Interesting lock, (corbin)

[[serious]]

No security pins i could feel, but look at that keyway! All right angles. The third pin is minimal displacement with 4 and 5 really deep. You'll note the ball placed at the end of the pins. Not sure what this is for, but it was very hard to get any motion on the pins at an angle. It was definitely my most interesting pick to date.

What i ended up doing for 4 and 5 was getting a half diamond all the way in and working backward. If it had a different set order I'm not sure i could pick it

[femurat]

Half diamond for the win!

Congratulations

[just1pick+open]

Half diamond for the win!

Congratulations

You are the man with that diamond.

[billdeserthills]

Kinda looks like a ball bearing in the pic but it could just be my eyes

[[serious]]

Kinda looks like a ball bearing in the pic but it could just be my eyes

That's exactly what it is. The first and second pins have them for sure, I suspect the same is true for 3-5. I'm guessing it's to help the key slide more smoothly with those wonky right angles, but I'm not sure.

[billdeserthills]

The ball bearings are supposed to deter picking, especially while using a pick gun is what I've been told

[Squelchtone]

I heard the ball bearings were to reduce wear on the pins in a busy institutional setting such as a college campus or high school.

[[serious]]

I heard the ball bearings were to reduce wear on the pins in a busy institutional setting such as a college campus or high school.

That would make a lot of sense. I actually found it easier to hook on the pin under the ball for the first few pins just because space was so tight in that keyway.

[billdeserthills]

I heard the ball bearings were to reduce wear on the pins in a busy institutional setting such as a college campus or high school.

Seems to make the locks work easier
viewtopic.php?t=48429

[Raymond]

Russwin and Corbin were pinning their locks like that a long time ago. It definitely makes the lock last longer. I use the same thing today when pinning locks for locations that have very heavy traffic. The idea is gradually going away as more companies move to access control.

You might think that such a lock would be very easy to open by use of a comb pick but they had an answer for that. They put small cuts of wire inside the springs that would not let the ball be raised more than about half way past the top of the keyway. Sometimes they left the bearing out of the last pin.

I have always had a lot of respect for Russwin and Corbin and often found their locks to be quite difficult to pick.

[cledry]

That lock is not unusual, just old. I have worked on many of those over the years. The balls had nothing to do with making the lock pickproof, it was just about reducing wear. Typically all chambers came with them, but obviously the rear chambers get less wear so really didn't benefit as much.

[[serious]]

Russwin and Corbin were pinning their locks like that a long time ago. It definitely makes the lock last longer. I use the same thing today when pinning locks for locations that have very heavy traffic. The idea is gradually going away as more companies move to access control.

You might think that such a lock would be very easy to open by use of a comb pick but they had an answer for that. They put small cuts of wire inside the springs that would not let the ball be raised more than about half way past the top of the keyway. Sometimes they left the bearing out of the last pin.

I have always had a lot of respect for Russwin and Corbin and often found their locks to be quite difficult to pick.

Definitely the most challenging I've done so far, (excepting old beat up locks that were just in too poor of condition). The squared off keyway and bitting were what got me.

[Joe V]

I have been a locksmith over 50 years and as someone suggested that the balls in the lock are to keep wear down on the keys, a lot of times these are in high traffic areas. I have seen pins that have worn flat over the tip and you had to struggle to get the key in the lock especially if the pin turned 90 degrees to the flat. Seen this many time over the years.