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Weird Mounting Locks

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kenwoodgeek

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Feb 1, 2015
Messages
218
Location
Wheaton, IL
Hi everyone,

Over the past few weeks, I've located three CB radios at a couple different estate sales which I've picked up for cheap. Trying to get my CB game going.

Of the three CBs, I picked up a very interesting setup for only $8. It's a Cobra 29XLR mounted to a Kricket Kamel external speaker. The radio itself also has an antenna mount (I assume it's magnetic) on top of it that will not budge. I'm trying to figure out how to get the thing off.

Additionally, the radio is held to the mounting bracket by what look to be screws with key locks on top of them. I have no idea what they are or how they work. Maybe you stick a key in the slots, turn it, and that allows you to finger loosen the screws, or whatever they are.

I've never seen anything like this. Was this commonly available? A custom rig? Does anyone know what key these locks take or how I can remove them?

I'd like to remove the radio from the bracket temporarily and also get the mount on top of it off.

Any help is appreciated!

20180513_162743 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

20180513_162748 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

20180513_162808 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr
 

lou9155

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
345
Location
shamong nj
i remember those from the crazy cb days of the 70s. kinda bullet proof. maybe a locksmith can use his tools to gently get to the tumbler inside. any other methods would destroy the radio..good luck
 

Project25_MASTR

Millennial Graying OBT Guy
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
4,164
Location
Texas
Could always try drilling the lock out. ITS Tactical has some good how to videos on the subject IIRC.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

kf4eyr

Member
Joined
May 19, 2016
Messages
112
Location
plant city florida
good radio,,,, you will need to use a grinder or dremel cutoff wheel to remove those old security locks,,, after the outside is cut off the inside will finger turn off,,, as for the magnet mount base,,, that looks to be a turner signal kicker,, shame you dont have the coil and whip ,, those were kick *** back in the day as long as no high power was used,,,,just pull real hard and it should come off,,,, that was a good score for the cricket,,, that is what i have my cobra 29 mounted on in my 1999 ranger on the hump,,,,
 

KE5MC

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,235
Location
Lewisville, TX
Ryan,

As the unit is free to move, I'd take it to a locksmith and see what the cost to open might be. That's a simple lock core and easy to open for a skilled smith. On the other hand he/she may want more than what's practical.

Good Luck,
Mike
 

bharvey2

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Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
1,842
I can't tell from the photo but I'm guessing those are wafer style locks which are usually pretty easy to pick if you have a mind to. If not, mask off the radio and use a grinder to cut off the locks. Once you have the key section off, unscrewing the screw that is holding the bracket to the radio should be removable with vise grips, pliers, etc.
 

bharvey2

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Mar 12, 2014
Messages
1,842
go easy on it ..a grinder will crack all the solder joints...def try a locksmith

Good point. I was thinking die grinder when I was typing, not a 9" right angle one. the DIY lock picking would still be my first line of offense. Who knows, maybe the OP will find he has another hobby on his hands if he's successful.
 

kenwoodgeek

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
218
Location
Wheaton, IL
Thanks, everyone. I got the magnet mount base off the top, for one thing. Thought it might have been secured down with something else, but nope. Came off with a good pull. It's disappointing to hear I might have to take the whole thing to a locksmith. I don't have any of the tools mentioned, and I wouldn't trust myself using them, honestly. Since I plan on using the thing as it is with the Kamel speaker, I suppose I don't see much point in making a big deal out of it. I might start looking at lock picking videos, just to see if there is some crazy way I could get them on my own.
 

KE5MC

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Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,235
Location
Lewisville, TX
On YouTube check out the "LockpickingLawyer". He has crazy good skills at opening locks. Locks are about keeping people out for a period of time. He can show you how easy and short of time you have. :D

Mike
 

kenwoodgeek

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
218
Location
Wheaton, IL
Okay, thanks.

I've been trying to pick the locks with paperclips just for the heck of it with no luck so far.

Thing I don't understand is how they actually unlock. Do the locks themselves actually come out? Do the whole assemblies come off to reveal the screw underneath? Because even without picking, the locks themselves as well as the cylindrical things around them turn independently of each other. I can literally put my fingernail in the locks and they spin freely. So I don't know.
 

KE5MC

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
1,235
Location
Lewisville, TX
Possibly a pin extents from the back of the lock into the housing of the radio. If that's the case then I would expect when unlocked the center would pop out retracting the pin.

I've not seen anything like that so it a S.W.A.G. :D

Good Luck,
Mike

P.S. Check with a locksmith. He/she might give you a freebee to open. Maybe just for the practice or curiosity. Never hurts to ask, especially if they are into radios or scanner hobby.
 

Cepheid

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Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Messages
31
Location
Taylorsville NC
I could be very wrong but if memory serves me correct there is a circuit board mounted upside down on the top of that unit (the toggle switches I think are board mounted to that circuit board). I would be concerned the vibration from a grinder has the chance of causing havoc on the solder joints.

Just my opinion and old CB radio memories.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
6,859
Hi everyone,

Over the past few weeks, I've located three CB radios at a couple different estate sales which I've picked up for cheap. Trying to get my CB game going.

