Hi there. I'm from the netherlands and we don't have locks like this over here. A canadian colleague gave me one as a challenge. So I needed to find out how to use the dial in the first place. After that, and after watching your video several times, I actually managed to open it with your method! Thanks alot!
Thank you so much!!! I honestly thought everyone in the comments was lying about getting it but your method works! To anyone reading just be really patient and watch the video once before touching your locked lock. This works!!
I'm so glad it helped. These locks can be tricky, and when they get old they can give different feedback in unpredictable ways (and so some people can struggle getting theirs open). Well done! ... your patience & perseverance paid off! :D :D
Thank you for the clear explanation, I managed to decode mine in 40 minutes thanks to your method. Your video is the only one mentioning the resistance in the play, which is the most important in my opinion. Other videos are more mathematical oriented, but mechanical/manual solving is so satisfying and requires actual skills.
Yes this really helped! I was pretty sure what two of the 3 numbers were, roughly speaking, I just wasn't sure what order they were in. So once I was able to figure out the first one, a few tries later everything worked. Got mine open in 5-10 minutes. THANKS!
After getting over my own-impatience and taking my time with your method, and really feeling the difference between what you meant by "tight" and "loose" I was able to decode my lock! Thank you!!!
Here's my written observational steps: 1. There are 10 positions around the dial, or plays as he would call them. You can write them down. Between these positions are gap numbers, which you can leave out. You probably only need the middle/average number of each play. 2. Reset the lock by turning the dial at least two times around clockwise. 3. Turn the dial clockwise and stop at one of the plays that you think is the first number. Turn it counter-clockwise and stop at the same number. Pull the lock firmly, try to move the dial within that play. If you feel friction, you likely found your first number! If you don't feel friction, reset and start over at another play. 4. Continue counter-clockwise, pulling the lock at each play to test for friction. When you feel friction, you likely found your second number! 5. Go clockwise again and simply pull the lock at each play. The lock should open when you pull it at the third number.
Thank you for these nice notes! Great observations ... very helpful. Good point about being about leaving out a lot of numbers, but just pick on a those that count. Most of these locks don't start to tighten up until both the 1st & 2nd number are correct, but some of these locks will start to tighten a little bit after the 1st number and then much more after the 2nd number is correct. Thanks once again for helping people out!
@@joemama434 I'm not sure what you mean, but I know I tend to use quite a bit of tension / pressure on these Dudleys - especially with some of the older ones - I get sore fingers / hands doing it and need rests. :D
Hello, I well remember those locks! Back when in the school I attended, we were (officially advised but over time a few students switched to the cheaper Master brand) required to purchase from the school, our Registered Dudley Lock. I still have the registration and remember the combination from the 10,000 times i opened it over the years in school. I remember other kids used their parents and grandparents Dudley locks. The original Dudleys look different from the 1980 and up to ? unknown year probably 2000. They are identical size but BLACK face white painted numbers and silver or chrome pointer with very little play it was more precise fit. The earliest Dudley were either brass or brass plated not plain steel. The ones from my 1980+ generation were chrome face black numbers and dull non chrome metal pointer with a defined rolled edge and stamped serial numbers. The late 90s Canadian made had flat pressed edge and black pointer and no paint in the stamped numbers that I remember. The reason I looked up this video -- I found a current to 2015 to present Dudley (China or Philippines) it was unused. The owner lost the combination and was going to toss it. Its unused and I wondered if there was a hack. I remember back in school long ago some boys could hack the combination of the Master brand. I couldn't. I had no clue about locks except the correct lubrication procedure which I did to my Dudley why it still works perfectly today. I clearly remember this; If you lost your combination/registration, couldn't open the lock, You wrote to Dudley Lock in Toronto, stating your name/address/school/the serial number stamped on the lock, they would write back giving you the correct information the combination. I think I paid $15 back then which is something like 45 now. NOBODY I knew ever ever hacked a Dudley lock back in the day. Lol I watched the boy next to me dial his, then when he was out of view open the door and stick girl pics on the inside and him confused how they got there then my laughing tipped him off. 😅
LOL nice memories of the good 'ol days! Gosh you know a heap about Dudley's. I didn't even know they could be oiled. I dunno if my method works on the version other than in the video. As long at you turn several times to the right (clockwise - I think I forgot to emphasize this) to reset the internal wheels before doing my method, it should work for the ones in the video (and I have no idea how old they are). With master locks you can send in to master lock a photo of it not locked to anything and a photo of the serial number and they will give you the combination. They wont give out the combination if it's locked to something, even if it's your lock! The trouble with that process is there's a "master" master lock list with all the serial numbers and combinations, and that has been leaked, so some criminals have that list. I don't know if the Dudley list has been leaked.
@@Swynndla The locks are not lubricated with Oil, but Powder Graphite. Just a tiny puff once a year in the hole. I'm positive my registration stating "3 full turns clockwise to reset" First turn is 1 full turn clockwise, stopping at "15" or whatever. Second turn is counterclockwise one half to three quarters turn stopping at " " Then turn clockwise to "" and pull to open. Basically how I remember the instructions from Dudley.
@@RetroCaptain Gosh ok - the usual way is (given X-Y-Z as the correct combination): First: 3 full turns clockwise, and keep turning until you reach X Second: one full turn counterclockwise, and keep turning counterclockwise until you get to Y Third: turn clockwise until you get to Z ... then the lock should open. Another way of look at it (which is equivalent) is: First: turn clockwise and stop on the 3rd X Second: turn counterclockwise and stop on the 2nd Y Third: turn clockwise and stop on the 1st Z ... then the lock should open. Ah yes graphite can be good for key-locks, but is it also used for those dial combination ones?
@@Swynndla Correct. The three turns puts all the inner parts in alignment. You can turn them more if you want but less than 3 it might not open. I tried your hack a little last night on this brand new Asian Dudley but couldn't remember if "lots of play or almost none", and which ones. Will look at the video again but it owes me nothing and I don't know if it's useful for outside as I only need an outside lock. I'm sure it will rust quickly. The first generation Dudley were brass or brass coated. The rest will rust I'm pretty sure.
@@RetroCaptain Ahh the general trend, things are made cheaper by companies to reduce cost, and often the products aren't as good. I guess stainless steel padlocks would be good. The marine ones can be expensive. They are key locks, not combination ones. I like the concept of this lock: www.amazon.com/KAWAHA-Security-Stainless-Shrouded-Anti-Rust/dp/B09SLSCLTF ... as it's stainless steel and no internal springs.
Older video, but still the best one I found. I've figured out the 10 gates and where they are. I felt the resistance you are talking about and managed to open the lock, but couldn't figure out the code. I repeated it and felt the resistance again, and opened again, but the resistance seems to come and go. I feel like I'm lucking into things. I'm using a Dudley E. How much tension are you putting on the latch of the lock? When I am trying to figure out the first number I am putting tension (pulling on the latch), but to be able to get out the dial out of the gate I have to press down on the latch for the dial to move freely again.
Yea a couple of things I didn't mention in the video (I should do an updated video)... 1. I tension it (pull up on the shackle) quite hard (you can't tell from the video, but I do), and I have to release tension again in order to go to the next "gate", and then I tension it again (pulling up quite hard), etc. 2. Before you start, you should turn the dial several times to the right (clockwise) (like 3 *full* 360 turns) as this will reset the internal wheels. If you then do it methodically (the decoding) then you should be able to figure out the combination, but before dialing in the combination, you have to reset the internal wheels by turning several times to the right. In fact, let's say your combination is X-Y-Z, then you turn several (360) turns to the right, then keep turning to the right until you hit X, then turn left one full (360) turn to X again and keep turning left past X until you hit Y, and then turn right until you hit Z, then pull up on the shackle and the lock should open. Another way of thinking of this is: Keep turning to the right (clockwise) and stop on the 3rd X (the 3rd time you see X), then turn left and stop on the 2nd Y, then turn right and stop on your 1st Z, pull up on the shackle and it should open. It sounds like maybe you're starting at different internal wheel states, and you should reset them before decoding and before entering your combination. Let's know how you get on - good luck!
thank you!!! I was locked out of my locker because I forgot my code and this method TOTALLY WORKS!!! saved me from having to get a bolt cutter and a new lock!!!!
Thanks! Decided mine in 10 mins, after spending an hour on a 10x10 brute force method. Not sure I want to use it again seeing how easy it is to open 😆 Those 60 dial positions are quite humourous now!
