The LockPickingLawyer’s Best Locks: Revealed

We have looked through the videos that the LockPickingLawyer has produced and put together a list that we think he would agree with are the LockPickingLawyer best locks.

The LockPickingLawyer doesn’t just look for locks that are hard to pick. there are a lot of factors that go into making a lock secure. This is because there are many more ways to get into a lock than just simply picking it. there are also many different types of cores and keys, some harder and some easier to pick for many different reasons.

LockPickingLawyer Recommended Locks

The LockPickingLawyer has tested many, many locks on youtube commenting on their physical strength, pick resistance, and showing if they have any data flaws.

Here is our list of the LockPickingLawyers recommended locks that have scored the best at his hands. Some of them with a personal recommendation from the man himself.

LockPickingLawyer Best Padlocks

First up we have found what we believe to be a list of the top padlocks that the LockPickingLawyer has given a thumbs up to over the years. While the LockPickingLawyers doesn’t give direct recommendations, these are the ones he has talked about positively and from what we understand these are some of the LockPickingLawyers recommended locks.

LockPickingLawyer Best Lock – ABUS Diskus 20/70

The LockPickingLawyer recommended this lock in this tweet as one of the best available on Amazon back in 2017, and nothing has changed since then.

While not the strongest lock on this list, it is a very capable lock. Small enough for general use but not too small that is not strong enough to put up with some punishment.

We have had one of these locks on a door in a high-crime area for several years now and it has never let us down. It has been outside in the rain and weather through all of this and still works perfectly. The dust cover over the keyhole helps with this a lot.

This lock is not too big, not too small, not too heavy, it is the perfect size for almost any application, and it really is the goldilocks padlock. It’s for its strength, durability, and size that we have given this lock the title of the best padlock.

If you are securing a gate, garage, or another door, then you can combine this lock with the ABUS 140/120 Hasp that covers the shackle of the lock to add even more security from cutting and other types of attacks. Together with the hasp, it becomes one of the strongest combinations you can find on the market.

Note: Make sure that what you attach this lock to is strong, there are several reports of people finding that thieves have been able to get past this lock not by breaking it but by cutting or breaking what its attached to.

You can read more about this lock in our review here.

Benefits

• Great Security
• One of the best value locks we have ever seen for its security level.
• Small for its level of security
• Weatherproof

Drawbacks

• Price
  While not expensive, you could buy a number of smaller locks for the same price as one of these.

Specifications

Shackle Thickness	10 mm
Lock Core	ABUS Plus
Type	Disc-padlock
Weight	12.8 Ounces / 360 grams
Body	Stainless Steel
Shackle	Stainless Steel

Ratings

Runner Up Best Padlock – Commando Lock Total Guard

About a medium size for a padlock, the commando total guard really is built to be a real pain for anyone that doesn’t have a key. The quality of construction is great overall, smooth and the lamination gives it a nice textured feel. The rubber on the bottom helps to keep it from damaging anything.

With a special high carbon laminated riveted body this will deal with a lot of punishment without giving up. On top of that, the high-carbon hardened shackle is covered with an anti-cut shroud. This all means that brute force, bypasses and cutting is off the table for this little bad boy of a lock.

Finally the lock core… reviewed by Bosnianbill this lock is a nightmare even for the best lock pickers out there. No standard lock pins in this badass lock. This nasty padlock has all security pins. Yes, that’s right, every single pin in this lock is designed to make picking it as hard as possible.

All together this is the kind of lock that we want more of in the industry. This is exactly what we look for here on Lock Jude and that’s why this one gets a full 5 stars from us. Nice work Commando Lock! 🙂

Strongest General Use Padlock – ABUS 37RK/80

For those that are not worried about the weight and want a lock that is imposing and will turn a thief away after just one look, this is the one that you need.

With its hardened steel body and shackle guard, this padlock is one of the strongest padlocks you can get before going to something truly huge like the SS100CS further down this list.

With its CEN 5 rating, this lock is certified to be used when insurance companies require it. This means if you have an expensive motorbike and need to lock it up with an insurance-rated lock then you are in luck this is the one to go for.

If you like the heavy feeling of good build quality then you will love this lock, while it is not overly heavy it does have a good weight behind it. That being said it’s not one you want to be carrying around with you.

Great for use on a lock and chain, a thick hasp or a big ground anchor is where this lock will work best.

