What is your newest interest or obsession?

[Nightingale121]

I'm really into Shelock Holmes right now as well as Hannibal (it's a little unusual to have more than one).

I am into Sherlock Holmes as well. It started with watching Sherlock. It went on and now I recently started with reading the original stories to get the references in the show. I have already finished two of the novels and am going on with some short stories (currently A Scandal in Bohemia) now.

I have another interest as well at the moment (even newer than Sherlock). It's German as a foreign language. I am not trying to learn German, it's my native language, but since I already had to do with a few people who speak German as a foreign language, I finally got interested in the German grammar and how you can learn it as a beginner.
It's very fascinating to look at a language you speak every day from another point of view (i.e. from the point of view of a beginning learner). So I am reading about German in English now. I learn new things about English too that way which is quite helpful.

 

[Dee317]

Pretty little liars, it's 15 years below my age level, but I do love the mystery of it and trying to solve the clues.

 

[grommet]

I am just home from picking up three new Master Lock padlocks.

I picked open each one in about 5 seconds.

Master Lock:
M530 -Master Lock security rating level 7
M5D -Master Lock security rating level 8
M5X -Master Lock security rating level 9

The pictures are not in order. I really love the M530 because it is a solid block of metal, nice to look at The first one pictured is nice and heavy and the one in the middle is large which makes it fun.

I used a Sparrows Sandman pick, a very cool design and on one lock their Octo Rake. For tension I used a 'Z' tension tool using the short end.

I have mentioned before that these are very tough locks, I don't know if they could be broken open with any tools but they are easy to pick open with lockpicking tools.

I haven't yet learned to single pin pick (SPP) - lifting each pin separately. That is the skill I am working on and is stumping me most but I think it will take me a lot of time.

These locks sure are pretty to look at and I was very happy to bring them home

 

[Mia]

Hi Grommet, that's an accomplishment you should be pleased about. By the way, I've broken open the middle lock with a small chisel and a hammer out of necessity. The other two look pretty solid. I can pick small locks but nothing this size, can also open sliding locks that are not deadbolts with a piece of plastic.

 

[Rayner]

I am just home from picking up three new Master Lock padlocks.

I picked open each one in about 5 seconds.

Master Lock:
M530 -Master Lock security rating level 7
M5D -Master Lock security rating level 8
M5X -Master Lock security rating level 9

The pictures are not in order. I really love the M530 because it is a solid block of metal, nice to look at The first one pictured is nice and heavy and the one in the middle is large which makes it fun.

I used a Sparrows Sandman pick, a very cool design and on one lock their Octo Rake. For tension I used a 'Z' tension tool using the short end.

I have mentioned before that these are very tough locks, I don't know if they could be broken open with any tools but they are easy to pick open with lockpicking tools.

I haven't yet learned to single pin pick (SPP) - lifting each pin separately. That is the skill I am working on and is stumping me most but I think it will take me a lot of time.

These locks sure are pretty to look at and I was very happy to bring them home

View attachment 25341 View attachment 25342 View attachment 25343

I'm sure the jaws of life could, break those open. I can't pick a lock to save my life sense I don't have the jaws of life just laying around I'm sorta out of luck. Maybe a grinder or cutting torch could open the locks? Since my grinder is old and needs a new disc that probably wouldn't work and I don't have cutting torch that's out of the question. Perhaps a 12 gauge slug could pop those open, I got one of those.

 

[Rayner]

Hi Grommet, that's an accomplishment you should be pleased about. By the way, I've broken open the middle lock with a small chisel and a hammer out of necessity. The other two look pretty solid. I can pick small locks but nothing this size, can also open sliding locks that are not deadbolts with a piece of plastic.

I've never needed too, but if push came to shove. I think I'm sticking with the 12 gauge slug.

 

[Ylva]

DC Comics. Which is weird for me, because I usually prefer stories that make sense.

 

[Mr Allen]

I've recorded 2 videos of me playing Xbox One games this week and uploaded them to YouTube, I'll post the links after tea, I don't mind these ones being in the public eye because I personally am not on them, just me playing the game.

Also recorded this one.

 

[watersprite]

WMMA

 

[grommet]

Hi Grommet, that's an accomplishment you should be pleased about. By the way, I've broken open the middle lock with a small chisel and a hammer out of necessity. The other two look pretty solid. I can pick small locks but nothing this size, can also open sliding locks that are not deadbolts with a piece of plastic.

Mia, would you tell me how you used a chisel to break the lock? I am very curious. I have heard of chisels being used on locks but I cannot understand it.

 

[Cali Cat]

My newest obsession/interest is updating my house with new windows and doors; complete electrical rewiring with newly installed sockets, lighting/ceiling fans and exhaust vents; repaired interior walls and baseboards (termite damaged); new interior paint; new flooring; repaired wood siding; new exterior paint and a new roof. I'm obsessed with it because I cannot fully live in my house until all of this is done, so I'm just camping out in my house for the next six months.