Of the three CBs, I picked up a very interesting setup for only $8. It's a Cobra 29XLR mounted to a Kricket Kamel external speaker. The radio itself also has an antenna mount (I assume it's magnetic) on top of it that will not budge. I'm trying to figure out how to get the thing off.

Additionally, the radio is held to the mounting bracket by what look to be screws with key locks on top of them. I have no idea what they are or how they work. Maybe you stick a key in the slots, turn it, and that allows you to finger loosen the screws, or whatever they are.

I've never seen anything like this. Was this commonly available? A custom rig? Does anyone know what key these locks take or how I can remove them?

I'd like to remove the radio from the bracket temporarily and also get the mount on top of it off.

Any help is appreciated!

20180513_162743 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

20180513_162748 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

20180513_162808 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

I would first try lock picking to see if the locks will give in. Otherwise, I am wondering of the design of those is such that when locked the outer shell spins. If so, wouldnt a screwdriver in the lock keyway be able to back these out? Failing that, some superglue dribbled in might freeze the works and let you back them out.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
6,859
Hi everyone,

Over the past few weeks, I've located three CB radios at a couple different estate sales which I've picked up for cheap. Trying to get my CB game going.

Of the three CBs, I picked up a very interesting setup for only $8. It's a Cobra 29XLR mounted to a Kricket Kamel external speaker. The radio itself also has an antenna mount (I assume it's magnetic) on top of it that will not budge. I'm trying to figure out how to get the thing off.

Additionally, the radio is held to the mounting bracket by what look to be screws with key locks on top of them. I have no idea what they are or how they work. Maybe you stick a key in the slots, turn it, and that allows you to finger loosen the screws, or whatever they are.

I've never seen anything like this. Was this commonly available? A custom rig? Does anyone know what key these locks take or how I can remove them?

I'd like to remove the radio from the bracket temporarily and also get the mount on top of it off.

Any help is appreciated!

20180513_162743 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

20180513_162748 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

20180513_162808 by Ryan Kujawski, on Flickr

I would first try lock picking to see if the locks will give in.

Forget my idea about superglue, It will make things worse.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20080264118

You might be able to "shim" the lock with a piece of aluminum soda can forced in the seam between the lock and the shell. The idea is to displace the locking cams. If you need clearance, the shiny front of the lock probably can be pryed out.
 

Rred

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
830
If you put superglue in a lock, that guarantees it can't be picked and may need brute force.
If you look at the lock pickers on YouTube, you'll see that an awful lot of people can spend $30 on a set of lockpicks (or follow the videos to make your own basic ones) and in thirty seconds to a minute, that lock will be open.

Commercial locksmiths like to say "Oh no, that lock can't be picked" because if they pick it, that's the end of the visit. But if they drill it out and ruin it? Oh, right, you'll need to buy a whole new lockset and have it installed. Much more profit in claiming they can't pick a lock, but if they were trained at all, they should be able to.
 

RFI-EMI-GUY

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Messages
6,859
If you put superglue in a lock, that guarantees it can't be picked and may need brute force.
If you look at the lock pickers on YouTube, you'll see that an awful lot of people can spend $30 on a set of lockpicks (or follow the videos to make your own basic ones) and in thirty seconds to a minute, that lock will be open.

Commercial locksmiths like to say "Oh no, that lock can't be picked" because if they pick it, that's the end of the visit. But if they drill it out and ruin it? Oh, right, you'll need to buy a whole new lockset and have it installed. Much more profit in claiming they can't pick a lock, but if they were trained at all, they should be able to.

I think shimming it may be the way to go. The superglue idea was until I saw the patent, there is a screwhead floating at the bottom and unless you inject epoxy all the way down to it, you wont get a fix on it. And you are right, if that fails (due to oil or grease on the screw head) its just a big blob of nasty.

I once worked for a place in 1973, Chapman Performance Products, that made Motorcycle locks with huge aircraft carrier landing cable. They were very impressive locks with a Chicago Lock round keyway barrel. I got one for myself and my bike. Never mind that a lock pick tool exists for that round lock, I figured out at home that I could easily shim it with a very thin feeler blade from my automotive valve gapping tools. They could have fixed it, but they would have had to retool the cable ends.

I have a ton of lock picks and can tell you it isn't as easy as they make it look. My best approach is to use a key that fits the keyway and keep raking it back and forth. Usually they yield. I save every cheap key I find laying around just for this purpose.
 

bharvey2

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Messages
1,842
A close up view looking down the keyway would be helpful. Raking would be my first choice especially if wafers are used. Looking at the patent, I'd suggest a pair of vice grips on the outer barrel to stop it from turning, an appropriate ball or diamond pick (I don't think paper clips are stiff enough for a pick but could be used to fashion a decent tension wrench.

Prying the face off of the lock wouldn't be a bad idea but I have a suspicion that the locking pins that protrude into the outer barrel may be at the bottom of the lock (closest to the CB body) making shimming a lot more difficult. That being said, feeler gauge stock can be used for both shim stock and for fashioning lock picks. I've used it for both. Small gauge guitar strings (or short lengths thereof) can also be used as probes to find the locking pins. If those can be found, a targeted attack on those pins with a Dremel tool and grinding stone should get the lock off.
 
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