As these more advanced security measures become further integrated into our everyday lives we would like to present the collection below as a reminder that, sometimes, the best form of protection is great big lump of reinforced steel.

1. World’s Largest Bank Vault Door

Location: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Constructed: 1923

Weight: 43 tones

The world’s largest vault door belongs to the Federal Reverse of Cleveland. The door incorporates the world’s largest hinge, 19 feet tall and weighing 25 tons. The vault was shut down in 1997 and is now preserved due to its historical importance.

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2. World’s Heaviest Time Lock

Location: Lenoir City, Tennessee, USA

Constructed: 1908

Weight: 22 lbs

The B. Quad-M 11 3/4″w x 5 was the largest and heaviest time lock Yale ever produced; often used as part of the largest vault doors. The sides were purposefully left open so the customer could observe the intricate inner workings of the lock. Its size is an aesthetic rather than technical choice. Vault doors had begun to increase in size and these steel leviathans could not be seen to depend on a dinky time lock mechanism. Beautifully finished and pattered, this piece is a testament to an age when considerations of prestige trumped the bottom line.

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3. World’s Largest Padlock

Location: Lahore (Pakistan)

Constructed: 1955

Weight: 50.6 kg

We can do little but let the creators of this lock speak for themselves; “the credit of introducing the most wonderful lock goes to a Pakistani, named Sheikh Mohammad Rafique. The lock is marvellously huge”. So high was the nations regard for this lock it was given its own House in Lahore.

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4. Pakistan’s Largest Working Padlock (freestanding)

Location: Nishan-e-Manzil Park, Gujranwala Cantonment, Pakistan

Constructed: 2002

Weight: 890 kg

Now residing in a public park in Pakistan this massive padlock was built by Haji Javed Iqbal Khokhar from Gujranwala. It’s giant key weighs 80 kg and takes two people to lift. It was briefly the centrepiece of the Lucky Irani Circus.

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5. World’s Largest Working Padlock

Location: Kolkata, India

Constructed: 2002

Weight: 50 kg

Made by the Trusty Lock company, this brass and aluminium masterpiece was created to secure the 1.5 ton gate of Jagannath temple. The temple had suffered repeated attacks from thieves attempting to steal gold and silver offerings left by pilgrims. The Trusty Lock company also claims to have produced the worlds smallest lock, a tiny silver miniature weighing only 5g.

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6. World Largest Padlock (freestanding)

Location: Lock Island, Lake of 1000 islands, Chun’an County, Zhejiang Province, China

Constructed:2005

Weight: 1.2 tones

The Safety lock can be found on Lock Island, south eastern China. cits.net informs us; “Lock Island is a world of locks, including happiness lock, wisdom lock, health lock and carp lock. The first Lock Museum in China was built here housing the Safety Lock.”

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7. Giant Love Heart Lock

Location: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan Province, China

Constructed: Unknown

Weight: Unknown

Seeming to have descended from heaven itself, this golden wonder sits amongst the forests and limestone peaks of one of China’s most popular nature reserves. Couples sit within the lock hoping it will bring them good fortune and prosperity.

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8. World’s Biggest Door Latch

Location: Vining, Otter tail county, Minnesota

Constructed: 2009

Weight: Unknown

Made out of scrap metal, this giant door handle stands in the tiny (pop 68) town of Vining Minnesota. Sculptor Ken Nyberg specializes in giant scrap constructions; the town is graced by a giant water melon, flower pot and even features a massive clothes peg.

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9 BONUS. World’s Biggest Key

Location: Limassol Cyprus

Constructed: 2006

Weight: 3.2 tones

We think seeing only locks and no key can be a tad uninspiring so we end out showcase with a key that should be able to break any lock!

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Above: Designed by Franz von Stuck and found at Bremen City Hall, Germany.

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Above: The stunning inner-workings of a chest lock in Levoča, Slovakia.

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Above: A door lock built in the 16th Century in Romania.

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Above: Another beautiful lock found in the lid of a chest, this time in Croatia.

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Above: A lock and key from Rothenburg, Germany.

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Above: This grand, textured lock was spotted in Chennai, India.

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Above: Gorgeous. St. Peter’s Church, Salzburg, Austria.

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Above: Intricate ironwork, found at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

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Above: An extravagant lock plate attached to a gate in Vancouver.

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Above: An incredible design by celebrated craftsman Frank Koralewsky.

To finish, a quick look at the magnificent Aubin Trophy, a 3,000-piece mechanism containing 44 connected locks and keys, all of which can be turned by way of a single master key that runs down its central column. A masterpiece of engineering when built in 1849.