Plus it’s matte black and everyone loves matte black.

Best Toolbox Padlock – Mul-t-lock Junior TSR-Series Padlock

Mul-t-lock has a great little lock here, with Mul-t-lock’s high precision telescopic pin tumbler system. This means that unless someone has the right tools and knows what they are doing a thief will not be getting into it.

With a hardened steel boron shackle, steel body and ball bearing locked shackle this padlock have all the good stuff. While it does look small in the picture it is actually a decent size and weight, check the dimensions below.

This is not the kind of lock that you can break simply with a hit of a hammer or any other brute force attack for that matter. The round body makes this especially hard to hit the lock in a way that will cause it to break. It will also put up a decent fight to bolt cutters with its strong boron shackle.

There are also drill-resistant elements throughout the lock core making it very resistant to those kinds of attacks.

We recommend this lock for use on a toolbox, or other storage containers where you keep your valuable tools, it is easily strong enough for this application and will not let anyone into a lock box easily.

While this one can be used outside on a truck or similar application we would suggest this one should be kept out of the worst of the weather as Mul-T-Lock locks have a lot of small moving parts that have some very small tolerances.

Almost The Strongest Padlock – Squire SS80CS

This is the smaller, more useful, brother, of the SS100CS padlock below. It being smaller isn’t a bad thing because this one is more of a useable size, kind of…

This was the first lock that the LockPickingLawyer and BisnianBill decided to try and destroy by shooting them. This lock took the punishment of 120 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition and didn’t fail… You can see them try to take this one down here.

The shackle of the padlock comes completely out of the body unlike most padlocks this allows the shackle to be locked down on both sides and makes it fit tightly into the shroud stopping it from being turned to remove a chain even if the shackle is cut. Because of this, a thief would have to cut the shackle twice to remove the top piece, taking twice as long to cut through as normal.

The 16mm shackle will also take a lot of punishment but this also means that with its size it will be much harder to find a chain or a hasp big and strong enough to go with this lock. If you want a chain to go with this one we recommend this 22mm security chain.

This lock is still a beast, coming in at 2.2kgs this thing is huge and most thieves will be turned away simply by looking at this thing.

Strongest Padlock – Squire SS100CS

This lock is simply not to be underestimated and as the LockPickingLawyer said himself this is the strongest lock in the world.

This lock was featured in this video by the LockPickingLawyer and BosnianBill where they shot the lock with several guns including a 50 cal rifle until it let go. Here is the list of what it took to get through the lock.

• 20 rounds of .50 cal BMG
• 40 rounds of .308 Armour Piercing
• 60 Rounds of .556

The biggest selling feature of this lock is that it is simply huge. This is its best selling point but it is also its biggest drawback. It’s also hard to find something to attach it to that is strong enough to make it worth it.

When you have a lock of this size securing something it makes more sense to cut or break whatever it is attached to rather than trying to get into the lock.

This is a dual custody padlock meaning that you need two separate keys to open it. For those that need this, it is a perfect option but for those that just want a normal padlock, this could be a pain as you actually need to carry two keys to be able to open it.

So when would you need a lock like this?
For locking up your nuclear weapons maybe, or protecting millions of dollars of gold bars or an armory. Not quite sure really, this is more likely a lock intended for military purposes.

You can read more about this lock in our review here.

Most Innovative Padlock – Bowley Model 543 Padlock

The Bowley Padlock is an innovative new type of lock that began its life as a Kickstarter. It uses a unique design that is extremely hard to pick, making this a black belt lock and is one of the most secure locks currently available. See the LockPickingLawyer discuss it in this video.

The key for this lock is like nothing you have ever seen before and will have people asking you about it. Infact the design of this lock is so different that you can be quite confident that on one will have ever seen one before and it truly is unique in the world of locks.

They key is awesome and while it may look a bit funny and possibly a bit fragile it is very strong and is made of high strength steel. You wouldn’t be able to break it if even if you were trying.

There are only a handful of people in the world that have ever opened one of these locks. We have not been able to open the lock either because of how unique and dificult this one is to open.

The Bowley Company is one of the most innovative companies in making locks in the world right now and this padlock shows every pat of that innovation.