Oh excellent that you got it open! Still a lot of people struggle with open it so you did very well. Thieves tend to cut locks and they don't bother spending the time to decode (usually). It would be ok for a gym locker but I wouldn't lock up anything valuable with it (especially if it's left in an unattended place). Thank you and well done again! 😜😜
@@Swynndla Thanks! Sadly as a high schooler I had a penchant for taking home master locks off the lockers. Thought I was clever as occasionally used some skill but mostly kids would put pen marks on the combo. Never took what was inside though! I apologize to anyone I did that to for that obvious wrong !
@@larryr257 LOL right ... pen marks: the age old "security vs convenience". That's also why people choose combination locks, because they don't have to carry a key, but most combo locks aren't as secure as key ones from a "decoding" point of view. Electronic locks are getting there though ... eg ones where if your phone is within a couple of meters it'll unlock the lock at the press of the button (on the lock) ... convenient if you have to open your locker several times a day (but those locks are expensive at the moment). That's hilarious how you educated people, hehe 😜😜
I been trying to crack this old Dudley Lock for 2 days now and for the love of me I can't "feel" it get tight on any set of spaces I have tried (probably because it's old). I'll try on the next few days and keep you guys posted.
I find that old locks don't have the same sort of feedback. I also find I might need more tension and I get sore hands. Take lots of breaks, and wear groves if it helps. Thanks for posting, and good luck!
Also, before you start, turn the dial several times to the right. This resets the internal wheels. Once you're done this (turned like 3 full turns to the right), keep turning right until you stop at the first gate you want to test (eg 0), and then continue with the instructions in the video. If you don't "reset" the lock beforehand, it may not work. If the lock is too old, the feedback may be too disguised to use this method. Good luck!
One last piece of advice - not many people know this, but instead of opening the lock with Right-Left-Right (R-L-R) it's possible to open it (L-R-L) with a different combination numbers. It's worth trying the method in the video but the other way around. So you turn several times to the *left* to reset the lock, then keep turning left after you get to the fist gate around 0. Then turn one full turn to the *right* and check if it tightens up, and if not then back around one full turn to the *left* and keep going to the next gate to the left (around 55 or whatever) and then one full turn to the *right* and check if gates start to tighten up ... and so on. Worth a try - good luck!
LOL that's fantastic! Those Dudley's can be a little tricky, especially if they get old & worn, and they can make it quite difficult to pick open. You did very well - well done! :D :D
My daughter noticed that nobody used the locker under hers so I showed her this video. Now she has 2 half height lockers at school. I was impressed that she pulled it off.
I forgot the combination to an old gym lock. I used this technique. It took about 30 minutes and my hands got tired but it worked great. It takes a while to understand when the lock is tightening up and when you want to believe the lock is tightening up. I had to 'test' different starting candidates against each other to determine which was the best.
Fantastic! Yes and different Dudley's seem to tighten in different ways - it's tricky. Well done being so patient and methodical ... and thank you for sharing your tips!
Oh that's fantastic! Older Dudleys can be difficult, as the feedback gets hard to detect true from false positions. You did well tho - great job! :D :D
@@Swynndla yeah it took like 20 mins :) I was fairly confident with the first two though then just started trying some random numbers for the third until it popped.
Why you didn't made that video earlier? It would saved me a lot of trouble! 😄 I knew that the answer is lying somewhere in that loose-tight-poor tolerance puzzle, but I only have one very old and much in use padlock for testing. Your method is much appreciated. Great job!
Lots of great Info here. Trying this on my old Dudley with a Letter H stamped on the back and No Worky. After checking all of the 12 positions only 2 positions have Play, 35-39 and 48-52. While applying full Tension on the shackle Starting at ZERO and turning dial in a clockwise manner all the gates have a strong grinding drag as you move the dial until you reach 35 and there is a strong click as you get to 35 with free play to 39. Unless you release the shackle its impossible to turn the dial beyond 39 OR backwards to less than 35. Releasing the shackle tension is the only way to turn the pointer into the next range of play 48-52, same thing with the 48 - 42 range as well. Is having only 2 gates having play along with or the grinding drag sensation mentioned mean that its broken in some way? Not just here but other places all talk about 10 Gates or areas with play. Just trying to re purpose the lock and curious.
Hmmm maybe they used to use a different design? I don't know. With other sorts of locks, the positions with the most play tends to be the 3rd (last) number of the correct combination. Other than that I just don't know. Good luck!
Do you need to apply alot of tension on the shackle? I got 3 of them dudley which I'm trying to crack open and i can't feel the tension in the padlockwhen I,m turning the wheel around. The wheel often get stuck everywhere so its hard to tell what is what.
I find some of the older ones need a lot of tension (pulling it as if opening it) and I get a sore hand! ... but note that most of the time you wont feel anything (it wont tighten up and be harder to turn) except when you're a certain way through the correct combination (ie the 1st and 2nd number have been dialed in correctly).
Blew through a bunch of master locks earlier but I found a rusty old dudley and MAN is it hard to feel wtf's going on. Hopefully I get it eventually with your technique and some wd-40.
Nice! Yea I found it quite tricky on some of those older Dudley's ... for the older ones I had to do "more" ... more tension on the shackle, more testing of 2nd numbers ... but it should tighten up (bind) when you're onto the right numbers, especially the right 2nd number. Good luck!
@@Swynndla Still toiling away heheh. I've written down all the play zones so I can test more accurately-- getting hung up on the first number because I can't seem to feel an increase in tightness during testing haha. The WD-40 didn't help unfortunately Edit: I think I managed to feel that dialing clockwise to 47, one whole ccw turn to 47 then a bit past to the next few play zones and testing was the stiffest of the rest of the zones on the dial I've tested, fi gers crossed--checking for 2nd number Edit 2: no luck there heheh, ill keep lookin for that first gate.
@@l33tster I like how you're not giving up! ... I found with my oldest & nastiest Dudley that I had to pull up on the shackle *really* hard (and got sore fingers) before it would give feedback (so maybe use something attached to the shackle to help tension it). If 47 *is* the correct number then yes ccw one full turn and then it should stiffen up but only a little bit, and it's actually going right again (CW) (after the correct 2nd number) that get's real.y stiff. Your old lock might not stiffen for the 2nd number, but might for the 3rd ... so you might have to test several 2nd numbers to see if it starts to tighten up when going right (turning CW), and then if none of them work, then dismiss 47. You might have to systematically test each 1st number like that (each one with play). Remember that it's possible for the combination to be 47, 0, 47 (same 1st & 3rd number) so don't make any assumptions as this stage. If all this doesn't work then you might have to test every position (with play) and if that doesn't work then it's possible that one of the numbers isn't actually in a "play" gap (maybe? ... desperation here) ... so you might have to test other others (all of them) ... if *that* doesn't work then maybe the shackle is stuck? I found that with my nasty one, I had to pull up really hard for it to open on the correct combination! ... that might be the same for your one!
You're not dumb - it's a difficult lock to decode. It's important before every attempt to reset the internal wheels by turning the dial several times clockwise (eg 3 full turns clockwise), otherwise the method won't work. The idea behind the method is that if you get the correct first number, then the dial will tighten up more while you are applying tension (pulling on the shackle constantly). If you get the first two numbers of the combination correct then it will tighten up even more (but only while you're applying tension). You might not be applying enough tension when you do it, so try some more tension. You might want to wear some rubber gloves to do this. It's difficult to get the "feel" of what you're doing, and it takes time, so don't think you're dumb. Note that if you did happen to know your combination code, and it was X-Y-Z, then to unlock the lock you would first turn several times clockwise and keep turning to X, then one full turn counter-clockwise going past X and keep turning to Y, and then turn clockwise to Z and then pull the shackle and it should open up. But we don't know the combination. When you guess the first number, you first have to reset the internal wheels by turning several times clockwise, and then stop on the first number you're guessing. Then turn one full turn counter-clockwise and keep turning to your 2nd guess, and then apply tension (pull up on the shackle constantly) while turning clockwise. Note how much tension there is while tensioning. You could do this for all the numbers, but I take some shortcuts in the video. I use a technique where I can keep trying 2nd numbers without having to reset the internal wheels (because I know what will mess up the internal wheel and what won't). If I test a few 2nd numbers and things don't tighten up, then I move on to the next 1st guess ... ie I reset the internal wheels (several turns clockwise) and try the next 1st guess. I keep going, looking for a 1st guess that tightens up the dial while applying tension. When I find this, then I know what the first number is! Then it's much easier to find the 2nd number (the correct one will tighten things up even more). Well done for reaching out - a lot of people wouldn't bother. Let me know how you get on. Good luck!
