Double Ball Bearing Locking: Why It Matters

When comparing padlocks, the mechanism that secures the shackle inside the lock body is one of the most important features to understand. At first glance, the Squire CP60 looks like a standard open shackle padlock. However, it uses a double ball bearing locking system — a feature found in higher-quality and high-security padlocks.

This locking method greatly increases resistance against forced entry attempts, particularly cutting and levering attacks.

How Padlock Shackles Are Usually Secured

Padlock shackles are generally held in place in one of three ways:

• Single Bolted – The shackle is held by a single locking bar. Common on low-cost padlocks and very easy to force.
• Double Bolted – A locking bar secures each side of the shackle. Much stronger but still vulnerable to twisting pressure.
• Double Ball Bearing – Hardened ball bearings lock each side of the shackle into deep grooves. This is the most secure method.

Double ball bearing locking is used in high-security padlocks because it resists both pulling and twisting attacks.

Why Double Ball Bearing Locking Is More Secure

If a padlock with a simple locking bar is cut, the shackle can often be twisted or prised open after a single cut. In contrast, with double ball bearing locking:

• Cutting the shackle once will not release it.
• Both sides of the shackle remain held in place.
• The shackle cannot rotate out of the body because the bearings sit securely in machined recesses.

This means a thief has to make two accurate cuts to create a gap wide enough to remove the lock — doubling the effort, time and noise. In many real-world cases, attackers give up after the first cut when the padlock still does not fall away.

What to Look For When Choosing a High-Security Padlock

If you're securing something valuable — gates, barriers, containers, vehicles or access points — check the product spec and look specifically for:

• “Double Ball Bearing Locking”
• Hardened alloy or hardened steel shackle
• Closed shackle or shielded shackle design (where possible)

These features work together to make break-ins significantly more difficult.