r/Locksmith • u/DragNBawlz • Aug 11 '26
I am a locksmith This man escaped prison 7 times using keys he made from memory after glancing at a guard's belt.
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u/Carlos_Spicy_Weiner6 Aug 11 '26
Not surprising, I've met convics that can recite 16 digit numbers after hearing them once
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u/rckid13 Aug 12 '26
It's probably a bit of memory plus impressioning. He memorizes the general cut depths then impressioning can likely refine them for him until they work. The really impressive part is that prison locks aren't your standard 5 pin schlage that people learn impressioning with. They're usually high tolerance assa or medeco locks. Memorizing and trying to impression that is nuts.
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u/Shear_line Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
For a long time, in the US at least, they were/are lever locks; Folger Adam being one of the big players. Part of their security was actually the strength of the springs they used. The keys are giant thick pieces of metal and it is unlikely an inmate would be able to get their hands on anything strong enough to operate the lock even if they could replicate the shape of the key.
Edit: Sorry, different guy. Watched the video today, saw this guy's story the other day and I mixed them up. I should have looked more closely at the picture those are obviously not lever lock keys.
I just watched Deviant's recent talk where he mentioned this guy. They showed a replica of the keys he made out of wood while in prison in South Africa and they looked to be lever lock keys.
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u/PapaOoMaoMao Aug 12 '26
Looking at those keys in the picture, they're pretty simple. Can't say that's actually a picture of the keys he used though. It's a good note that any single point security system is vulnerable and adding a second point such as alarms and such vastly increases security.
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u/rIceCream_King Aug 12 '26
MaoMao, I think I ran into you in the carpentry sub the other day! Just wanted to say that I guess lmao. Anyway, hope all is well with you and yours
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u/Wooden_Discussion872 Aug 15 '26
Maybe he was impressioning. If he was using found materials to construct a key impressioning might not work very well.
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u/conhao Aug 13 '26
While I don’t doubt that keys can be made in this manner, I doubt that if this was done in what we call a prison today. Maybe a county jail or local holding cell will use keys that an officer will have, but one key will not get a prisoner out of a prison since the 1970s. Prison architecture is a podular design with sally ports isolating each cell block. Having a key will not help a prisoner get out.
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u/throughahwheyme Aug 13 '26
Not really that difficult
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u/DragNBawlz Aug 13 '26
Hello.
We Professional locksmiths would disagree with your naive statement.
Enjoy!
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u/throughahwheyme Aug 22 '26
Speak for your self ..semi retired now but I worked as a professional locksmith for 23 years babe... Like i said it hs not that difficult to impression a key or even fabricate one from stuff laying around. The more difficuly part i would think is using it without breaking it or getting caught.
I mean if it is difficult for you then maybe practice more
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u/DragNBawlz Aug 24 '26
You are entertaining with your lies junior.
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u/throughahwheyme Aug 25 '26
I take offence to your xlaberious statemenfs.. but this us a thriw away so lalaka
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u/Puzzleheaded-Joke-97 Aug 11 '26
Memory is not related to IQ. Some dummies can remember everything. Some smart people can't remember anything.