So how does ClipLok work?
ClipLok is a unique travel lock that has been designed with a hardened steel shackle which can be normally unlocked by the owner using a 4 digit (10,000 possible combinations) access code. Should a screening agency need to open the lock however, it can be “clipped” or cut off – but not in the traditional way. ClipLok’s steel shackle is clipped at a special “port” location on the body of the lock, which allows it to then be re-locked by the luggage screeners after they have finished their inspection. This feature is pivotal to the lock’s clever design. The hardened steel shackle of ClipLok is used to initially secure a suitcase’s zip chain in a similar manner to any other regular luggage lock. Should a screener subsequently need to open the suitcase, he/she simply “cuts” the shackle at the clip port with a pair of bolt-cutters (standard-issue equipment for screeners). This releases the shackle and allows the luggage lock to be removed from the suitcase for inspection purposes, and automatically rearms the locking mechanism for keyless re-locking purposes. To reinstate the lock, the screener simply re-locks the ClipLok in the normal way by closing the shackle once more. At the end of the journey, the lock can be opened with the access code. It is then a simple matter to replace the spent shackle with a new one. The ClipLok is shipped with a spare shackle for this purpose, and packs of 5 spare shackles can be purchased cheaply from the Origineering website, which guarantees the on-going integrity of your ClipLok.
Benefits of the ClipLok
The ClipLok cannot be removed from one item of luggage, and reinstated on another item of luggage without clipping it first (cutting the shackle at the clip port), which then also provides an indication of either a screening action or luggage tampering. However, the ClipLok can be easily removed from a suitcase by a luggage screener, for the purposes of luggage security checks. It can then be reinstated, without the need for the original access code.
The ClipLock provides a much more reliable form of screening indication than other luggage locks, as the severed shackle in the clip port is unmistakable. A user will therefore know when the lock has been removed for inspection purposes. Other systems rely on “pass-keys” that are distributed amongst TSA, and other security agency staff, but many people now believe that these pass-keys are now in the public domain, and there are still instances of these sorts of travel locks being destructively removed by agencies such as the TSA. This is expensive for the user.
The removal of a ClipLok by clipping, does not necessitate the costly replacement of the lock. It is designed to be clipped. Therefore, in the case of “accidental” clipping, no guarantees that involve the reimbursement of the price of a clipped lock are necessary, so we don’t have to budget for this, and thus we don’t need to pass such a cost on to you - our customers.
Furthermore, we do not have to budget for the maintenance and replacement of a large range of pass-keys for luggage screening agencies. There is a suggestion that this is already somewhat of a hassle for the TSA, and a number of reports indicate they are frequently lost. The TSA has reported that, when screeners are unable to locate the correct pass-key (and the pass-keys sometimes break), they will clip the lock anyway.
The TSA, and other screening agencies, already carry by default, the only tools they will need to remove a ClipLock for a luggage check - a pair of bolt-cutters!
Additionally, a ClipLok can only be removed/reinstated once per journey, thus removing any opportunity for criminals to target a previously inspected bag.