When you find your first number, does it have to the very first gate your test to be tight? Or it could be a few loose ones and then a tight one. Because in your video first # is 36, then you turn L and bam it got tight at 30. It this a necessary condition for the 1st #? Or it’s an exception. Thx
I would have thought it starts to tighten up straight away, but I do test a few of them just to make sure. So if you find the right first number, things should start to tighten up. Note that if you find the correct first & second numbers, it'll tighten up even more. So tightness is an indication that you are on the right track. Note also, something I didn't explain well in the video, you have to turn several full times clockwise (to the right - at least 3 full turns) before you start. This will reset the internal wheels, and it may not work otherwise. Once it's reset, I'm careful with my turns so it doesn't mess up that reset ... follow my turning pattern in the video (after you reset it). If you mess up the turning, reset it again (turning several times clockwise) and carry on with where you left off.
I'm kind of confused. In your video for number 36, how did you know that was the number? It looked loose like the previous numbers you tried, then you turned the lock around counter clockwise and stopped at _30_ and 30 was tight so you knew the number was 36. So for my lock, if it's tight at 10, does that mean the correct number is 5 numbers away from it??
Firstly let's pretend the combination is 36-17-54, then to open the lock we'd turn it several times to the right (clockwise) and then stop on 36, then one full turn left (counter-clockwise) and keep going passed 36 to 17, then then turn right (*without* a full turn) to 54, and then the lock should open. Another way of saying this is: Keep turning to the right and stop on 36 when you see it for the 3rd time, then turn to the left and stop on 17 when you see it for the 2nd time, then turn to the right and stop on 54 when you see it for the 1st time. I didn't explain this clearly in the video, but before you start, you have to turn it several times to the right, as this resets the internal wheels. If you don't do that then it probably wont open. Now that we've reset the lock, we don't know what the first number is, and so after turning several times to the right, we stop on 0, as we're going to test that as the guess for the first number. When I say 0, I mean the gate where there's play (left & right movement) under tension (pulling up on the shackle). We'll test if that's the correct 1st number by seeing if things tighten up when looking for the 2nd number, ie we will turn it left one full turn, as if we're looking for the 2nd number. Under tension (pulling the shackle up as if trying to open it), if things tighten up as we test the other gates passed 0 (eg 54, 47, etc), then we'll know that 0 as 1st number is correct. If the gates we test are still loose, then we know that the first number of the combination is not 0. When I say "tight" and "loose", I mean that when tensioning the shackle, it's harder to turn the dial left & right within the gate (ie it still moves, but it takes more effort, as there's more friction). You only have to tension it (pull up on the shackle) we you're seeing if it's tight or not (or if you're looking for a gate). So in the video, things didn't tighten up when testing 0, so we "undo" the full turn to the left by doing a full turn to the right, and then go to the next gate, which is around 6, and we test that (by doing a full turn to the left). If it's too confusing to remember all the full turns and the "undo" full turns the other way, then we can instead *reset* the lock by turning several times to the right ... and we reset it between *every* number we test. This takes long than the shortcut I use in the video, but it's less confusing. I know what shortcuts work and what ones don't, but if you don't know what you're doing then it's much safer to reset the lock each time. So what we'd do in the less confusing way is: Reset the lock (turn sever times to the right). Stop on 0, then one full turn to the left to reach 0 again, but keep going passed 0 to 54, and then pull up on the shackle and test the movement of that gate. Still loose? - then reset the lock again (turn sever times to the right) then: Stop on the next gate (around 6, you might have to pull up on the shackle to find the gate - it should have left & right "play"), then one full turn to the left, and keep going left passed to 0 (that's the next gate), pull up on the shackle and test for tightness. Still loose? - then reset the lock again, then: ... keep going until things tighten up. For the lock in the video, things tightened up when I tested 36, so I knew 36 was the correct 1st number. That means, if I reset the lock, then keep turning right until 36, then when I turned one full turn to the left, then things will tighten up (for my lock) when testing the gates next to it. I still don't know the 2nd number (yet) but I know the first number is 36. Once you're found your first number you should be able to follow the rest of the steps in the video.
I tried this for my gym lock, but it seems that for the first number, there's only one place that tightens up going to second, and it tightens up only in one place. Should i keep looking for different codes or am i not putting enough tension onto it?
I have 4 of these locks and they behave differently depending of different versions and age too ... if that one place that tightens doesn't work then you'll have to try other numbers, but I'm only guessing really. If you don't get the first number right, you'll get no feedback (or inconsistent feedback) from the rest of the numbers, so the first number is really important to get right otherwise you'll be wasting your time. When you get the 1st & 2nd number right, then it will be really obvious as things will *really* start to tighten up.
Great job!! Are these new or older padlocks? They say the older ones are harder to do. I have gotten a master padlock but it was new and took me couple days lol. You make it look so easy. Have a wonderful week!!
Thank you mate! :D :D Yea I got these 2nd hand and i don't know how old they are. I should test a new one some time. These old ones were a bit stiff and I had to pull on the shackle quite hard when testing the play (otherwise everything was loose). I'm going to do a series Master dial combo locks as they are different. :D Thanks for your kind words! :D
@@Swynndla Ha ha nope! the lock was open, (shackle spun 180° from closed) and I put it in my back pocket. I guess the shackle spun back around and got pushed down, but maybe the dial also got turned? now the shackle won't go all the way down or come all the way up and the dials stuck! I think I'm going to cut the tip off the shackle and engage "low security" mode (The lock won't work, but it might look secure until you get up close)
@@nickgoodall578 Ah hmmm those dudley's aren't meant to be able to turn unless the shackle is closed again. If the dial turned (ie no longer pointing at the 3rd number of the correct combination) then it sounds like the lock is broken. I guess you're tried to force it open or closed? ... as then you might be able to recover it (ie if you close it then the dial should spin again). With some locks, I have to hit it closed. LOL I like your low security lock idea 😜😜Thank you for the like & subscribe!
@@Swynndla Yeah I cut the tip of the shackle off. It springs closed now and looks great. Also, I never have to worry about forgetting the combination again.
For Dudley locks with 60 numbers on the dial the twelve loose play areas are for the third number only, the top wheel under the dial. I have seen pictures. I have got several first numbers binding tight and second numbers binding tight, several numbers in the same lock and checked all posibble third numbers but my four locks don't open with this technique. I will keep trying. I can quickly open first and second generation Master combination locks and I have done the final generation new colored Master locks.
Hey great video! I was wondering how you know what order the numbers would go in once you found 3 numbers that get more ‘play’. Perhaps I may have missed it in the video but I did happen to find 3 numbers and I can’t unlock it from here.
Heya - there should be several numbers with "play" (when pulling on the shackle - there's play left & right but it doesn't want to come out of that position until you release shackle tension)
That was because I was testing "36" as the first number. Remember, before you start decoding, turn the dial clockwise several times (3 or more *full* turns) to reset the internal wheels. Then test each 1st number. Note that to test each 2nd number, I first have to turn one *full* turn counter clockwise. That's because if I knew the combination was X-Y-Z, I'd turn several times to the right (3 or more *full* turns clockwise) and then stop at X, then one *full* turn counter clockwise to X again but go past X and stop and Y, then turn clockwise and stop at Z, then the shackle will open. So in the video I already had the internal wheels reset, and I turned clockwise to 36 as my first number, then counter clockwise to 36 again and then still turning counter clockwise started to test the other gates (with tension - pulling up on the shackle), ie 30 was the next gate, and it started to tighten up ... so I knew that 36 was the correct first number.
You guess each of the 1st numbers, then check to see if any of the 2nd numbers are tighter than usual (under tension), and if things do tighten up (under tension) then you're found the correct 1st & 2nd number! It only works if you've first "reset" the lock (turn it several times to the right) before you begin, and keep turning right until you stop at the first 1st number guess (eg I started at "0"), then turn a full turn to left until you hit that number again, and then see if any gates tighten up under tension. In the video I use a trick to speed things up, and I essentially "undo" my guesses so it is in the "reset" state again after each guess, but unless you know what you're doing, it's probably easier to "reset" the lock before every single guess (by turning several times to the right, ie three or four full turns to the right, ie three or four 360 degree turns to the right). Also when I say "under tension", I mean pulling the shackle (as if you're trying to open the lock), and also you only have to tension it when testing the tightness of the gates (and when just turn it between gates you don't have to tension it, and also doing full turns you don't have to tension it).
