Need a little help, lost dorm key

A couple days ago I lost the key to my dorm. My roommate has a tendency to forget this and lock me out. It's happened at least five times now.

Now, I have very little experience in trying to bypass locks. I used to try it for fun and had a genuine interest in it as a hobby. I've tried different ways of getting into my room (plastic card and hanger), none of which I'm having luck with.

After my roommate let me in, I unlocked my door and closed it to try and see if I could get in using an old ID with no luck. I tried studying the lock and tried to develop a way to get in from the outside but nothing seems to work. I've seen upperclassman who can do it with ease but I can't seem to get the hang of it.

It's an Arrow pin and tumbler cylinder lock with a latch, but I just can't seem to get inbetween the latch and doorway. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, B Spider

Reply to
Barking Spider
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Why don't you just get a copy made of your roommate's key or get the school to issue you one????

Reply to
Bob DeWeese, CML

Your simplest solutions:

1) Have a spare key made. Store it in your wallet or ID holder. If it's too bulky, file or grind off almost all of the head. You don't need too much leverage to open the lock. 2) Hide a spare somewhere far from the door (outside,in your car, etc) so if found it won't be obvious which lock it goes into. 3) Go to the front desk and have them admit you with the pass key.

Do yo really want to rig your door so just anyone can enter your dorm room while you are gone? I didn't think so.

Daniel

Reply to
dbs__usenet

Reply to
Jim Gaynor

has a

least five

locks. I used

hobby. I've

and

it to try

tried

from the

who can do

but I just

help would be

defeating instructions are not given on this open forum for obvious reasons. see the faq

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just get a duplicate of your room mates key.

Reply to
"Key

take the lock to your local locksmith, tell them you need a master key for it--- then you wont need to "try" and get in with a card or anything else-

If they cant help- contact the janitor who maybe has one, and ask for a copy of it.

Good luck

Reply to
JOCK tec

Oh wow!! Why didn't I think of that?! lol :p

Thing is, it takes a few days. I filed a request for a replacement already. It's just I keep getting locked out frequently thanks to my roommate. They want you to have only one key, and if you lose that key you have to go through them to get another one. I'm sure people probably get copies made anyway and that is sounding like a good idea right now. Oh yeah, lockout hours (when they use the master key for you) is at a specific time. So if you happen to get locked out anytime other than lockout hours you are SOL until then.

But whatever, I just now got in with an old card anyway, it just took awhile. I just hope I get my key soon... And will learn to keep better track of it.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Peace.

~B Spider

Reply to
Barking Spider

No offense intended, and certainly I don't want to start a massive discussion of ethics, but wouldn't be better to say that YOU don't personally give defeating instructions? Depending on the question, and who replies to it, defeating instuctions certainly are given here, and via private email discussions started here.

Good advice. If you have to pay a large fee to replace the orginal key, you might consider using duplicates and keeping the orginal in a safe place in the future.

Reply to
bob555

Assuming it is not Primus, Keymark, Medeco etc etc.

Reply to
Peter

for

massive

YOU don't

question,

given here,

I don't know of any "real" professionals here that give defeating instructions.

Reply to
"Key

Well here it is guys! Someone finally came up with a "legitmate" application for the key impression (clam) kit. LOL! What next? "The dog ate my homework!"

Reply to
Jim Gaynor

You have learned at least 3 lessons:

1) Persistance pays off (at least sometimes) 2) You now understand 3 dimensional mechanical manipulations better 3) Your dorm room is not locked securely.

Since you now know that your door can be opened (by anyone) using merely an "old card", anything of value is at risk of being taken.

Is this "keyless opening feature" or your door the way it is supposed to be, or is something wrong? You might be able to tell by looking at the spring-latch coming out of the edge of the door. Is it one simple roughly triangular piece of metal, or is there another piece next to it (such as a small half-round piece on the back edge - or any other extra part which also goes back into the door edge when the door swings shut.) If there is an extra part, then something isn't working right - and really should be repaired.

If however there is just this single part - then the door lock is an insecure design, and maybe the entire dorm uses this. If so, then here is another lesson to take to heart:

4) Don't let anyone know your new accomplishment! Otherwise you may become a suspect for every lost/misplaced/stolen item in the entire dorm!
Reply to
Henry E Schaffer

Doesn't the FAQ actually reference the MIT guide and give a link? What about the Greg Miller or Mark Wanlass document whoever wrote it on impressioning?

Don't these constitute defeating instructions?

I am not trying to be ab @$$ just pointing out an apparent contradiction... Unless of course you mean somethign differnet by "defeating instructions"

Reply to
Absinthe

He said that it was an Arrow cylinder.

Reply to
bob555

That depends heavily on one's definitions of "real" professional, and defeating instruction. In any case alt.locksmithing was certainly started by amateurs, for amateurs, and includes a vast amount of posting that doesn't come from "real" professionals. Even if the "real" professionals never post defeating instructions, that does not mean that "defeating instructions are not given here." I would have thought the bad days of Freddie would have made that clear.

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Everyone that posts here has a slightly different level of comfort when discussing lock bypass on an open forum...for better or worse. There are many subjects that I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing here for ethical reasons, but I wouldn't claim that everyone here follows my personal standards.

Reply to
bob555

It almost certainly has a deadlocking latch. It's the small one next to the main latch. They can't be shimmed when properly installed. Would you really want just anyone being able to get in your dorm room?

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

He's already told everybody how to break into his own dorm room now.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

It's Yale. Could still be restricted but likely not. Primus blanks are readily available to anyone although finding someone to cut it would be harder than going to the local hardware store.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

So he did. I just reread it. Don't know why I thought he said Yale.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

Yes. There are also specific instructions for the defeat of certain locks in the FAQ's.

As you know most people here don't discuss defeats in detail but it is easy to see how the FAQ's would lead many to believe that there is a good chance someone will.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

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