ABUS lock, picture, please tell me how to dismantle

[beardyweirdy]

Ok, I registered here 6 (!) years ago, did a bit of picking, but since then, nowt. But I've had my interest re-awakened, and want to have another bash at the old picking.

I don't have many locks lying around, just a few padlocks and this ABUS cylinder lock.

Now, I understand how these locks work. But what I would like to do is make a training lock for myself so that I can insert one pin, two pons and so on, and do the thing blindfold, as I read somewhere on here.

Can I take this one apart? Looking at the top of the lock, I can see where the pins were inserted. At the back of the lock is some sort of circlip. I have not touched this as yet, as I don't know what might happen. So how do I go about taking this lock apart and putting the pins in place so that I can learn a few lessons.

Thanks for putting up with this (still) n00b question.

BW

[MacGyver101]

I think that Illusion's Re-pinning a Cylinder Lock guide is exactly what you're looking for!

[Josh K]

I think that Illusion's Re-pinning a Cylinder Lock guide is exactly what you're looking for!

+1.

In a nutshell you'll need to first pick it if you don't have a key. Then remove the clip on the back and push the cylinder out with an appropriately sized plug follower.

[MacGyver101]

. . . and push the cylinder out with an appropriately sized plug follower.

You know, I've probably skimmed over Illusion's repinning guide 20 times as I've recommended it to new folks... and it was just today that I realized that he was using a painted piece of wood as the follower, and not a carrot.

(I always assumed this was an inside joke, around the same time that DB posted his "picking a lock with a banana" video.)

[Josh K]

. . . and push the cylinder out with an appropriately sized plug follower.

You know, I've probably skimmed over Illusion's repinning guide 20 times as I've recommended it to new folks... and it was just today that I realized that he was using a painted piece of wood as the follower, and not a carrot.

(I always assumed this was an inside joke, around the same time that DB posted his "picking a lock with a banana" video.)

It does look a bit like a carrot. I never noticed.

[beardyweirdy]

ok, cool, thanks, but what are those holes for? DOes he manufacturer put the pins and the springs in followed by brass plugs or something? Are they ever drilled out or otherwise removed?

I mean the indents at the top of the casing.

[Josh K]

ok, cool, thanks, but what are those holes for? DOes he manufacturer put the pins and the springs in followed by brass plugs or something? Are they ever drilled out or otherwise removed?

I mean the indents at the top of the casing.

Probably the same as the small strip found on top of most KIK cylinders. I'm guessing it's put there at the factory to make it easier to bit and key the lock.

[MacGyver101]

ok, cool, thanks, but what are those holes for? DOes he manufacturer put the pins and the springs in followed by brass plugs or something?

Exactly. The bottom pins, drivers and springs are loaded into the lock from the top at the factory, followed by little brass caps that are press-fit into the tops of the chambers. (A very similar cap is used in Best IC (Interchangeable Core) locks.)

There are some other approaches that other manufacturers use in order to make it easier to rekey the lock without disassembling the entire cylinder. Yale KIK (Key-in-Knob) cylinders use a single strip of metal that covers the tops of the chambers, and is fairly easy to slide off. Other folks (e.g., Schlage KIKs) use a strip that's crimped into place and is a bit harder to slide off. Medeco mortice cylinders are probably the nicest system I've come across: they use a little grub screw in the top of each chamber, which makes them particularly easy to rekey... you just need an allen key.

[beardyweirdy]

And what are the 'drivers', please?

[Josh K]

And what are the 'drivers', please?

Top pins, they are above the key pins.

[amlwchlocksmiths]

hi,you take the clip off the back,turn the lock so the key turn 90%,i use a wood bird pearch.to push the lock slowly from the back though with.then use a small screwdriver to remove the insides,if you buy another lock you can take some of the locking pins out to make it easyer also.but i think if you buy a cheaper lock you will find it a lot easyer to pick.they are some cheap books to buy on this website and tools that i think you will find are ok and are at a resonable price, www.walkerlocksmiths.co.uk
and they are based in the uk. hope this helps you

[MacGyver101]

One additional resource that may help (along with some of the other bits of naming of lock parts, etc.) is the LSI Guide to Lock Picking.