Picking challenge

[K. Greening]

Is there a company that challenged locksmiths to pick their lock, paying
cash to anyone who did it? Please fill me in on what company it was, the
award, etc.

Thanks, K. Greening

[DrLock]

In the early 70's Medeco offered 10 grand to anyone who could pick their
cylinder. It was picked once by a cop on the safe and loft squad in NYC. I
believe his name was McDermot, not quite sure, I don't really remember.
However, it took him several hours and he was unable to do it again.
AA ACCREDITED LOCKSMITHS, INC.
MASTER LOCKSMITHS
CELEBRATING OUR 48th YEAR
LGJ

[robinson]

K. Greening wrote in message ...

This has been done throughout history. All through the middle of the 19th
century in England, many challenges went out from locksmiths (locksmiths
BUILT locks then) to whoever thought they could pick their best locks. A.C.
Hobbs, an American, made quite a name for himself doing just that... picking
Englan's finest. Bramah once parted with 200 guineas when Hobbs answered and
met their challenge, picking a lock that withstood such attacks for 50
years.

Many locks were developed to meet the rising tide of crime in especially
England during the first half of the 19th centruy. The Portsmouth Dockyards
were burglarized in 1817, and the crown offered a reward to the man who
could devise a lock that could not be picked. The next year, Jeremiah Chubb
won the prize. a convict who was a former locksmith claimed he could open
it, and was offered 250 pounds and his freedom if he could do it. Chubb gave
the convict key blanks, tools, picks, and dismantled locks to work with, in
addition to the lock in question. After 3 months the convict gave up, said
to hell with it, and went back to the joint. This is the lock that Hobbs
eventually succeded in picking 50 years later. Hobbs improved tha Bramah and
Chubb designs with his patented "protector" locks, and a Chubb locksmith
picked one of THOSE locks in 1854.

At about the same time, Andrews and Newell (Americans) offered a $500 reward
to whoever could pick their locks. Their locks had changeable tumblers and
changeable bitting on the keys. A master mechanic whose name I can't find
won that award.

Most notable in the 20th Century was the already mentioned Medeco challenge.

This material shamelessly plagiarized from Locks and Locksmithing by Bill
Phillips, The Complete Handbook of Locks & Locksmithing by S.A. Roper, and a
couple more.

---------------------------------
Robinson in San Benito TX
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[Ray Hearn]

For info about the winner of the Medeco Challenge you might want to comtact
Bill Edwards who frequents this newsgroup.
Ray

robinson <rmcr...@gte.net> wrote in message
news:zY9S2.2600$_a6.96741@paloalto-snr1...

[JOCKTEC]

isnt Carl A. Roper??? C. A. Roper?
Jeff - jOc...@aolphuckoff.com

[JOE]

According to my medeco rep, a locksmith claimed the prize. It took him
about 14 hrs, but he got $10,000 for his effort. The system he picked was
the original, not the bi-axial system.
paul k crl.
K. Greening <k...@iserv.net> wrote in message
news:pt5S2.619$Bm3....@news20.ispnews.com...

[Peter]

In article <zY9S2.2600$_a6.96741@paloalto-snr1>, rmcr...@gte.net says...
[snip]

>
>Many locks were developed to meet the rising tide of crime in especially
>England during the first half of the 19th centruy. The Portsmouth Dockyards
>were burglarized in 1817, and the crown offered a reward to the man who
>could devise a lock that could not be picked. The next year, Jeremiah Chubb
>won the prize. a convict who was a former locksmith claimed he could open
>it,

[snip]

And remember that these locks were no joke either. The 19th Century Chubb
Detector lever lock was used where Medeco is used today and Chubb and similar
type lever locks are still widely used for high security applications .
Similarly with the Bramah lock which in some ways is similar to Chicago Ace
and similar tubular locks (it uses flat metal sliders rather than pin
tumblers).

Peter

[Mike]

Think he went to Medeco and they gave him a lock to pick. He did it!
To make sure it wasn't a fluke, they gave him a second one to try.
Couldn't pick it. They gave him $5,000. 00 and withdrew the offer.
If you're really interested in his name, I may be able to find it in
some old notes.

Mike Gambill
Gambill Lock & Electronics.

[robinson]

Uhhhh... yeah. Sorry about that.

-Robinson-

JOCKTEC wrote in message <19990418120443...@ng-da1.aol.com>...

[Chuck Fiedler]

On Sun, 18 Apr 1999 00:47:27 GMT, "robinson" <rmcr...@gte.net> wrote:

>K. Greening wrote in message ...

<SNIP>

>This material shamelessly plagiarized from Locks and Locksmithing by Bill
>Phillips, The Complete Handbook of Locks & Locksmithing by S.A. Roper, and a
>couple more.

Hmm. Seems I recall being taught that taking material from ONE source
is plagiarism. Taking from two or more sources is RESEARCH.

Chuck

[Tracy Knight]

It was Medeco and I believe the cash prize was $100,000

[Peter G. Strangman]

On 18 Apr 1999 19:56:04 GMT, pmi...@the.net.nz (Peter) wrote:

> Similarly with the Bramah lock which in some ways is similar to Chicago Ace
> and similar tubular locks (it uses flat metal sliders rather than pin
> tumblers).

But is just as easy to pick.

--
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