The lowly "...master key..." aka Bolt Cutters

[The Heretic]

Yea, I like plasma cutters, problem is they need a lot of juice or a gas engine to run...

The only thing I can say for more "stubborn" jobs is the thermal lance. Which is a magnesium/aluminum tube with oxygen flowing down the center.

There are increasingly small and portable plasma cutters, and a small portable genset could run them.

When I was in the military my first station was working with a guy who used to do interesting stuff with a thermal lance until there was an accident; they used it to place support posts into molten rock. One time they let a support get cold and wet and didn't heat it up before placing it into the molten rock, and the rock exploded basically burning the guy placing the support over 70+% of his body. He lived, but was in a hospital for years. The guy I worked with was not the one burned, but he was there when it happened.

Overall, the battery powered angle grinder would probably work for most things. What I would want something like that for would be to get past these in an emergency:



A lot of these are made with very stout thick steel, and the locks are protected from any kind of cutting, so you have to cut through the main beam. You can get around some of them, but most usually have a large rock, tank trap, concrete block, or they are strategically place near a creek or river/bridge as pictured above.

In a SHTF situation you don't want to be sitting there messing with it for too long, and you don't want to break an axle or otherwise risk getting stuck trying to go around it.

 

[erudne]

these gates are going up everywhere, 20 years ago I could drive NFS roads between interstates but Pot Grows and poachers have caused 1000's of gates to go up and there are ditches as well. Cut through a gate and everyone knows where to look. small ATVs can go under the gate but now there is camera survailence as well

 

[The Heretic]

It isn't just pot growers, it is an increase in population.

There are more people who dump garbage in the woods (I see this all the time - garbage dumped in the woods where I live), poach, shoot up stuff, trespass with 4x4s, dirt bikes and ATVs, cut down live trees (they don't own) for firewood, even start fires.

I am not saying every hunter, person who does off-roading/camping/etc., is out there doing these bad deeds, just a minority percentage of people. Unfortunately, as the population grows, the number of people who do these things grow even if the percentage does not. Since land is finite, and urban areas grow, this increases the amount of pressure on the woods/etc., and to protect them the government shuts off access.

I don't like it anymore than the next person. I like to go shooting, hunting, riding my dirt bike, etc. and I can remember a time when I was younger and the woods that were mostly open are now closed.

 

[AMProducts]

The consensus I've come to with some of the other locals for things like gates is a proper oxy-acetylene cutting/welding torch, because not only might you need to bust such an obstacle, but you also may need to make one more stout... that is, weld the gate closed behind you.

 

[The Heretic]

The consensus I've come to with some of the other locals for things like gates is a proper oxy-acetylene cutting/welding torch, because not only might you need to bust such an obstacle, but you also may need to make one more stout... that is, weld the gate closed behind you.

If you can weld really thick steel with an oxy torch, then more power to you.

Personally, I would cut it, and then maybe tack weld it or otherwise make it look like it hasn't been cut.

If the situation is so dire that I am willing to break a federal law by cutting through a forestry gate, then I am probably going to be in a bit of a hurry - probably not willing to sit around welding back up what I just cut to make it strong again. Maybe, maybe not.

 

[jbett98]

It looks like you could just Hi-Lift it straight up and off the pivot post.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

FWIW, my Sears 36" bolt cutters have succeeded many times- and with the one lock it couldn't cut, it didn't break or dent the blades, either.

I think I wound up drilling the pins out of that one with a surplus Boeing bit. And +1 on DeWalt, yellow is your friend.

 

[erudne]

I guess things on the West Side are far worse than they are here but let me say this:
If there are still Forest Cops to worry about when you bug-out and burn through gates then you may have bugged-out too soon

 

[The Heretic]

I guess things on the West Side are far worse than they are here but let me say this:
If there are still Forest Cops to worry about when you bug-out and burn through gates then you may have bugged-out too soon

There will quite possibly be a time when there is still significant LEOs out there doing their jobs. Things won't go to hell overnight, and you don't want to wait too long.

 

[erudne]

AS with all things; Timing and location is everything

 

[slingshot1943]

I prefer my Stihl 14" demo saw. Of course it's a little loud.

 

[irierider]

Lock pick set, any idiot can use a basic rake technique off youtube. Rusty locks are impossible to pick, those need a hammer usually. The newer the lock the easier to pick, 10$-100$ the only ones you cant are the medco locks, they arent on much besides businesses. I always had a pair for lost keys etc.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

The Abus Buffo disc locks will give a picker something to do for awhile.

 

[phathom]

I also agree on the dremel. When I moved into my house, the gates to the backyard were locked. I didn't want to cut the latch itself, but I needed to get the lock off to get access. I initially tried some bolt cutters, but those weren't too helpful. The dremel with a cut off wheel did the trick. It took me a couple of cut off wheels and a few minutes, but it worked. I have since found out they have heavy duty cut off wheels, these would probably work better and quicker.