Strange ... if I were you, I would video myself opening it using the method and replay the video and work out the code from that. I would be happy to take a look at the video if you need help (but of course don't share videos yourself online if you are under 18, even if it's just you hands & the lock).
@@Swynndla, thank you. I would if I was able to reliably open it, but sometimes I make 10 tries until I succeed. It looks to me as though I was succeeding with incorrect steps. Tightness and play in the same gap differ even if I arrive at it the same way. This kind of padlock is some kind of valuable souvenir from USA. I have another padlock with known code to play with and it has irregular behaviour too.
@@neskuma Note that if the lock isn't reset (turning it several times to the right) then even if you enter the correct code it wont open ... this may be the reason you get inconsistency. Also if you video yourself and just keep going until it opens, you'd probably be able to deduce the correct code (but yea it might be tricky!)
@@Swynndla , sure I am inexperienced with these type of padlock. These are not used here Slovakia. I could open it several more times but even the other lock I knew code of was hard to open. Finally I tried many combinations around the numbers where it sometimes could unlock and I got them. I am quite fine with it that it is not so easy to open, now. :)
I don't believe so, nope. Very few of those types of locker dial-combination lock models are resettable - most of those sort of models aren't able to be reset at all.
Right ... I'm using a faster method to decode it, otherwise I'd need to reset it (by turning several turns) before testing each position. In essence, I'm trying the 1st number and then a bunch of 2nd & 3rd numbers without resetting, as I know when it needs resetting and when it doesn't (and mostly it only needs resetting when the 1st number changes). If what I'm doing isn't clear, reset between each attempt. It'll take longer but it's safer, as if it needs resetting and you don't reset it, it wont open even with the correct combination!
I have been trying this for 3 days and still no luck. I do not understand... I'm super close to just drilling a hole in the back plate and figuring out the numbers that way. This is driving me fucking insane.
I only tested on four of them, but the older ones were more difficult as everything was harder to turn! I'd recommend taking a break and coming back to it?
Hmmm maybe you can try varying the tension, or maybe the technique in my video wont work for your lock. Some get old and make it difficult. Good luck with it though!
@@tchevrier I find with older ones there needs to be more tension (but where I can still turn the dial), but you'll get sore fingers / hands after a while ... don't get a blister - maybe wear gloves
@@Swynndla no doubt about the sore fingers. ouch. I've tried it dozens of times. same thing. What I'm finding is that I have to put quite a bit of tension of the shackle to detect the play. But when I release the tension I actually need to push the shackle down to be able to turn the dial. is that normal?
@@tchevrier I'm come across that before, but I can't remember if it was in one of these locks .... I would say your lock is getting old & stiff. You might have to leave it for a couple of days and come back to it when your fingers recover. Good luck!
well in a zombie apocalypoes this guyd be useless theyd have been eaten by now...i use this method for bike locks somewhat ill keep watching but halfway through im puzzled as to what hes looking for in the lock
You're right, I would be eaten - I can't ran fast (or for long). What I'm looking for is when the lock shows resistance (hard to turn, seizes up) while tensioning the lock. When I say "tensioning", I mean pulling the shackle constantly, as if trying to open it. Important to note, before doing this method, you have to first "reset" the lock but turning several times to the right (clockwise) - eg 3 full 360 degree turns. This resets the internal wheels. The method I use in the video uses a shortcut, where if you do what I do in the video, you don't have to reset the internal wheels every time you are testing for a new number. If you make a mistake, it's a good idea to reset the internal wheels yet again. You can even reset it before testing each number. As I say, the method I use in the video is able to skip some of that without messing up the internal wheels.
@@Swynndla lol im just saying this method if it works , great like at a cottage and forgot the combo. ive bene in situations where itd have been handy to know this (legal ones) but in a zombie apocalypse you and your buddies are dinner
@@Swynndla not the less it works but theres a guy online here that uses a popcan as a pick and picks these types in seconds but this method would be better if you also wanted to reuse the lock and remember the combo hes doesnt do that..come zombie apocolypse his methiod..more effective nonetheless i will try both..his might not work on better quality locks as dudleys. you should check his out his name is RAymond------something
It's important before every attempt to reset the internal wheels by turning the dial several times clockwise (eg 3 full turns clockwise) and then continue as in the video.
Do you mean how many turns left & right? If you know the combination, say X-Y-Z (where they are 3 numbers): 1. Turn 3 full turns clockwise, and then keep turning until you reach X 2. Turn one full turn counter-clockwise, and then keep turning counter-clockwise until you get to Y 3. Turn clockwise until you get to Z ... then pull on the shackle and it should open. Another way of saying that (which is equivalent) is: 1. Turn clockwise and stop on the 3rd X 2. Turn counter-clockwise and stop on the 2nd Y 3. Turn clockwise and stop on the 1st Z ... then pull on the shackle and it should open.
![[198] Close Up On How To Decode A Dial Combination Lock In 8 Attempts Or Less](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/27rE5ZvWLU0/mqdefault.jpg)
![[198] Close Up On How To Decode A Dial Combination Lock In 8 Attempts Or Less](/img/tr.png)
Hi there. I'm from the netherlands and we don't have locks like this over here. A canadian colleague gave me one as a challenge. So I needed to find out how to use the dial in the first place. After that, and after watching your video several times, I actually managed to open it with your method! Thanks alot!
Excellent! I hope you bet some money on it LOL :D :D
Hahaha greetings from Canada.
Yep found in every Canadian school.
Thank you so much!!! I honestly thought everyone in the comments was lying about getting it but your method works! To anyone reading just be really patient and watch the video once before touching your locked lock. This works!!
I'm so glad it helped. These locks can be tricky, and when they get old they can give different feedback in unpredictable ways (and so some people can struggle getting theirs open). Well done! ... your patience & perseverance paid off! :D :D
Thank you for the clear explanation, I managed to decode mine in 40 minutes thanks to your method. Your video is the only one mentioning the resistance in the play, which is the most important in my opinion. Other videos are more mathematical oriented, but mechanical/manual solving is so satisfying and requires actual skills.
Excellent! Well done for "sticking" with it :D :D ... you're right, it takes a certain feel to determine what's going on.
My lock was open so I knew the 3rd number. This worked in less than 5 minutes!!! Thank you
That's fantastic! ... those dudley's can be tricky - well done! :D :D
Thanks so much! Was fun trying to figure out the combination of an old lock that’s been at my parent’s house for YEARS!! Really fun
Yes this really helped! I was pretty sure what two of the 3 numbers were, roughly speaking, I just wasn't sure what order they were in. So once I was able to figure out the first one, a few tries later everything worked. Got mine open in 5-10 minutes. THANKS!
So glad the video was helpful! Nice - you might have noticed thing tightening up as you got closer. Well done!
Thanks for this! This saved me $20 to buy a new lock!
Well done! :D :D
After getting over my own-impatience and taking my time with your method, and really feeling the difference between what you meant by "tight" and "loose" I was able to decode my lock! Thank you!!!
Excellent ... your patience and determination paid dividends!
Here's my written observational steps:
1. There are 10 positions around the dial, or plays as he would call them. You can write them down. Between these positions are gap numbers, which you can leave out. You probably only need the middle/average number of each play.
2. Reset the lock by turning the dial at least two times around clockwise.
3. Turn the dial clockwise and stop at one of the plays that you think is the first number. Turn it counter-clockwise and stop at the same number. Pull the lock firmly, try to move the dial within that play. If you feel friction, you likely found your first number! If you don't feel friction, reset and start over at another play.
4. Continue counter-clockwise, pulling the lock at each play to test for friction. When you feel friction, you likely found your second number!
5. Go clockwise again and simply pull the lock at each play. The lock should open when you pull it at the third number.
Thank you for these nice notes! Great observations ... very helpful. Good point about being about leaving out a lot of numbers, but just pick on a those that count. Most of these locks don't start to tighten up until both the 1st & 2nd number are correct, but some of these locks will start to tighten a little bit after the 1st number and then much more after the 2nd number is correct. Thanks once again for helping people out!
