More Detailed Instructions for Finding the Last Number

This method is helpful on many locks where 8 sticking places appear to be at the correct last number.

Turn the dial two turns to the right and stop at zero. Pull up lightly on the shackle. Turn the dial left. Find the first place, at zero or higher than zero, where the dial sticks. Note the two ends of the range of movement, to a quarter of the distance between marks, and write them down.

Release the shackle and turn the knob to 10 higher than the middle of this sticking place. Pull up on the shackle again. Estimate the two ends of range of movement to the nearest quarter of the distance between marks, and write them down.

Repeat this process for 20 higher and 30 higher. Call this range group A. (In my example, I have written the quarters in decimal form, 0.0, 0.25. 0.5 and 0.75.) On my lock, the ranges are:

0.0 - 1.0
10.0 - 11.0
20.0 - 21.0
30.0 - 31.0

(Note that none of these sticking places is at the correct last number, since both stopping places are on adjacent numbers.)

Now two turns right, and stop at zero. Turn left and find the second sticking place higher than zero. Repeat the process to get four ranges. Call this range group B. On my lock, the ranges are:

3.25 - 4.0
13.75 - 14.5
23.5 - 24.25
33.5 - 34.25

Now two turns right, and stop at zero. Turn left and find the third sticking place higher than zero. Repeat the process to get four ranges. Call this range group C. On my lock, the ranges are:

6.75 - 7.5
16.75 - 17.5
26.75 - 27.5
36.75 - 37.5

For two of the range groups, the bottom of the range has the same decimal and the top of the range has the same (possibly different) decimal. In my example, range group A has 0.0 for the decimal at the bottom of each range and also 0.0 for the decimal part at the top. Range group C has 0.75 for the decimal at the bottom and also 0.5 for the decimal at the top. The correct last number is in the range group which has at least one different decimal (range group B in my example.)

The correct last number has the highest decimals for both the low and high ends of the ranges. In my example, the correct last number is 14, because 0.75 is higher than 0.25 or 0.5 for the low end of the range, and 0.5 is higher than 0 or 0.25 for the high end of the range. (Hopefully, the last number you found this way was not at a sticking place that you thought was fake! If so, recheck your work.)

Before proceeding further, recheck your work finding the last number. Remember that if the last number is not correct, you will dial 64 combinations and none of them will open the lock! On the other hand, if you still aren't sure, just go ahead with your best guess. We explain a way of checking whether you have the first and second numbers right. Once you have the first and second numbers, it is straightforward to find the third number.

Click here to proceed to finding the first and second numbers.