The impressive multi-functional business card you see above belongs to “Melvin,” a hacker who decided some years ago to design a piece of business identification that was both appropriate and unique. He scored on both fronts, but most impressive is the card’s dual purpose: as well as providing contact info for clients, the card can be easily dismantled – each individual tool can be popped out and detached – and cleverly used as a lock-picking kit. It’s a great idea.

Below is a similar example, this one belonging to legendary hacker-turned-security consultant Kevin Mitnick. He actually commissioned the design as a direct result of seeing Melvin’s.

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Mitnick’s card was tested as a lock-picking kit after being handed out at at a conference in 2007. Below is video footage of what turned out to be a semi-successful attempt.

It also helps if the key holder can make you chuckle before/after a hard day at the office, which is exactly why we’ve chosen to show you the following examples…

HIS & HERS

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Above: As key holders go, this one’s positively x-rated, and a snip at £12.50.

BUCKLE UP

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Above: The Buckle Up, a fantastically creative and amusing way to re-purpose old seatbelt buckles.

THE ABU HANGER

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Above: Who ever said that nothing good came of Abu Hamza? As a key holder, he’s perfect.

HIS & HERS, VERSION 2

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Above: Similar to the first example, only this time the keys hang on the privates.

THE REDNECK KEY HOLDER

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Above: Scary, unmissable and altogether hilarious as key holders go.

THE KEYTACHE

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Above: The comedy moustache never fails to put a smile on my face, particularly when my keys can be found hanging from it.

SQUEAKEYS!

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Above: Utterly charming and well worth the £45 price tag.

(Should you happen to be one of those simpletons: Look @ these lock fails LOL.)

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Below are some amazing examples.

Pecs, Hungary

Image Source: Hindrik Sijens

Above: The famous lock fence of Pécs in Hungary, where the practice is thought to have begun, in Europe at least, back in the 1980s. Area officials were quickly forced to designate this particular spot ‘love lock friendly’ in a bid to curb the rampant placement of lock in other areas when the trend took off.

Moscow, Russia

Image Source: Stephan Mantler

Above: The unique love lock trees of Moscow, found on the city’s Luzhkov Bridge. The majority of these locks are placed by newlyweds, as the practice is thought to bring good luck.

Seoul, South Korea

Image Source: Larry ‘n Jill

Above: Literally thousands of lovers’ locks can be seen attached to the fencing that surrounds Mt. Namsan’s N Seoul Tower in Central Seoul. There even exists a special bin in which to place keys following the accumulation of hundreds around the fence.

Cologne, Germany

Image Source: Ben Heine

Above: The 406 metre Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne; a structure that has been slowly covered in padlocks since the romantic trend reached the city in 2008, much to the annoyance of local government.

Korakuen, Japan

Image Source: David Gee

Above: A colourful wall of locks, all attached by couples, can be found in an amusement park in Korakuen, Japan. Korakuen is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and is located in Tokyo.

Wroclaw, Poland

Image Source: Maciej Kielan

Above: A stunning view of Tumski Bridge in the Polish city of Wroclaw. The bridge has recently become a love-lock-laden site.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Image Source: Natassa

Above: A fountain in Montevideo, Uruguay. Attached is a plaque which reads,”The legend of this young fountain tells us that if a lock with the initials of two people in love is placed in it, they will return together to the fountain and their love will be forever locked.”

Guam, USA

Image Source: chotda

Above: The love-locks of Puntan dos Amantes (Two Lovers’ Point) in Guam, a picturesque and incredibly romantic spot that overlooks the ocean.

Rome, Italy

Image Source: hhj1

Above: The famous padlock-covered lamppost of The Milvian Bridge in Rome, Italy. Since 2006, lovers have attached initialled locks to the post and then thrown the keys into the Tiber river as a sign of their love.

Huangshan, China

Image Source: StevieB44

Above: Just one of the many chain fences of Yellow Mountain in China; nearly all of which have been slowly covered in love-locks by romantic locals and tourists alike – particularly newlyweds.

Odessa, Ukraine

Image Source: Damian Corrigan

Above: Over the past few years Teshin Bridge in Odessa has become home to hundreds of lovers’ locks. For the curious, ‘Teshin’ translates as ‘Mother-in-Law’.

Prague, Czech Republic

Image Source: incredibleholg

Above: A small pedestrian bridge that crosses the Vlatva river in Prague, covered in padlocks.