 

[grommet]

I'm sure the jaws of life could, break those open. I can't pick a lock to save my life sense I don't have the jaws of life just laying around I'm sorta out of luck. Maybe a grinder or cutting torch could open the locks? Since my grinder is old and needs a new disc that probably wouldn't work and I don't have cutting torch that's out of the question. Perhaps a 12 gauge slug could pop those open, I got one of those.

A grinder should be able to cut the shackle on these locks pretty easily though they are hardened to resist very well the use of bolt cutters.

I love shotguns and I have fired a 12 gauge with slugs. From all I have seen, even a shotgun slug won't open these locks. That may seem illogical but I have seen the firing. What happened every time I have seen it is the lock explodes, it's destroyed. But all the bent metal still holds the shackle with it being stuck in the mess. Another shot should finish the job but really this isn't a practical safe way to disable or open a lock. It is more for fun or experiment. I have seen pistol round ricochet right off lock bodies. I never thought that would happen but it does.

Master Lock makes very strong tough lock bodies. They really are something. The better models all use two steel balls to hold the shackle and prevent prying apart. Each ball fits in a cut-out on either side of the shackle and held in the lock body. The shackle itself is made to be very hard and with it's polygonal shape forces the chisel edge of bolt cutter jaws to spread their force over a larger surface, making them less effective. Lots of good design there.

The problem is the locking mechanism which really is the weak point. I wonder if you did decide to learn some locking picking skills if you would be able to open Master Locks too. I am a beginner but I am having success.

By the way, although I do like shotguns I did not like shooting slugs. Geez those hurt. I wish I could go shooting again but it's too expensive for me. It's odd but I feel more relaxed at a shooting range than anywhere else.

 

[Cali Cat]

By the way, although I do like shotguns I did not like shooting slugs. Geez those hurt. I wish I could go shooting again but it's too expensive for me. It's odd but I feel more relaxed at a shooting range than anywhere else.

I agree. I like shooting my 12-gauge, but I prefer the pellet rounds. The slugs really hurt in the recoil. I keep slugs in my shotgun for home defense, but I don't like to shoot them at the range. I miss going shooting as well, but as you say, it's much too expensive. Every once in awhile I splurge, but that only lasts for about maybe an hour at the range. I wish I could practice more.

 

[Iron Defender]

Osomatsu-san, Borderlands & Gaki no Tsukai!

 

[Flinty]

Gordon Ramsay. And yet I am far from being a foodie.

 

[Mia]

Mia, would you tell me how you used a chisel to break the lock? I am very curious. I have heard of chisels being used on locks but I cannot understand it.

Using a cold chisel and a hammer, you place the chisel nearer the unlocking side of the shackle on the body of the lock on top, the side of the shackle shape with the notch in it. If you don't know where that is because its locked and you can't see it, then place the chisel in the center on top of the lock body.

You hit the lock with one solid blow near the center of the lock body (on the top) in the middle or so of the shackle with a chisel long enough to rise above the shackle clearance. Using the hammer and hitting the placed chisel.

Which I think causes the spring and ball bearing to react by retracting, at the same time as the notch in the lock apparatus moves, and the shackle spring moves. Popping the lock open. This doesn't damage the lock usually and it can be reused if you can find the key or have one made.

You should try it, to see if you can, it does work on certain kinds of padlocks without destroying them or cutting them.

I'm not sure of the mechanics of it, but it worked several times, when I lost keys. The lock has to be in a fixed position locked to something that's solid.

 

[Rayner]

I agree. I like shooting my 12-gauge, but I prefer the pellet rounds. The slugs really hurt in the recoil. I keep slugs in my shotgun for home defense, but I don't like to shoot them at the range. I miss going shooting as well, but as you say, it's much too expensive. Every once in awhile I splurge, but that only lasts for about maybe an hour at the range. I wish I could practice more.

I keep my 12 gauge loaded down with copper sluggs for home defense as well. My 12 gauge chambers a 4 inch shell it will stop just about everything.

 

[Rayner]

My 12 gauge is a pump action,with a 32 inch barrel. The gun will leave a bruise on my shoulder especially with its steel buttplate on the end of the stock

It won't stop Chuck Norris.

Seriously, I have a 12-gauge muzzle-loader coach gun that I enjoy shooting. It has a set of 28" barrels and a set of short barrels. It will shoot just about anything you can get down the barrels, so I have an assortment of projectiles. It will also shoot patched .69 caliber round ball, which is just about as bad as a slug. Loaded in the short barrels, it makes for a great piece when working through heavy brush looking for wild hogs. I can also shoot buck and ball.

And yes, it also serves as an excellent home defense piece if need be. The short barrels, when loaded with #4 shot on top of 80 grains can ruin someone's day . . . it's also abusive on the shooter, as I usually carry a shoulder bruise for two weeks after shooting it.

 

[Rayner]

Sounds like the Mossberg shotguns we had when I was in the Army, though those had 20" barrels if memory serves right.

You are close its not a mossberg rather an 870 Remington.

 

[Rayner]

Correct with a blued carbon steel Finnish, and a wooden stock I believe walnut if I'm not mistaken. It was one of the 4 guns given to me by my granddad when I moved out of my parents house.