@@Swynndla Thx!!😅😇
@@briansrandomstuff411 Cheers 😜😜
Incredible! Very well done, my friend. Was able to crack the forgotten combo to my lock in under 5 mins with this technique!
You did very well as these Dudley's can be tricky - well done!
@@Swynndla do u have to pull it all the way o half way
@@joemama434 I'm not sure what you mean, but I know I tend to use quite a bit of tension / pressure on these Dudleys - especially with some of the older ones - I get sore fingers / hands doing it and need rests. :D
Hello, I well remember those locks!
Back when in the school I attended, we were (officially advised but over time a few students switched to the cheaper Master brand) required to purchase from the school, our Registered Dudley Lock.
I still have the registration and remember the combination from the 10,000 times i opened it over the years in school.
I remember other kids used their parents and grandparents Dudley locks.
The original Dudleys look different from the 1980 and up to ? unknown year probably 2000.
They are identical size but BLACK face white painted numbers and silver or chrome pointer with very little play it was more precise fit.
The earliest Dudley were either brass or brass plated not plain steel.
The ones from my 1980+ generation were chrome face black numbers and dull non chrome metal pointer with a defined rolled edge and stamped serial numbers.
The late 90s Canadian made had flat pressed edge and black pointer and no paint in the stamped numbers that I remember.
The reason I looked up this video --
I found a current to 2015 to present Dudley (China or Philippines) it was unused. The owner lost the combination and was going to toss it.
Its unused and I wondered if there was a hack.
I remember back in school long ago some boys could hack the combination of the Master brand.
I couldn't. I had no clue about locks except the correct lubrication procedure which I did to my Dudley why it still works perfectly today.
I clearly remember this;
If you lost your combination/registration, couldn't open the lock,
You wrote to Dudley Lock in Toronto, stating your name/address/school/the serial number stamped on the lock, they would write back giving you the correct information the combination.
I think I paid $15 back then which is something like 45 now.
NOBODY I knew ever ever hacked a Dudley lock back in the day.
Lol I watched the boy next to me dial his, then when he was out of view open the door and stick girl pics on the inside and him confused how they got there then my laughing tipped him off. 😅
LOL nice memories of the good 'ol days! Gosh you know a heap about Dudley's. I didn't even know they could be oiled.
I dunno if my method works on the version other than in the video. As long at you turn several times to the right (clockwise - I think I forgot to emphasize this) to reset the internal wheels before doing my method, it should work for the ones in the video (and I have no idea how old they are).
With master locks you can send in to master lock a photo of it not locked to anything and a photo of the serial number and they will give you the combination. They wont give out the combination if it's locked to something, even if it's your lock!
The trouble with that process is there's a "master" master lock list with all the serial numbers and combinations, and that has been leaked, so some criminals have that list. I don't know if the Dudley list has been leaked.
@@Swynndla The locks are not lubricated with Oil, but Powder Graphite. Just a tiny puff once a year in the hole.
I'm positive my registration stating
"3 full turns clockwise to reset"
First turn is 1 full turn clockwise, stopping at "15" or whatever.
Second turn is counterclockwise one half to three quarters turn stopping at " "
Then turn clockwise to "" and pull to open.
Basically how I remember the instructions from Dudley.
@@RetroCaptain Gosh ok - the usual way is (given X-Y-Z as the correct combination):
First: 3 full turns clockwise, and keep turning until you reach X
Second: one full turn counterclockwise, and keep turning counterclockwise until you get to Y
Third: turn clockwise until you get to Z
... then the lock should open.
Another way of look at it (which is equivalent) is:
First: turn clockwise and stop on the 3rd X
Second: turn counterclockwise and stop on the 2nd Y
Third: turn clockwise and stop on the 1st Z
... then the lock should open.
Ah yes graphite can be good for key-locks, but is it also used for those dial combination ones?
@@Swynndla Correct. The three turns puts all the inner parts in alignment. You can turn them more if you want but less than 3 it might not open. I tried your hack a little last night on this brand new Asian Dudley but couldn't remember if "lots of play or almost none", and which ones.
Will look at the video again but it owes me nothing and I don't know if it's useful for outside as I only need an outside lock.
I'm sure it will rust quickly.
The first generation Dudley were brass or brass coated. The rest will rust I'm pretty sure.
@@RetroCaptain Ahh the general trend, things are made cheaper by companies to reduce cost, and often the products aren't as good.
I guess stainless steel padlocks would be good. The marine ones can be expensive. They are key locks, not combination ones.
I like the concept of this lock:
www.amazon.com/KAWAHA-Security-Stainless-Shrouded-Anti-Rust/dp/B09SLSCLTF
... as it's stainless steel and no internal springs.
Thanks to you, I managed to find the combination of a Dudley that I found. Took me an hour but I got the sucker😅
That's fantastic! :D :D They can be tricky - well done!
Great work! The Dudley you included is one of the last few locks I need to practice with.
Nice! Check my method too see if it's right. Gosh you are doing awesomely! :D :D
Older video, but still the best one I found. I've figured out the 10 gates and where they are. I felt the resistance you are talking about and managed to open the lock, but couldn't figure out the code. I repeated it and felt the resistance again, and opened again, but the resistance seems to come and go. I feel like I'm lucking into things.
I'm using a Dudley E. How much tension are you putting on the latch of the lock? When I am trying to figure out the first number I am putting tension (pulling on the latch), but to be able to get out the dial out of the gate I have to press down on the latch for the dial to move freely again.
Yea a couple of things I didn't mention in the video (I should do an updated video)...
1. I tension it (pull up on the shackle) quite hard (you can't tell from the video, but I do), and I have to release tension again in order to go to the next "gate", and then I tension it again (pulling up quite hard), etc.
2. Before you start, you should turn the dial several times to the right (clockwise) (like 3 *full* 360 turns) as this will reset the internal wheels.
If you then do it methodically (the decoding) then you should be able to figure out the combination, but before dialing in the combination, you have to reset the internal wheels by turning several times to the right.
In fact, let's say your combination is X-Y-Z, then you turn several (360) turns to the right, then keep turning to the right until you hit X, then turn left one full (360) turn to X again and keep turning left past X until you hit Y, and then turn right until you hit Z, then pull up on the shackle and the lock should open.
Another way of thinking of this is: Keep turning to the right (clockwise) and stop on the 3rd X (the 3rd time you see X), then turn left and stop on the 2nd Y, then turn right and stop on your 1st Z, pull up on the shackle and it should open.
It sounds like maybe you're starting at different internal wheel states, and you should reset them before decoding and before entering your combination.
Let's know how you get on - good luck!
thank you!!! I was locked out of my locker because I forgot my code and this method TOTALLY WORKS!!! saved me from having to get a bolt cutter and a new lock!!!!
Fantastic! ... these locks can be tricky, so you did very well!!
Thanks for the video! I was able to open an old lock that I wanted to use
Fantastic! :D :D
Thanks! Decided mine in 10 mins, after spending an hour on a 10x10 brute force method. Not sure I want to use it again seeing how easy it is to open 😆 Those 60 dial positions are quite humourous now!
Oh excellent that you got it open! Still a lot of people struggle with open it so you did very well. Thieves tend to cut locks and they don't bother spending the time to decode (usually). It would be ok for a gym locker but I wouldn't lock up anything valuable with it (especially if it's left in an unattended place). Thank you and well done again! 😜😜
@@Swynndla Thanks! Sadly as a high schooler I had a penchant for taking home master locks off the lockers. Thought I was clever as occasionally used some skill but mostly kids would put pen marks on the combo. Never took what was inside though!
I apologize to anyone I did that to for that obvious wrong !
@@larryr257 LOL right ... pen marks: the age old "security vs convenience". That's also why people choose combination locks, because they don't have to carry a key, but most combo locks aren't as secure as key ones from a "decoding" point of view.
Electronic locks are getting there though ... eg ones where if your phone is within a couple of meters it'll unlock the lock at the press of the button (on the lock) ... convenient if you have to open your locker several times a day (but those locks are expensive at the moment).
That's hilarious how you educated people, hehe 😜😜
Good job again mate. You are smashing the ceiling when it comes to combo lock padlock decoding videos. Keep at it. Cheers:-)
Thanks for the nice words & encouragement mate!! :D :D
Wow, I unlocked two 10+ yr old locks using this. Thank you!
Fantastic! :D :D These Dudleys can be quite tricky, so extra well done to you!
