Spool pin question

[radiohaze]

So first of all, I should say I've had a few Lagunitas IPAs, so I hope this message is clear.

My question is about spool pins. I'm trying to pick an Abus 83/45. I've gutted it and taken out the core, and it's pinned with one regular pin and five spool pins. I put it back together (knowing where the regular pin is, as well as the spools) and started picking. I easily set the regular pin, and got a dramatic false set. Here's my question, though...when you have one pin set and 4 spool pins remaining, do you pick the lock like a regular lock (ie. find binding order and go from there) or is it different with all spools? I guess you could say, is there a binding order if you're dealing with 4 spool pins? Hope what i'm asking makes sense....if not, blame Lagunitas.

[Squelchtone]

Yes binding order will still matter a little, it doesn't matter if they are spool pins, it matters how well or how poorly the holes in the plug were drilled.

watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4hoGY3SAtU

Once you have a false set, just go one by one and lift the spool pins while slightly letting go of the tension, you'll feel the plug counter-rotate as you push up the spool pins, if the lock resets, get it to false set again, and then try the same thing but on a different spool pin, and then you'll eventually find the correct order.

Have fun, ABUS are some of my favorite locks to pick!
Squelchtone

[radiohaze]

Squelchtone, thanks. The reason I asked the question is that in thinking about spool pins, I thought that maybe (due to their chamfer) all the pins wouldn't necessarily bind in the same way they would if you had more uniform pins. In other words, I'd think that with a lock with 4 spool pins, there would be no set binding order and it would change regularly depending on several different factors....


Follow up question for Squelchtone and others more experienced than me...let's say you have a lock pinned with 4 spools. How consistent do you think the binding order would be from pick attempt to pick attempt?

[radiohaze]

I've been watching a lot of picking videos on youtube (Kokomolock is a fav) and noticed that a lot of really good lockpickers tend to have a sort of up/down motion on the tension tool when picking security pins. It kind of looks like they put pressure on the pinstack with the pick, and then vary the tension of the tension tool....more-less-more-less etc. I can actually see the tension tool moving up and down as they set each pin. Am I on the right track?

[Squelchtone]

I've been watching a lot of picking videos on youtube (Kokomolock is a fav) and noticed that a lot of really good lockpickers tend to have a sort of up/down motion on the tension tool when picking security pins. It kind of looks like they put pressure on the pinstack with the pick, and then vary the tension of the tension tool....more-less-more-less etc. I can actually see the tension tool moving up and down as they set each pin. Am I on the right track?

Yes =) I call this wobbling the wrench. It's just a way to test the water to see how the pins and plug reacts to less or more tension or to check if the lock is already picked without jamming up the security pins which will sometimes force you to remove all tension and let the lock reset.

Happy Picking!
Squelchtone