Honorable Mention – ABLOY PL342

If you haven’t found what you are looking for above then maybe this is the lock you are looking for. Abloy has just hit the mark with this lock, it is strong has a covered shackle to make it very hard to cut, hardened steel all over, and a great lock core to avoid anyone picking their way in.

It has an awesome premium feeling as the body is one large piece of machined metal.

This is just a super practical lock and it even looks great. Not something that is usually said about padlocks but in this case it is deserved.

Best Puck Lock – PACLOCK UCS-9S

This puck lock from PACLOCK is a great design that is very surprising that we have not seen more often. With its cone-shaped outer face, it makes it extremely difficult to drill.

PacLock has made a compromise to make the lock more secure with this one by not including their logo on the face of the lock. This meant that they don’t get the same advertising benefit from the lock but it increased its security. Something we don’t see many companies doing.

It also has the PACLOCK lock core in it that can be changed easily to allow you to change the key or buy a set to key a-like all your locks.

This is why we think PACLOCKs are particularly good for tradesmen and anyone that needs a selection of good security locks that are versatile and can all be keyed together.

When used with a good quality hasp for a puck lock this will make for a formidable challenge for any thief no matter how well equipped they are.

See the LockPickingLawyer discuss it in this video.

We hope you have found what you are looking for here with our list of the LockPickingLawyer Best Locks. If you want some other padlocks you can have a look at our list of the best padlocks here.

How to choose the right lock

There are a number of factors to look at when buying a padlock. It’s not too hard to look at most of these points when buying a padlock. When the LockPickingLawyer and BosnianBill review a lock for its security they usually mention these factors in their analysis.

Often there are locks that will pass one area very well and completely fail in another area. For example, locks that have very good physical security with a big lock body and a very strong shackle that completely fail when it comes to resistance to someone picking the lock open.

Choosing a lock to suit your application

While the LockPickingLawyers best Locks are good recommendations they may not always suit your application.

The first point to think about when looking for a high-quality lock is how you are going to use it and what it’s going to be protecting. there is no point in getting a very high-security lock just for something basic. Like a $200 high-security lock on your garden shed that only has a few garden tools in it.

Weak points in the security system are also important things to be aware of. If you are buying a lock with a decent 8mm hardened steel shackle just to be installing that on a hasp that is very thin then a thief will simply cut the hasp that the lock is attached to.

Physical security needs to be thought of holistically. This is also where a lot of lock companies fail in their lock designs as you will see mentioned by the LockPickingLawyer time and time again. Where a lock maker will produce a lock that is very resistant to picking only to have a plastic lock body or some other similar issue.

Types of Locking Mechanisms

There are countless varieties of different key and lock cores that have been produced over hundreds of years of lock production. Some of them are more secure than others, and each of them has its own strengths and weaknesses. Even the same type of lock can be very different in its actual security level and unfortunately, this is not something that you can see by looking at the outside of a lock.

Standard Locking Mechanism

First, we will talk about the most common type of lock and key, you surely have some of these on your keyring, and most locks around the world are made with these. They are very easy to produce but can vary in their security level significantly.

Some of the factors that contribute to the security of a normal keyway are.

• Number of key pins used
• Bitting of the key and pins
• Different metals used for the key pins
• Different security types for the key pins
• The shape of the keyway

A low-security type of lock would be something like the one in the picture, where it only has 4 pins and the key does not have very great bitting to make it harder to pick.

To find a higher security lock look for one with a key that has a much more pronounced pattern and is more complex with more ridges and valleys than the one we have pictured here.

Disc-Detainer Lock

Disc detainer keys look very different from normal ones and they work in a different way to standard locking mechanisms. They also look very different and generally speaking are more secure than standard key mechanisms mainly due to they require special tools and skills to be able to pick them open.

They are used regularly on bike locks, high-security door locks, and in some higher-security padlocks. While not a failsafe type of key as there are tools out there to pick them they are generally quite secure.

Combination Lock

While combination locks are very convenient, they are notorious for being very insecure. this is because even the best ones simply need time to break into. If you have a lock in a remote location where someone has a lot of time, then even someone without any skills will be able to get into it by simply trying all the available combinations.

Obviously finding one with more wheels on it will make this harder but ultimately they are very insecure simply because you don’t need any special skills or tools to get into them you just need time.