I been trying to crack this old Dudley Lock for 2 days now and for the love of me I can't "feel" it get tight on any set of spaces I have tried (probably because it's old). I'll try on the next few days and keep you guys posted.
I find that old locks don't have the same sort of feedback. I also find I might need more tension and I get sore hands. Take lots of breaks, and wear groves if it helps. Thanks for posting, and good luck!
Also, before you start, turn the dial several times to the right. This resets the internal wheels. Once you're done this (turned like 3 full turns to the right), keep turning right until you stop at the first gate you want to test (eg 0), and then continue with the instructions in the video. If you don't "reset" the lock beforehand, it may not work. If the lock is too old, the feedback may be too disguised to use this method. Good luck!
One last piece of advice - not many people know this, but instead of opening the lock with Right-Left-Right (R-L-R) it's possible to open it (L-R-L) with a different combination numbers. It's worth trying the method in the video but the other way around. So you turn several times to the *left* to reset the lock, then keep turning left after you get to the fist gate around 0. Then turn one full turn to the *right* and check if it tightens up, and if not then back around one full turn to the *left* and keep going to the next gate to the left (around 55 or whatever) and then one full turn to the *right* and check if gates start to tighten up ... and so on. Worth a try - good luck!
Was skeptical about this video because it seemed too good to be true but it actually works! Thank you! (I'm still a little shocked...)
LOL that's fantastic! Those Dudley's can be a little tricky, especially if they get old & worn, and they can make it quite difficult to pick open. You did very well - well done! :D :D
Took me many tries. But it worked. Great video
Well done!! ... these Dudley's can be tricky ... your perseverance paid off! :D :D
My daughter noticed that nobody used the locker under hers so I showed her this video. Now she has 2 half height lockers at school.
I was impressed that she pulled it off.
Wow you daughter is smart! These Dudley's can be very tricky!
@@Swynndla She is persistent.
I forgot the combination to an old gym lock. I used this technique. It took about 30 minutes and my hands got tired but it worked great.
It takes a while to understand when the lock is tightening up and when you want to believe the lock is tightening up. I had to 'test' different starting candidates against each other to determine which was the best.
Fantastic! Yes and different Dudley's seem to tighten in different ways - it's tricky. Well done being so patient and methodical ... and thank you for sharing your tips!
Great video. Managed to get a lock opened that one of my mates gave me a few years back.
Excellent! Well done for persevering!
Thank you so much. Now I don't have to buy a brand new lock for school !
Excellent! So glad it worked, they can be tricky - well done! 😜😜
It worked. Ty. Had my old lock from highschool I think it was
Oh that's fantastic! Older Dudleys can be difficult, as the feedback gets hard to detect true from false positions. You did well tho - great job! :D :D
@@Swynndla yeah it took like 20 mins :) I was fairly confident with the first two though then just started trying some random numbers for the third until it popped.
@@SifArtorias That's the way - excellent!
Amazing, I have a few older ones I think but you still make it look easy. Nice decoding.👍🏻😎
Thank you mate! :D :D
Great job!Nice decoding great video mate
Thank you kind sir! :D :D It took me a while to figure out that method :D
Why you didn't made that video earlier? It would saved me a lot of trouble! 😄 I knew that the answer is lying somewhere in that loose-tight-poor tolerance puzzle, but I only have one very old and much in use padlock for testing. Your method is much appreciated. Great job!
Hehe Thank you for the kind words. My method is still a bit of a fight before taming the lock LOL :D
Very nice tutorial my friend.
I subscribed to your channel.
Thank you for subscribing! :D Paul Springett's video challenges had you as an answer to one of his questions - that how I found you. :D
@@Swynndla Paul is an awesome guy and a great friend of mine too.
Thank you for subscribing and for your support!
Lots of great Info here. Trying this on my old Dudley with a Letter H stamped on the back and No Worky. After checking all of the 12 positions only 2 positions have Play, 35-39 and 48-52. While applying full Tension on the shackle Starting at ZERO and turning dial in a clockwise manner all the gates have a strong grinding drag as you move the dial until you reach 35 and there is a strong click as you get to 35 with free play to 39. Unless you release the shackle its impossible to turn the dial beyond 39 OR backwards to less than 35. Releasing the shackle tension is the only way to turn the pointer into the next range of play 48-52, same thing with the 48 - 42 range as well. Is having only 2 gates having play along with or the grinding drag sensation mentioned mean that its broken in some way? Not just here but other places all talk about 10 Gates or areas with play. Just trying to re purpose the lock and curious.
Hmmm maybe they used to use a different design? I don't know. With other sorts of locks, the positions with the most play tends to be the 3rd (last) number of the correct combination. Other than that I just don't know. Good luck!
Do you need to apply alot of tension on the shackle? I got 3 of them dudley which I'm trying to crack open and i can't feel the tension in the padlockwhen I,m turning the wheel around. The wheel often get stuck everywhere so its hard to tell what is what.
I find some of the older ones need a lot of tension (pulling it as if opening it) and I get a sore hand! ... but note that most of the time you wont feel anything (it wont tighten up and be harder to turn) except when you're a certain way through the correct combination (ie the 1st and 2nd number have been dialed in correctly).
Blew through a bunch of master locks earlier but I found a rusty old dudley and MAN is it hard to feel wtf's going on. Hopefully I get it eventually with your technique and some wd-40.
Nice! Yea I found it quite tricky on some of those older Dudley's ... for the older ones I had to do "more" ... more tension on the shackle, more testing of 2nd numbers ... but it should tighten up (bind) when you're onto the right numbers, especially the right 2nd number. Good luck!
@@Swynndla Thanks for the encouragement! I'll keep at it and crack it eventually. Cheers man
How'd you get on with this?
@@Swynndla Still toiling away heheh. I've written down all the play zones so I can test more accurately-- getting hung up on the first number because I can't seem to feel an increase in tightness during testing haha. The WD-40 didn't help unfortunately
Edit: I think I managed to feel that dialing clockwise to 47, one whole ccw turn to 47 then a bit past to the next few play zones and testing was the stiffest of the rest of the zones on the dial I've tested, fi gers crossed--checking for 2nd number
Edit 2: no luck there heheh, ill keep lookin for that first gate.
@@l33tster I like how you're not giving up! ... I found with my oldest & nastiest Dudley that I had to pull up on the shackle *really* hard (and got sore fingers) before it would give feedback (so maybe use something attached to the shackle to help tension it). If 47 *is* the correct number then yes ccw one full turn and then it should stiffen up but only a little bit, and it's actually going right again (CW) (after the correct 2nd number) that get's real.y stiff. Your old lock might not stiffen for the 2nd number, but might for the 3rd ... so you might have to test several 2nd numbers to see if it starts to tighten up when going right (turning CW), and then if none of them work, then dismiss 47. You might have to systematically test each 1st number like that (each one with play). Remember that it's possible for the combination to be 47, 0, 47 (same 1st & 3rd number) so don't make any assumptions as this stage. If all this doesn't work then you might have to test every position (with play) and if that doesn't work then it's possible that one of the numbers isn't actually in a "play" gap (maybe? ... desperation here) ... so you might have to test other others (all of them) ... if *that* doesn't work then maybe the shackle is stuck? I found that with my nasty one, I had to pull up really hard for it to open on the correct combination! ... that might be the same for your one!
I feel dumb, this video makes no sense to me. What am I feeling for? What is the sequence of steps? Plz help
You're not dumb - it's a difficult lock to decode.
It's important before every attempt to reset the internal wheels by turning the dial several times clockwise (eg 3 full turns clockwise), otherwise the method won't work.
The idea behind the method is that if you get the correct first number, then the dial will tighten up more while you are applying tension (pulling on the shackle constantly).
If you get the first two numbers of the combination correct then it will tighten up even more (but only while you're applying tension).
You might not be applying enough tension when you do it, so try some more tension. You might want to wear some rubber gloves to do this.
It's difficult to get the "feel" of what you're doing, and it takes time, so don't think you're dumb.
Note that if you did happen to know your combination code, and it was X-Y-Z, then to unlock the lock you would first turn several times clockwise and keep turning to X, then one full turn counter-clockwise going past X and keep turning to Y, and then turn clockwise to Z and then pull the shackle and it should open up.
But we don't know the combination.
When you guess the first number, you first have to reset the internal wheels by turning several times clockwise, and then stop on the first number you're guessing. Then turn one full turn counter-clockwise and keep turning to your 2nd guess, and then apply tension (pull up on the shackle constantly) while turning clockwise. Note how much tension there is while tensioning.
