My Lock Picking Theory: Decoding Binding Order/Easier Pickin

[xBMW M3 GTR]

So, an idea came to me this afternoon...As for those round plug tensioners (double pronged, and circular with a hole in it to fit the picks through. Not sure of the actual name or where to get one (anyone wanna provide a link for me?)) Well im not sure if they have any kind of dial on it to show amount of tension, but if not, lets say we rig it to do that (Pretty much acting as a torque wrench for small bolts where theres a metal rod that will stay pointing in one direction as you add tension to the bolt, the tool flexes and the rod points to your measurement of foot lbs. per inch. Commonly used in engine rebuilding)

Okay hope I wasnt too confusing with that first paragraph, well anyways, get a visual from that, now, insert your tension tool, then your pick. Lift pin while giving quite a bit of tension untill you feel a click from the pin setting. Do not remove the pick from under the pin yet. Release tension a bit, and let the pin stack drop again, but onto the pick, and lower it just enough for the driver pin to meet up at the shear line, give tension to bind the pin, remove the pick, and very slowly and carefully release tension until the pin stack clicks back down. Mark down the tension amount needed for that pin to stop binding at. Do this process to each pin and write down the pin number, and bind-release tension amount. Write out the number of pins from least to greatest tension, and then pick the ins in that order. You would be able to add greater tension for the pins that need more tension to set and not have to lower tension for binding pins since the needed tension is only increasing when following the decoded binding order.

Now would this "Bind order decoding" process make it a bit easier to pick the lock? (Note: easier, not exactly faster, although on some locks this process may cut down time, who knows?). I know all locks will have a certain binding order and I feel this may be a good way to determine that order without trial and error and the frustration of resetting pin stacks. From that, the pins can be picked in the easiest binding order.

Now, what do you guys think about my little theory here? I wont be too disappointed if its shot down, but would just like to share it with all of you and maybe we could improve this idea if possible.

[Dpruente]

The circular tension wrenches (well some of them) do have indicators for torque. It seems that your method would definitely make the binding order very clear, but is time consuming. However, in certain locks, that information would be very valuable, as picking them in the normal fashion would be a suicide mission. My concern lies with security pins. It would seem that they would complicate the hell out of the process you've devised. then again, your process is essentially documenting the reverse picking process. Also, as i'm sure you know, the pin stacks aren't going to necessarily be lined up correctly on their axis's, meaning that for certain pins, no matter how much tension you give it, it's not gonna set until the pins off axis to the left (while picking clockwise) are set as well. I see the lock being picked by working through the axis trying to find out what pins need to be set so you can document that first pin, at least on some locks. I'm quite interested in the idea, but don't own such a tension wrench. I've seen them in foley belsaw's online store (www.foleybelsaw.com). If you happen to try it, I'm sure everyone on here would like to see the results.

In thinking about it, I do that in some way or another, as i always start barely touching the wrench and very gradually increase tension as needed to work through the axis, and unload them when i run into spools/security pins. I'm not shooting your idea down, as sometimes specific torque information could be helpful (super high tolerance locks cross my mind here). As with any idea that doesn't risk your health, I again advise you to try it and post your findings.

-Dustin

[raimundo]

you can make a tensor that works like a common tensor and still has the torque wrench function.

this is a flat blade tw with a thin tapered lever that will bend more than a stiff one, and a piece of stiff round wire that is soldered to the blade of it, and a finger length shorter than the lever part, so that as you insert them the two are parallel but as the lever bends the stiff wire simply shows the amount of bend from original position, there would be no readout but is that really necessary? your looking at the indicator and the somewhat bent lever, you know what your looking at.

If you pick locks with one finger across the plug and cylinder interface, you can feel tiny movements that are too small to see and this is an excellent indicator of pins setting progress.

A tensor that can exaggerate this tiny movement with some sort of flagging or even an electronic audio pickup would be more useful to me in picking.

I don't put much store in tracking a supposed pin setting order, as this can be influenced and can change by several variables that are not accounted for.

suppose a lock has been bumpkeyed, suppose that one or more pins is actually bent microscopically, this pin can change its pin settingorder if such a thing really exists simply by rotating.

chamfer at the plug hole or on the pin, the difference in the way a two pronged tensor will tilt the plug when turning from the blade in the bottom, damage to pins or the holes from rough picks leaving burr on the sides of scratches, etc. All sorts of variables including a grain of sand will come into play

some of you who do track pin setting order could perhaps comment on the possiblity of it changing from one day to the next,

[raimundo]

finger length should read finger width

[Poff]

you can make a tensor that works like a common tensor and still has the torque wrench function.

I think you would get a much more accurate measurement with a circular tensioner. The torque is measured at the centerline of the rotating object. Since the standard tensioner goes in at the bottom of the keyway, and not the center of the plug, you could get a different reading based on the angle of the standard tensioner.