Lock Bumping

Lock Bumping - A Bump Key with Pin Tumbler Locks

There are many types of pin tumbler locks. They come in various forms, including deadbolt, key-in-knob, lever padlocks, and automobile ignition locks. The common denominatore among pin tumbler locks is that they all have a pin tumbler cylinder or housing. When a pin tumbler lock is installed on a door, you can usually see only the lock’s plug or the face of its cylinder. You can quickly identify a pin tumbler lock by looking into its keyway.  Although pin tumbler cylinders are simple mechanisms, some of the most secure mechanical locks rely on such a cylinder. Most pin tumbler cylinders are self-contained mechanisms. They come in a variety of shapes to fit locks of various designs. The basic parts of a pin tumbler cylinder include cylinder case, plug, keyway, upper pin chambers, lower pin chambers, springs, drivers, and bottom pins. It’s easy to remember all those parts once you understand their relationships to each other. The cylinder case houses all the other parts of the cylinder. The part that rotates when the proper key is inserted is called the plug. The keyway is the opening in the plug that accepts the bump key. The drilled holes across the length of the plug are called lower pin chambers, they each hold a bottom pin. The corresponding drilled holes in the cylinder case directly above the plug are called upper pin chambers, they each hold a spring and a driver. To learn more about lock bumping and pin tumbler locks you can visit this link to Amazon and purchase The Complete Book of Locks and Locksmithing

Lock Bumping and It’s Legal Status

Lock bumping has been around since the 70’s in Denmark. It has only come to the lime light with the advent of the internet in the United States.

In the Unites States the lock bumping key is considered a burglary tool in most states. However it seems that only California has listed the bump key in one of it’s penal codes directly. It will probablly not be long before the rest of the states pass a code which list the lock bumping key directly. 

Normal House Key vs. Lock Bumping Key

More Info on Lock Bumping
at Lock Bumping.org 

Lock Bumping Hammer

Some of the big lock manufactures that have designed and now produce a bump resistant lock include Medeco, Schlage, Kwikset, BiLock and Master. These companies all now advertise either a bump resistant or bump proof lock. The price range of the new locks ranges from around $50 up to $200. However you can probably find them on sale on one of the many sites selling bump proof locks.

One quick and easy way to help prevent the bump key from working in your locks is to spray a lock lubricant or WD40 into the key slot. This tends to make the pins and springs not stick when the bump key is forced or bumped into the key hole.

Lock Bumping Locks With A Bump Key

If you are interested in buying some Medeco locks the same ones they use in the White House then check out Peifer Locks.com. They are full fledged lock smiths with years of experience and knowledge.

If your intrested in buying or getting more information about bi locks then check out Wholesalelocks.com.

For more information on lock bumping you can also visit our main site at Lock Bumping .org.