You could do this for all the numbers, but I take some shortcuts in the video.
I use a technique where I can keep trying 2nd numbers without having to reset the internal wheels (because I know what will mess up the internal wheel and what won't). If I test a few 2nd numbers and things don't tighten up, then I move on to the next 1st guess ... ie I reset the internal wheels (several turns clockwise) and try the next 1st guess.
I keep going, looking for a 1st guess that tightens up the dial while applying tension. When I find this, then I know what the first number is!
Then it's much easier to find the 2nd number (the correct one will tighten things up even more).
Well done for reaching out - a lot of people wouldn't bother.
Let me know how you get on. Good luck!
When you find your first number, does it have to the very first gate your test to be tight? Or it could be a few loose ones and then a tight one. Because in your video first # is 36, then you turn L and bam it got tight at 30. It this a necessary condition for the 1st #? Or it’s an exception. Thx
I would have thought it starts to tighten up straight away, but I do test a few of them just to make sure. So if you find the right first number, things should start to tighten up.
Note that if you find the correct first & second numbers, it'll tighten up even more.
So tightness is an indication that you are on the right track.
Note also, something I didn't explain well in the video, you have to turn several full times clockwise (to the right - at least 3 full turns) before you start. This will reset the internal wheels, and it may not work otherwise.
Once it's reset, I'm careful with my turns so it doesn't mess up that reset ... follow my turning pattern in the video (after you reset it).
If you mess up the turning, reset it again (turning several times clockwise) and carry on with where you left off.
nice decoding great video
Thanks buddy! :D :D At first I thought there wasn't a way, but then I found this way. :D
I'm kind of confused. In your video for number 36, how did you know that was the number? It looked loose like the previous numbers you tried, then you turned the lock around counter clockwise and stopped at _30_ and 30 was tight so you knew the number was 36.
So for my lock, if it's tight at 10, does that mean the correct number is 5 numbers away from it??
Firstly let's pretend the combination is 36-17-54, then to open the lock we'd turn it several times to the right (clockwise) and then stop on 36, then one full turn left (counter-clockwise) and keep going passed 36 to 17, then then turn right (*without* a full turn) to 54, and then the lock should open.
Another way of saying this is: Keep turning to the right and stop on 36 when you see it for the 3rd time, then turn to the left and stop on 17 when you see it for the 2nd time, then turn to the right and stop on 54 when you see it for the 1st time.
I didn't explain this clearly in the video, but before you start, you have to turn it several times to the right, as this resets the internal wheels. If you don't do that then it probably wont open.
Now that we've reset the lock, we don't know what the first number is, and so after turning several times to the right, we stop on 0, as we're going to test that as the guess for the first number. When I say 0, I mean the gate where there's play (left & right movement) under tension (pulling up on the shackle).
We'll test if that's the correct 1st number by seeing if things tighten up when looking for the 2nd number, ie we will turn it left one full turn, as if we're looking for the 2nd number. Under tension (pulling the shackle up as if trying to open it), if things tighten up as we test the other gates passed 0 (eg 54, 47, etc), then we'll know that 0 as 1st number is correct. If the gates we test are still loose, then we know that the first number of the combination is not 0. When I say "tight" and "loose", I mean that when tensioning the shackle, it's harder to turn the dial left & right within the gate (ie it still moves, but it takes more effort, as there's more friction). You only have to tension it (pull up on the shackle) we you're seeing if it's tight or not (or if you're looking for a gate).
So in the video, things didn't tighten up when testing 0, so we "undo" the full turn to the left by doing a full turn to the right, and then go to the next gate, which is around 6, and we test that (by doing a full turn to the left).
If it's too confusing to remember all the full turns and the "undo" full turns the other way, then we can instead *reset* the lock by turning several times to the right ... and we reset it between *every* number we test. This takes long than the shortcut I use in the video, but it's less confusing. I know what shortcuts work and what ones don't, but if you don't know what you're doing then it's much safer to reset the lock each time.
So what we'd do in the less confusing way is:
Reset the lock (turn sever times to the right).
Stop on 0, then one full turn to the left to reach 0 again, but keep going passed 0 to 54, and then pull up on the shackle and test the movement of that gate.
Still loose? - then reset the lock again (turn sever times to the right) then:
Stop on the next gate (around 6, you might have to pull up on the shackle to find the gate - it should have left & right "play"), then one full turn to the left, and keep going left passed to 0 (that's the next gate), pull up on the shackle and test for tightness.
Still loose? - then reset the lock again, then:
... keep going until things tighten up.
For the lock in the video, things tightened up when I tested 36, so I knew 36 was the correct 1st number. That means, if I reset the lock, then keep turning right until 36, then when I turned one full turn to the left, then things will tighten up (for my lock) when testing the gates next to it. I still don't know the 2nd number (yet) but I know the first number is 36.
Once you're found your first number you should be able to follow the rest of the steps in the video.
I tried this for my gym lock, but it seems that for the first number, there's only one place that tightens up going to second, and it tightens up only in one place. Should i keep looking for different codes or am i not putting enough tension onto it?
I have 4 of these locks and they behave differently depending of different versions and age too ... if that one place that tightens doesn't work then you'll have to try other numbers, but I'm only guessing really. If you don't get the first number right, you'll get no feedback (or inconsistent feedback) from the rest of the numbers, so the first number is really important to get right otherwise you'll be wasting your time. When you get the 1st & 2nd number right, then it will be really obvious as things will *really* start to tighten up.
@@Swynndla this helped a lot. I now managed to open my gym lock after it sat in my bag for months
@@jessicalynnmarks7126 That's fantastic! - well done!
Very cool my friend👍😎✌🇬🇧🇬🇧
Thank you sir ! :D :D
Hey thanks, this worked great
Fantastic! :D :D These Dudley's can be tricky.
Great job!! Are these new or older padlocks? They say the older ones are harder to do. I have gotten a master padlock but it was new and took me couple days lol. You make it look so easy. Have a wonderful week!!
Thank you mate! :D :D Yea I got these 2nd hand and i don't know how old they are. I should test a new one some time. These old ones were a bit stiff and I had to pull on the shackle quite hard when testing the play (otherwise everything was loose). I'm going to do a series Master dial combo locks as they are different. :D Thanks for your kind words! :D
I’ve got a Dudley that’s jammed half shut. Any way to get it open? The dial won’t turn and the shackle won’t open!
Half shut? Do you mean the shackle is half way open? Maybe it's rusted ... maybe some wd40 spray would help?
@@Swynndla Ha ha nope! the lock was open, (shackle spun 180° from closed) and I put it in my back pocket. I guess the shackle spun back around and got pushed down, but maybe the dial also got turned? now the shackle won't go all the way down or come all the way up and the dials stuck! I think I'm going to cut the tip off the shackle and engage "low security" mode (The lock won't work, but it might look secure until you get up close)
@@Swynndla Also, have a "like and subscribe" for gettting back to me.
@@nickgoodall578 Ah hmmm those dudley's aren't meant to be able to turn unless the shackle is closed again. If the dial turned (ie no longer pointing at the 3rd number of the correct combination) then it sounds like the lock is broken. I guess you're tried to force it open or closed? ... as then you might be able to recover it (ie if you close it then the dial should spin again). With some locks, I have to hit it closed. LOL I like your low security lock idea 😜😜Thank you for the like & subscribe!
@@Swynndla Yeah I cut the tip of the shackle off. It springs closed now and looks great. Also, I never have to worry about forgetting the combination again.
For Dudley locks with 60 numbers on the dial the twelve loose play areas are for the third number only, the top wheel under the dial. I have seen pictures. I have got several first numbers binding tight and second numbers binding tight, several numbers in the same lock and checked all posibble third numbers but my four locks don't open with this technique. I will keep trying. I can quickly open first and second generation Master combination locks and I have done the final generation new colored Master locks.
I've had success using this technique on 4 different Dudley locks - it wasn't quick but it seemed to work ok
I have done several videos on master locks (i have a playlist on them). These Dudley's require a different technique (at least they do for me)
Worked for me.
@@heffrys Cheers mate! Well done. :D :D
Hey great video! I was wondering how you know what order the numbers would go in once you found 3 numbers that get more ‘play’. Perhaps I may have missed it in the video but I did happen to find 3 numbers and I can’t unlock it from here.
