Homemade Tubular Lockpick

[assweasel]

Made with #15 Gauge Brad nails for Feelers
3/8" od Copper Pipe used for tip
Piece of a pen used for tension
5/16" Bolt Used for handle
2 1/4 O rings used to keep feelers in place.
2 Pieces from a tubular lock

Made this by hand . Used a hand file to file everything.
Works real good on Ace II
Not so good on Ace Gem Fort etc.

To much drift on the feelers to pick well with a pump action.
Was going to file grooves for the feelers but didn't have a small file with me when i made this while sitting in my truck during a lunch hour.

[Krypos]

thats great. but how did you assemble it all?

[Gundanium]

You should definiantly post a picture, most inventions in text aren't as great until a picture justifys it's exsistance. but it sounds cool man, but then again, pictures are awesome.

[Gundanium]

Sorry I meant bigger/ action pictures, I totally forgot to post those words

[Fah_Cue]

click the picture..

[Squelchtone]

I've always wondered how these are actually used..

Is the lock being read/decoded by sticking this into a tubular lock and the feelers (or nails in this case) move to show you the pin sizes/heights? then you lock the feelers, stick the tool in the lock again and it opens as with a key?

or are these locks picked 1 pin at a time by trying to feel if you have gotten the shear line for that pin by feeling a little rotation?

thanks,

Squelchtone

[assweasel]

Depends on the lock.
Ace II must be picked pin by pin

Ace Fort Gem and No name brands are picked using a pumping action.
Being able to lock the feelers down in either case is a gret help but not necessary. With experience you can just hold the pick in with the correct pressure to fully open the lock. The problem usually comes when you need to re-insert the pick to re-lock it. Dollars to doghnuts you will lose the combo with out proper tension.

A method of circumventimg this is to not fully open the lock. Turn till the lock opens but do not turn the pick fully. This way you will be inbetween the pinholes and can get an accurate read of the combo just by inserting the pick and bottoming it out.

You can use this when opening a lock to get a full and proper read DO NOT turn the lock anymore than 15 degrees upon initially opening it. Now cram the pick down as far into the lock as you can. You will now have a perfectly set pick with no binding or scratching pins.