The Sparrows Padlock Bypass Driver is $7.99 as of 2020. The
one named “Sparrows” is actually for American Padlock Company locks.
Specifically for the 700 and 1100 series. This is the
Generation 2 version which is slightly better at also opening Series 10 locks.
The video shows how to use it to open a Series 40 lock!
With the pins at the bottom, insert the bypass with the “golf
club head” pointing upwards. Right down the center of the keyway. It actually
goes through the entire mechanism (bypasses it). Then if you angle the handle
downward ever so slightly you can turn the driver clock-wise and the lock will
spring open.
Newer American Padlocks have a disc/wafer thing at the end
of the keyway that prevents a bypass driver from getting to the mechanism. You
just have to try and see what you’ve got.
You can buy 10 of those bypass-prevention discs for like $6—and
it’s worth it. These padlocks are great! They’re heavy, and are chock-full of serrated
pins.
Speaking of hard to pick padlocks: the "Best" padlocks are extremely similar. I finally gave up, found a key that fit into it (but couldn't unlock it) and bumo keyed it.
Once I put a rubber o-ring on tbe key and put it into the lock I tapped the key sort of hard while tensioning it. Tap, tap, tap and it turned, turned, turned and the lock popped open.
I have another unpickable Best padlock. I'll hunt down a key that fits inside and bimp that one too.
They make specific keys that make bumping easier, but the key I used for this padlock was just some random key! That's a good reason to keep keys you don't have locks for (bump keys) and also locks you don't have keys for (picking, shimming, bypassing and bumping practice).
