A heavy steel tool featuring a wedge shaped like a duck's bill, used to force open padlocks. The wedge is driven into the shackle of the lock with a flathead axe or sledgehammer, spreading the metal until the lock fails. It provides a fast alternative to cutting locks with a rotary saw, especially in tight spaces or explosive atmospheres where sparks are dangerous.
Heard on the job
Grab the duckbill and the sledge, we have heavy iron locks on the roll-up door.
Also heard as
- duckbill lock breaker