here's a longer talk about the history of locks by him from 2012. It's a great place to start. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqjacHSTd48&list=UUBDpLXSbLH...

⬐ None

None

⬐ jrockway

The other thing to keep in mind is that a system is only as secure as its weakest link. You might not be able to pick this lock, but if you really want to get inside, a crowbar might work.

⬐ gst

So better combine it with this door then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkP1rA5Jhpw

⬐ chii

so if the door is stronger than the wall it's mounted on, might as well just break the wall!

⬐ jvdh

Most houses have windows, which are usually a lot less secure than walls or doors.

If you want to get in, you can, it's just a matter of time.

⬐ None

None

⬐ dietrichepp

"Security" means both preventing access and recording access. If you crowbar the lock, everyone will know.

⬐ Animats

Better doors are available, especially in countries with terrorism problems. See, for example, Israel's "www.rb-doors.com". Their residential doors look like ordinary doors, but when the door is locked, seven bolts come out four sides, like a vault door.

⬐ chii

to me, if you need a door like this where you live, it's high time to consider moving away.

⬐ TheLoneWolfling

And then they go through the wall.

⬐ Animats

In difficult areas, making residences out of reinforced concrete, stone, and cinder block is very common.

⬐ TheLoneWolfling

Yep. Still. You'd be amazed at the number of people who install reinforced doors in non-reinforced walls.