Serrated Pins! How to pick them?
Image taken from http://www.lockwiki.com
For those who have read other guides, you may notice similarities to other texts on some expressions I will use. This text was based on Solomon's book and on a text Oldfast wrote. But I guarantee that EVERYTHING here is first hand experience. Some expressions they used are just too good to be wasted with me trying to write them on a different way.
You have been warned...
So, after picking for a while, you start to crave for more... "LET ME TRY SPOOLS", you say!
Soon you will be left with this question: "What do I pick now?"
I know... The same happened to me!
Some of the most fun and rewarding security pins you can pick are serrated pins. You will soon know why!
For this guide to be of help, you have to at least be confortable with the concepts of false set, counter-rotation, and how to properly SPP a lock. You don't need to be good at it, you just have to know what these things are, and how to work with them!
On top of that, you need to have a deep(ish) understanding of overseting a pin, or better, how NOT to do it! You can read that HERE.
Done? Good, now let's go on!
The first lock with serrated pins you should get is an American Padlock. It's classic. They have a mix of Serrated Driver and Keypins, and Hybrid Serrated Spools, from now on mentioned as Spoorated Pins. I started with the 5200. Some of these may have, instead of serrated pins, one bump stop pin and everything else regular. Be carefull chosing the lock and get one with serrated pins.
Enought talking, let's start!
In order to pick these pins, you basically have to add one thing: distinguishing between a false (the serrations) and a real set.
When you lift a serrated pin, the serration will "catch" on the sheerline and it will feel and/or sound like a set. You have to be able to scientifically differentiate them.
How to do it?
If you read the post I linked about oversetting, you might have already realized how to distinguish serrations!
Basically, if you find the perfect balance between lifting force and tension, you just have to keep lifting untill you bump into a wall.
Listen to the clicks.. Should be something like: Click, Click, Click, STONEWALL (no click or movement whatsoever!).
Be aware that the force to overcome a serration is bigger than to just lift a pin. But it's still smaller than the force needed to overset a pin. You just need to adjust you tension and/or lifting force on the first serration. Then keep it steady. The window of oportunity is much smaller now, so some practice is required (not as much as you might think though!
).Basically when the force needed to overcome the last serration isn't enough to overcome the next, it most probably means you have just setted that pin. Time to move on!
Another telling that the pin is set!
This one isn't very reliable. But it does help! So I'll explain it but I must warn you: If you just rely on this you will get frustrated!
Sound! Notice the sound of the clicks. A click on a serration should be duller than the actual set, which is crispier.
This can be affected by a number of factors such as dirt in the lock and lubrication.
But, in a perfect world, it should be something like: Click, Click, Click, SNAP!
This method is to be used IN ADDITION to Feeling, which is the only truly reliable method to use. But it does add some sense of security to you "decision" of set vs. false set.
On my first few tryouts with serrated pins, I practiced with gloves on to develop a refined sense. You can hear the difference between many clicks:
What about Spoorated Pins??
These pins don't add much difficulty to regular spools. Basically they only have one serration you have to overcome. The exact same principle is applied: The force needed to overcome the serration's false set is NEVER bigger than the force needed to overcome the spool's false set. But it's ALWAYS smaller than the force needed to overset. So just stick to the same method and it's peach!
I hope this will help you overcome these pins faster. I tried to be thorough but I might have missed some points. I am sorry for that!
For last, I'll just add that there are numerous ways to pick these, I just wrote about the one I use, and seems more logical.
Other technique is Reversed Picking, which consists in purposely oversetting the pins and let them fall down to their set position. With serrated keypins this has became obsolete, although I've heard it's still possible. I've never even tried it, so if you do, be sure to post your results here.
And for the real last part!!
There are many kinds of serrated pins. The ones on American Padlocks have small serrations but there are some with deeper and larger serrations:
These are a little more complicated. But just a little.
To tell the truth, the same principle is applied. But you have to count on a counter-rotation much like if it was a spool. Everything else remains the same: When the force to lift the pin isn't enought to move it further, it should be set!
Have fun!
Well written, and sure to help others.
