How To Set Vip Suitcase Lock

Picture the scene, you've simply arrived at your hotel in an unfamiliar city after a long flight. You put your suitcase on the bed and slowly turn the numbered wheels of the three-digit combination lock. You press the button to get access to your case just aught happens. The metal zipper tags remain firmly trapped in the lock'due south squeeze…

A red hand luggage size American Tourister suitcase with a built in combination lock — A locked suitcase with TSA approved combination lock

Getting locked out of your luggage is something that happens to even the most seasoned travellers at some fourth dimension or another. Luckily the ubiquitous, TSA canonical, 3-digit combination locks used by brands such equally Samsonite, Eastpack, Antler and American Tourister are easy to open up without damaging either the lock or the example and without any special tools.

Past following the steps described below, you will exist able to apace open the lock and re-program the code to a new iii digit combination which is easier to remember.

A locked red suitcase with a TSA007 combination lock — A three-digit TSA007 combination suitcase lock

How to Unlock Your Suitcase When You Forgot the Combination

If you look closely at the lock from above, you lot will run into that to one side of the 3 numbered thumb-wheels in that location is a pocket-sized deejay (see photos below).

I have establish that the best way to see the disks is by using your mobile phone's camera.

Select the video photographic camera and smoothen the flash down into the lock then zoom-in to meet the disks more clearly.

Starting with the first thumb-cycle of the lock, turn the bicycle one click at a time until you see a notch in the disk as shown in the photos.

Once you have lined upwardly the notch of the first wheel you then repeat the process for the second and third digit until the notches of all three wheels are lined upwardly (run into the photo of the blue suitcase).

Once all three notches are lined up, plow the suitcase and so you can see the numbers.

Notation, this is Non the combination code.

How to unlock a Samsonite or American Tourister suitcase when you have forgotten the code — The notch is not visible on either disk

Write down the numbers on the start line of a blank sheet of paper.

On the adjacent line add 1 to each digit.

Repeat this viii more times until you accept a list of x 3-digit numbers as shown in the photo below.

Attempt the codes one at a time until you find the one which opens the suitcase.

Once the case is open you can modify the combination for one which is easier to remember.

With do, the unabridged procedure takes less than two minutes.

Video: How to Quickly Open Your Suitcase Lock When Yous Forgot the Lawmaking

When writing this article I used ii unlike suitcases, both of which are fitted with TSA approved Travel Picket combination locks. The locks are slightly different models only the procedure is identical.

I made the video using the older, blue, suitcase because the notches in the dark-green plastic discs are easier to see than the notches in the black disks of the red suitcase.

The code which opened the ruby-red suitcase was ii clicks away from the position with the disks lined up. The code which opened the blueish example was eight clicks away.

If none of the codes which yous have written downwardly work you should bank check that yous lined the notches up correctly. As can be seen in the video, at that place are normally ii positions where the notches are visible. Make sure that all three notches are lined up in the same position. You can come across that in the video I lined upwards the disks at the right-hand position.

Close up view of the number wheels of a combination suitcase lock while opening it after forgetting the code — The notch on the left disk is now visible

How do Combination Locks Work?

The three-digit combination locks used on suitcases are designed so that yous can modify the combination to a unique code which only you know.

To do this, you have to first fix the lock to the current combination. Yous then press a small push (normally using a ballpoint pen) which frees the numbered pollex-wheels from the locking mechanism (currently in the open position).

You tin can so turn the 3 numbered pollex wheels independently to a new combination before pushing the larger push (the ane which is used to open the lock). This re-connects the numbered thumb-wheels to the locking mechanism, activating the new code.

The method described above relies on the fact that part of the locking machinery itself is visible (the notched disks adjacent to the thumb-wheels). This makes the number shown on the knurled thumb-wheel pretty much irrelevant. Once the disks are aligned you simply need to rotate them around until the lock opens.

de-coding the TSA approved lock on my blue American Tourister suitcase — The notches on all 3 disks are lined up

What Are TSA Approved Locks?

The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) is a US federal government agency responsible for the security of travellers that was created in response to the September 11 attacks.

All luggage is scanned before being loaded into aeroplanes and if whatever prohibited items are detected it volition be opened past airdrome staff and the items removed.

TSA approved locks, identified by the blood-red diamond shaped Travel Scout logo, can be opened using master keys. The locks are often incorporated into suitcases merely TSA approved padlocks are also available.

If your suitcase tin can't exist opened with a master fundamental then, if they need inspect your baggage, airport staff will open up it past forcefulness, cutting off padlocks etc.

Using a pencil and paper to crack the code — To salve confusion information technology'south a good idea to note down the numbers

In theory the keys are only available to airport staff but in reality anyone with a 3D printer tin can print out their own master keys.

Is it Really worth Locking my TSA approved Luggage Lock?

As we take seen, the 3-digit combination locks fitted to nearly modern suitcases offering very little or no security. At best they stop your suitcase from opening accidentally during transit, preventing your dirty laundry from spilling out on the luggage carousel.

Some suitcases (including the crimson suitcase in the photos) accept small metal hoops incorporated into the zip-pullers allowing you to use a padlock to lock your suitcase. Although at first glance this may seem to add a second level of security, in reality, information technology's a waste of time. Equally shown in this video, nix closure suitcases can be opened chop-chop and easily using a ballpoint pen.