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I found an old Luggage in our repository, it is locked. I want to open it without causing any damage. enter image description here enter image description here

Is there any way to open it without causing any damages?

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  • A very similar question - lifehacks.stackexchange.com/q/19577/6973, was closed as off-topic.
    – Chenmunka ♦
    Commented Sep 27, 2019 at 16:33
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    Hi Arash, Welcome to Lifehacks. You can see the name of the manufacturer and you know where it's from. In a similar situation, I contacted the customer support representative and they mailed me two new keys that fit perfectly. Nice people.
    – Stan
    Commented Sep 28, 2019 at 20:23

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This type of lock is very basic. They are not intended to be really secure, just so that the casual snooper or thief can't open it easily.

That is why they are easy to pick with a bent wire, such as a reshaped paper clip. You might only need to feel for a simple small lever inside, to flick across. You should do this with the right amount of pressure on the outer hasp, to remove pressure from the catch.

Alternatively, if you have others keys around, try them.

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  • +1 for trying other keys. Can't tell you the number of times I've gotten a lock open with another key of the same brand.
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 17:07
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For suitcases like that, the keys are all identical, so a key for one example of that suitcase will open all others in that brand and style. Take that suitcase to a place that sells luggage and nicely request the person behind the counter to try opening it for you.

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  • The suitcase in the pictures has oxidized metalwork and looks rather beat-up. I wouldn't be surprised to find that it's a few decades old. Now, it's possible the manufacturer hasn't changed key patterns in all that time, but I wouldn't count on it.
    – Mark
    Commented Oct 1, 2019 at 7:44
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Old luggage locks like this are usually "warded locks", a very simple design with very little security. They can be opened with a pretty simple tool which you can probably make out of junk if you need to, or you can obtain a set of warded lock-picks on Amazon for very little outlay. (Other sources are doubtless available.)

Here's a demonstration by a well-known Youtube lockpicker.

Newer luggage locks are often of a type that can be opened with a TSA key, recognisable through a red diamond-shaped logo and a TSA00X code printed next to the keyhole. Complete sets of TSA keys are also readily available by mail-order. These locks are usually also quite easy to pick using raking tools.

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Ideally, use the proper key.

Alternatively, use the services of some local company specialized in locks and doors, to open the lock for you. They have the required generic tools and the practical experience to do it for you. (it is pretty much what you see in the movies, using some bent wires to unlock locked doors)

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    Buying services from someone else isn't really a hack. Using the bent wires yourself may be a hack but you may have trouble explaining how..
    – Chenmunka ♦
    Commented Sep 27, 2019 at 16:28
  • On one hand, there are countless video's on the net showing how it is done. On the other hand, this has the good potential to be illegal. People usually keep the key of those cases attached to the case - except when traveling. A specialized company can easily assess the legality of the issue.
    – virolino
    Commented Sep 30, 2019 at 5:47

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