Heya - there should be several numbers with "play" (when pulling on the shackle - there's play left & right but it doesn't want to come out of that position until you release shackle tension)
omg, it worked, thanks!!!
Hehehe fantastic! They can be tricky, so well done of decoding it! 😜😜
Wow! This worked!
Excellent!
But yours didn’t get tight at 30 until you went counter clockwise? How will u know
That was because I was testing "36" as the first number.
Remember, before you start decoding, turn the dial clockwise several times (3 or more *full* turns) to reset the internal wheels.
Then test each 1st number.
Note that to test each 2nd number, I first have to turn one *full* turn counter clockwise.
That's because if I knew the combination was X-Y-Z, I'd turn several times to the right (3 or more *full* turns clockwise) and then stop at X, then one *full* turn counter clockwise to X again but go past X and stop and Y, then turn clockwise and stop at Z, then the shackle will open.
So in the video I already had the internal wheels reset, and I turned clockwise to 36 as my first number, then counter clockwise to 36 again and then still turning counter clockwise started to test the other gates (with tension - pulling up on the shackle), ie 30 was the next gate, and it started to tighten up ... so I knew that 36 was the correct first number.
Nice job my Friend
Thank you buddy! :D :D
How did you manage to confirm what the second number is?
You guess each of the 1st numbers, then check to see if any of the 2nd numbers are tighter than usual (under tension), and if things do tighten up (under tension) then you're found the correct 1st & 2nd number!
It only works if you've first "reset" the lock (turn it several times to the right) before you begin, and keep turning right until you stop at the first 1st number guess (eg I started at "0"), then turn a full turn to left until you hit that number again, and then see if any gates tighten up under tension.
In the video I use a trick to speed things up, and I essentially "undo" my guesses so it is in the "reset" state again after each guess, but unless you know what you're doing, it's probably easier to "reset" the lock before every single guess (by turning several times to the right, ie three or four full turns to the right, ie three or four 360 degree turns to the right).
Also when I say "under tension", I mean pulling the shackle (as if you're trying to open the lock), and also you only have to tension it when testing the tightness of the gates (and when just turn it between gates you don't have to tension it, and also doing full turns you don't have to tension it).
@@Swynndla Thank you so much for everything! I was finally able to crack the code!
@@mateotamburrini2589 That's fantastic! Well done :D :D I love the feeling when it actually unlocks. :D
Great info my friend.
Thank you kind sir ! :D :D
I opened it up 3 times this way but failed to find the code. I am not able to unlock it normal way.
Strange ... if I were you, I would video myself opening it using the method and replay the video and work out the code from that. I would be happy to take a look at the video if you need help (but of course don't share videos yourself online if you are under 18, even if it's just you hands & the lock).
@@Swynndla, thank you. I would if I was able to reliably open it, but sometimes I make 10 tries until I succeed. It looks to me as though I was succeeding with incorrect steps. Tightness and play in the same gap differ even if I arrive at it the same way. This kind of padlock is some kind of valuable souvenir from USA. I have another padlock with known code to play with and it has irregular behaviour too.
@@neskuma Note that if the lock isn't reset (turning it several times to the right) then even if you enter the correct code it wont open ... this may be the reason you get inconsistency. Also if you video yourself and just keep going until it opens, you'd probably be able to deduce the correct code (but yea it might be tricky!)
@@Swynndla , sure I am inexperienced with these type of padlock. These are not used here Slovakia. I could open it several more times but even the other lock I knew code of was hard to open. Finally I tried many combinations around the numbers where it sometimes could unlock and I got them. I am quite fine with it that it is not so easy to open, now. :)
@@neskuma Hehe nice - well done for persevering! ... and yes, it's not easy for others to open it if you use it! :D :D
Damn I have a Dudley lock I forgot the combination to and I wish I understood what the steps are
hmmm maybe you can't understand my accent?
Is this lock resettable ? If so can someone tell me how ?
I don't believe so, nope. Very few of those types of locker dial-combination lock models are resettable - most of those sort of models aren't able to be reset at all.
This works!
Nice! Well done for getting it open! Cheers
What is so hard to follow about what you are doing is that you don't seem start again from the beginning each time you more along to the next digit
Right ... I'm using a faster method to decode it, otherwise I'd need to reset it (by turning several turns) before testing each position. In essence, I'm trying the 1st number and then a bunch of 2nd & 3rd numbers without resetting, as I know when it needs resetting and when it doesn't (and mostly it only needs resetting when the 1st number changes). If what I'm doing isn't clear, reset between each attempt. It'll take longer but it's safer, as if it needs resetting and you don't reset it, it wont open even with the correct combination!
I have been trying this for 3 days and still no luck. I do not understand... I'm super close to just drilling a hole in the back plate and figuring out the numbers that way. This is driving me fucking insane.
I only tested on four of them, but the older ones were more difficult as everything was harder to turn! I'd recommend taking a break and coming back to it?
that doesn't seem to work.
Tried it many times. There is never spot that seems tight
Hmmm maybe you can try varying the tension, or maybe the technique in my video wont work for your lock. Some get old and make it difficult. Good luck with it though!
@@Swynndla how much tension should I be putting on the shackle?
@@tchevrier I find with older ones there needs to be more tension (but where I can still turn the dial), but you'll get sore fingers / hands after a while ... don't get a blister - maybe wear gloves
@@Swynndla no doubt about the sore fingers. ouch.
I've tried it dozens of times. same thing. What I'm finding is that I have to put quite a bit of tension of the shackle to detect the play. But when I release the tension I actually need to push the shackle down to be able to turn the dial. is that normal?
@@tchevrier I'm come across that before, but I can't remember if it was in one of these locks .... I would say your lock is getting old & stiff. You might have to leave it for a couple of days and come back to it when your fingers recover. Good luck!
Seems like Dudley the boxer from super Street fighter 4 gave you his lock.
Hehe I've never played that game! :D :D
you were supposed to explain how to open?
How to find the combination, yes.
Mine is so bad it unlocks at 9 no other numbers needed
Oh dear! Quick to unlock, but not very secure 😜😜
do it on a lock u dont know the combo of......betteer vids
well in a zombie apocalypoes this guyd be useless theyd have been eaten by now...i use this method for bike locks somewhat ill keep watching but halfway through im puzzled as to what hes looking for in the lock
You're right, I would be eaten - I can't ran fast (or for long).
What I'm looking for is when the lock shows resistance (hard to turn, seizes up) while tensioning the lock. When I say "tensioning", I mean pulling the shackle constantly, as if trying to open it.
Important to note, before doing this method, you have to first "reset" the lock but turning several times to the right (clockwise) - eg 3 full 360 degree turns. This resets the internal wheels.
The method I use in the video uses a shortcut, where if you do what I do in the video, you don't have to reset the internal wheels every time you are testing for a new number. If you make a mistake, it's a good idea to reset the internal wheels yet again. You can even reset it before testing each number. As I say, the method I use in the video is able to skip some of that without messing up the internal wheels.
@@Swynndla lol im just saying this method if it works , great like at a cottage and forgot the combo. ive bene in situations where itd have been handy to know this (legal ones) but in a zombie apocalypse you and your buddies are dinner
@@Swynndla not the less it works but theres a guy online here that uses a popcan as a pick and picks these types in seconds but this method would be better if you also wanted to reuse the lock and remember the combo hes doesnt do that..come zombie apocolypse his methiod..more effective nonetheless i will try both..his might not work on better quality locks as dudleys. you should check his out his name is RAymond------something
@@sonnyc3826 Oh yea - bolt cutters and spare locks I guess 😜
brother please explain a bit better i need help here
It's important before every attempt to reset the internal wheels by turning the dial several times clockwise (eg 3 full turns clockwise) and then continue as in the video.
@@Swynndla thanks bro
Haw many tournaments left and right eplend
Do you mean how many turns left & right?
If you know the combination, say X-Y-Z (where they are 3 numbers):
1. Turn 3 full turns clockwise, and then keep turning until you reach X
2. Turn one full turn counter-clockwise, and then keep turning counter-clockwise until you get to Y
3. Turn clockwise until you get to Z
... then pull on the shackle and it should open.
Another way of saying that (which is equivalent) is:
1. Turn clockwise and stop on the 3rd X
2. Turn counter-clockwise and stop on the 2nd Y
3. Turn clockwise and stop on the 1st Z
... then pull on the shackle and it should open.