Hi: For what it's worth - when I worked in the Cooler department here at Coca-Cola we used a automotive dent puller (which is a kind of slide hammer) to pull locks in vending machines. We had the hardest type to break into because we used Abloy locks. I was always amazed by how easy it was to break the lock. Just pick a stout machine screw that is a little bigger than the key insert hole in the lock - insert screw as far as possible - attach screw to dent puller and work the slide with great vigor. It didn't take more than one try on most locks! Might work - might not. Sure is easy to try. rdg -----Original Message----- From: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu [mailto:CLASSICCMP-owner@u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of CLASSICCMP(a)trailing-edge.com Sent: 27 September, 1999 8:50 AM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: RE: Picking tubular locks worst likely to know how. It's probably simpler to buy the correct key. All DEC systems with tubular locks that I've met use a XX2247 key, and all the DG systems use identical keys too (but I don't have my DG key on my keychain at this moment so I can't give you the pattern #.) The later "plastic key" DEC locks can be turned with just about anything - they aren't really locks at all. And replacing a tubular lock of unkown code with a tubular lock with known code is fairly simple. You only have to replace the cylinder (making sure that the new cylinder you get will accept the cam that the old cylinder used to activate the actual switches). Tim.