A TikToker is alleging Master Lock locks are not the master protectors they claim to be. After seeing a TikTok about scams that have become normalized, TikToker and lock picker Trevor (@mcnallyofficial) was inspired to break out a Master Lock lock to reveal just how easily they can be picked.
The video currently has over 2 million views.
@mcnallyofficial #stitch with @debtcollective ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show
In the video, Trevor inserts a tension rod into the lock, followed by a tool to jiggle the pins. After just a few moments, the lock pops open.
“Daily reminder that ‘security ratings’ are just made up numbers,” he claimed in comments.
Despite the name, Master Lock locks have long been criticized by lock picking experts for having insecure lock cores despite their tough exteriors.
The Art of Lock Picking writes, “Most Master Locks are very easy to pick and are considered one of the easiest beginner locks when practicing lock picking. They have 4 standard pins and a wide-open keyway that can be quickly bypassed in many ways including picking them with improvised tools such as paperclips, bobby pins, or even a chicken bone.”
Viewers on TikTok attempted to back this claim up.
“I’m a certified and bonded locksmith. and this is 100% accurate,” one commenter claimed.
“I learned how to pick a Master Lock with a paperclip in the mid-80s because my mom kept locking up the cans of frosting that I loved to eat,” another recalled.
“My record is 3.2 seconds on a normal looking master lock,” a third alleged.
While many made fun of Master Lock, others shared that this was a common issue for locks and that most locks only provide the illusion of security rather than actual security.
“As someone who worked in storage for 5 years, the vast majority of locks are purely to make you feel safe,” one user shared.
“It keeps the honest people honest, that’s about it,” another claimed.
The Daily Dot reached out to Trevor via Instagram direct message and Master Lock via a contact form on its website.
Today’s top stories
| ‘Fill her up’: Bartender gives woman a glass of water when the man she’s with orders tequila shot |
| ‘I don’t think my store has even sold one’: Whataburger employees take picture with first customer who bought a burger box |
| ‘It was a template used by anyone in the company’: Travel agent’s ‘condescending’ out-of-office email reply sparks debate |
| Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. |
