MAKO Locks

We use padlocks to secure our lockers, toolboxes, sheds, gates, and any number of other things. In many cases the padlocks we use are something that we picked up at the local hardware or department store. The problem with these locks is that almost all of them can be easily picked or shimmed, giving a criminal quick and surreptitious access to whatever we are trying to protect.

If you are going to use a padlock to secure your property, you might as well use a good one. Some of the best padlocks I have come across for under $20 are the MAKO 427 - Re-keyable Rectangular Padlock and the MAKO 227 - Steel Disc Padlock.

Both of these locks are very well made, and include pick resistant cylinders. The MAKO 427 contains a 6-pin cylinder and the MAKO 227 contains a 5-pin cylinder. While any lock can be picked open (it took me 18 minutes to pick the MAKO 227, and over a half-hour to pick the MAKO 427), these locks are both going to be beyond the capabilities of the average criminal.

Being able to defeat physical attack (i.e. bolt-cutters, saws, and hammers) is also an important feature of any padlock and the MAKO 227 - Steel Disc Padlock provides a good resistance against this type of attack. The thinner shackle of the MAKO 427 is useful in places where the heavier MAKO 227 won’t fit, such as some lockers or toolboxes.

If you are currently using cheaper 4-pin locks (i.e. Master Locks) to secure your property against surreptitious entry, I would recommend upgrading to the higher security of MAKO Locks. You can review the features of MAKO Locks and place an order on-line at https://makolocks.com.

To see some of the world’s most skilled lock pickers open MAKO Locks, check out the following YouTube videos (while the locks get picked, they both agree that MAKO makes a great lock):

Bosnian Bill does a video review of both MAKO Locks

Lockpicking Lawyer does a video review of the MAKO 427 padlock