Master Lock Drilling

If this is the standard Master combination lock that you can buy at a grocery store for a gym locker or something like that, then there is way to crack the combo. The following methods should work on most, if not all, Master combination padlocks.

Just take a drill and drill right above the first number in the serial number on the back of the lock. There is a six digit number on the back of a Master combination padlock that starts with the number 9. Assuming the serial number is centered on the back cover of the lock, then just drill right above the 9 with a 3/16 bit or smaller and after you have drilled you can look right in there and see the tumblers. Another way to find the drill point is to measure 1/4 of an inch left of center and 1/8 of an inch up from there. Take those measurements from the exact center of the back cover. Drill there and you can't miss. You will know if you are drilling in the right place if the drill breaks through the back cover rather quickly. The thickness of the metal of the back cover is only about 1/32 of an inch. You will know you are drilling in the wrong place if you drill the back cover and you hit hardened steel. You can start with a small bit and work your way up if you need to. From there it is a simple matter to turn the dial and watch the tumblers fall into place. Pull the shackle and presto it is open.

Be sure you have drill bits that can handle drilling through soft metal. Also, be careful not to drill the tumblers once you have broken through the back cover. I should mention that you will probably need a flashlight to look inside the lock to read the tumblers. It's dark in there.

The much longer and noisier way to read the tumblers is to use a dremel and dremel the entire back cover off. There is one advantage to using the dremel. If you take the entire back cover off, then you can see the drill point I speak of. You'll notice it is a hole about 1/4 of an inch in diameter put there deliberately by the MasterLock company for just this purpose. How convenient.