Then we come to the security flaws and while there are combination locks out there that don’t have any flaws there is a lot that have major flaws that make them very easy to get into for someone with minimal skills. I personally have gotten access to a combination key lock box on a building in under 3 minutes when I had never seen that model of the lock before.

Combination locks are suitable for very low-security applications where you merely want to deter someone from accessing something. Only use them in a situation where if someone were standing trying to access the lock for a couple of minutes they would look suspicious.

Other Locking Mechanisms

There are many other types of locking mechanisms out there. If you are looking at a lock that has a different type, we recommend that you do a bit of research into the type of mechanism. Have a look on the internet at the security of that particular type so that you know if it will be secure enough for your intended use.

Padlock Types

Next is the type of lock that you will be looking for. there are many many different kinds of locks on the market and we will cover a couple of the most common ones here and their uses. But if you have a bit of a different application then you might want to look for something more specific like motorbike disc locks, or trailer hitch locks.

Standard Shackle Padlock

These are the most common types of padlocks and for most situations they are perfect. They will protect your belongings and be fine. But you should still try to get one that doesn’t have any major flaws that will allow someone quick access and it should be strong enough to put up with some punishment from typical tools used to beak them. Like pliers for small locks and bolt cutters for medium locks. If you need something that will take something that will take punishment from an angle grinder then you should be using a closed shackle padlock most likely.

Standard padlocks are perfect for garden sheds, gates, boxes on a ute, and other small to medium-security applications like this.

They come with different keyways and you should try to pick a keyway that matches the physical security of the lock.

Closed Shackle Padlock

Closed shackle padlocks are very similar in design to standard shackle padlocks but they are a higher security design, you don’t often find smaller versions of these as they are designed to be medium to high-security locks so having a closed shackle small padlock doesn’t really make much sense.

the big difference they have is that the body of the lock extends up to protect the shackle from being cut. They are especially effective when the door or lock they are attached to has a shroud that covers the top of the lock further making cutting the shackle of the lock almost impossible.

Keep in mind this kind of lock isn’t really suited to use with a chain, although it would work the chain is very exposed and would mean that protecting the shackle for the lock is redundant as someone could just cut the chain.

When combined with the right mounting hardware these locks are extremely secure and are some of the highest security options available.

Disc Padlock

Disc locks are a variation of the two lock designs above and they come with some benefits but also some drawbacks. Where the other two designs are hundreds of years old the disc-style padlock is much more of a modern invention.

The rounded body of a disc lock makes them much harder to hold onto with tools to cut the lock this makes them better at standing up to an attack from an angle grinder as the locks are prone to slip causing the cutting wheel of the grinder to get stuck and possibly explode during cutting.

While not as protected as the closed shackle padlock the other benefit of the disc lock is that the shackle is protected in the circular housing. Making the lock much harder to cut the shackle.

Physically they are generally more secure than a standard padlock. But you must be careful as there are many chinses versions of these locks with terrible locking mechanisms making them very easy to pick even for the least experienced picker.

For this reason, we would recommend getting a disc lock with a disc detainer or dimple-style key so that the security of the mechanism matches the physical security of the lock.

The ABUS 20/70 and 20/80 are great examples of a good version of this lock.

Other Types of Locks

There are many other types of locks for more specific purposes available, too many to cover here. But the basic advice is the same, if you are looking for a lock for a specific purpose match the security of the lock to the value of the item that it is protecting.

If you are looking for a lock to protect your motorbike then you shouldn’t just pay $10 for a lock to protect something worth thousands of dollars

Find a lock with the right physical security and the right mechanism for your application.

Flaws in the lock design are also known as bypasses.

While this is something that is very hard to tell or discover when looking for yourself a simple google search when looking for a lock will help you to find if the lock you are looking at has a fatal flaw that makes it unusable. There are many mass-produced locks these days that have major design flaws that allow people to bypass them in a matter of seconds. The LockPickingLawyer has discovered many and his signature saying is…

“Inexcusable design flaw”

LockPickingLawyer

To try and find if a lock has any design flaws before you buy, simply type into Google the lock name and then the word “bypass”. You should quickly see if there are any major issues with the lock in question.

To Sum Up

While the LockPickingLawyer has picked and talked about many many locks on his channel, its in the thousands now, there are not that many that he has actually recommended.

We hope that you found what you were looking for but if you didn’t please take a look at our list of the best padlocks or door locks if that’s what you are looking for.