Why are jigglers only effective on wafer locks?

[Teddy Picker]

I am reading through Deviant Ollam's book, and it mentions jiggler tools briefly, so I looked them up. It seems like these are only effective (or at least people only try to use them) on wafer locks (such as in cars). But I can't figure out why the principle wouldn't also be effective for tumbler locks as well. What is it about wafers that makes them more susceptible to jiggling?

[GWiens2001]

With a few exceptions, wafer locks tend to be made with looser tolerances than pin tumbler locks. They can work, but the pin tumbler equivalent is either Rai's Bogota picks, or an L rake (frequently called a city rake). Technique has a lot to do with it, so practice. But like the ball pick, jigglers tend to me more specialized towards wafer locks, with the above exceptions.

Gordon

[Pickmequick]

In theory they would work on a pin tumbler lock with standard pins.

The hard part is getting one in there that you can jiggle.

Wafer locks tend to have large openings making getting tools in very easy. Pin locks generally have an obscure shape that only slim picks and the key will go into.

Hth.

[ice_man]

i have had a lot of successes using jigglers in pad locks with standard pins just as long as the key way is big enough to move the jiggler around

[cledry]

They work on pin tumblers too. I had a set for older ford double-sided pin tumblers.

[Capt_Tom]

Actually, I use a (european wave) jiggler that I found several years ago (before I saw the Bogota). I frequently use it on Schlage and Kwicksets with reasonable success. It does make short of a lot of the wafer locks that I have run into, too.

[globallockytoo]

the reason jigglers are designed primarily for wafer tumblers is because it is all in the turning pressure. slight turning pressure and jiggling your pick will hold a wafer inside the cylinder more easily than a conventional top/bottom pin tumbler

[daniel22747]

I can get jigglers to work on really cheap pin tumbler locks. I have a cheap mailbox lock that they work well on. However anything with security pins is not going to yeild readily to jigglers. They are just a little to crude.

[MrAnybody]

Well, well ..... Just had SouthOrd come up in my Twitter feed shouting about a new product in their range:

http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-Tools/SDJ-11.html

Hummm ..... Of course, I'm curious, partly by that it's something new from SouthOrd and partly errring on the side of caution ...... thinking that the days of jigglers were old hat. I don't think I'll be reaching for my wallet, though.

Really, I'm also surprised that SouthOrd have come out with these.

[daniel22747]

Hummm ..... Of course, I'm curious, partly by that it's something new from SouthOrd and partly errring on the side of caution ...... thinking that the days of jigglers were old hat. I don't think I'll be reaching for my wallet, though.

Really, I'm also surprised that SouthOrd have come out with these.

Those are very interesting. However the price is rather high. I think I'll give them year and see if they come down in price.

[PherricOxide]

On a pin and tumbler lock you can overset pins when jiggling pretty easily, and the only way to fix it is to release most of your tension and let them drop. On a wafer lock, due to the fact you can push the pins both up and down, overset pins when jiggling aren't a problem since they just get pushed back the other way when pressure is applied the other direction.

[fgarci03]

I just came across this. Don't know if they only work on cheap locks but here it is:

http://www.southord.com/Lock-Picking-Tools/SDJ-11.html

[zeepia]

I came across this already 3 posts up

Don´t want to buy them but maybe make my own set just to try them.

[fgarci03]

I came across this already 3 posts up

I saw it online, and I immediatly posted here before reading the entire thread
(I read the thread some time ago but didn't see the new developments )

Has anyone bought this set? I think the concept is pretty cool and it allows to quickly open locks, but I'm afraid it only works on a very small percentage of locks.. So a review would be nice!

[Teddy Picker]

On a pin and tumbler lock you can overset pins when jiggling pretty easily, and the only way to fix it is to release most of your tension and let them drop. On a wafer lock, due to the fact you can push the pins both up and down, overset pins when jiggling aren't a problem since they just get pushed back the other way when pressure is applied the other direction.

Ah, this is the first explanation that made sense to me! Now that I see it, it seems obvious.