Turnign the plug after picking in a real life situation

[fgarci03]

Hi there.
This advice may not fit many people but I does to me, so I find it's better to share than to withhold

On a practice lock this doesn't happen but when you pick a lock that is in use (for whatever reason that might be), sometimes it's kinda difficult to rotate the plug all the way so that it retracts the bolt. It might be because the lock is old, or the bolt is heavy, or simply because the door itself is pressing against the bolt (haven't you ever need to push/pull/lift a bit any door in order to open it with a key?). When any of that happens, the tension wrench usually bends, since it doesn't have enough strenght.

So, I was filling a key and it didn't came out the way I expected, so I filled it all the way down till I got this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gkghw2d64aq82yp/2013-01-28%2018.51.52.jpg

This will fit nicely into the keyway, alowing you to have a pivot point to rotate without damaging your tools. It also prevents the "infamous" 180º turn stop to happen. It doesn't of course prevent you to have to pick the lock again in order to give it another spin, for that you need a plug spinner or similar.
This is just to allow you to "force" the lock to rotate when it is a bit stuck (and only for those reasons, if it's because the lock is damaged, this will only make things worse).

Some people use a screwdriver of course, I just don't usualy carry them with me, and since there are several sizes of keyways, some may work, some may not. This way, when I get a key that I no longer use, I fille it this way and I don't really spend a dime on these things and it's easy to get one for each keyway you may encounter.

You need, however, to be carefull with two things:
1. Pay attention to any signs of stress the key may have (remember it's just "half" of the key, so it will bend or break much easily than a working key), this one is going straight to the trash can, as it's already showing them (it was for an impressioning attempt ): https://www.dropbox.com/s/fdhrcwcg5dzi0bd/2013-01-28%2019.00.05.jpg
2. Don't ever insert the whole key into the keyway, leave just a bit out. I say this because the only part of the key that is likely to break is on the elbow (don't know if I made myself clear, so see the last image, it's that spot). So even if it breaks, you can always get it out with your fingers (or preferably pliers) and don't ruin the lock.

So now, all the keys I find no longer in use and was going to throw them away, I check to see if some fits a keyway that the ones I already have do not. If so, I fille it this way!

Just my 0,02$!

Be safe!

[cledry]

I've had many locks that would snap your tool like a twig. Never broken a screwdriver on one though. I modified the tip so it fits a keyway better.

[Bob Jim Bob]

I was thinking screwdriver as soon as I saw the title of the thread

[fgarci03]

Yeah, of course it's not something to put A LOT a force in it. I'm just talking about those all around situations we enconter. For something really stuck it won't work.

But how have you modified the screwdriver? Can you post pics of it? Here in Europe a regular screwdriver can't fit most of the keyways due to the warding. Something like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/486wju3kafmilho/2013-02-03%2017.41.43.jpg

Thank you!

[cledry]

Yeah, of course it's not something to put A LOT a force in it. I'm just talking about those all around situations we enconter. For something really stuck it won't work.

But how have you modified the screwdriver? Can you post pics of it? Here in Europe a regular screwdriver can't fit most of the keyways due to the warding. Something like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/486wju3kafmilho/2013-02-03%2017.41.43.jpg

Thank you!

On that sort of keyway I would just use a smaller blade screwdriver, we have similar keyways here.

[IndigoChild]

My shop orders promotional screwdrivers, little flatheads with our company name on them. We mutilate these things cause they are handy for just about everything. Including plug turning. The whole thing is smaller than a pocket pen. I suggest this because you would have to keep a set of maximum depth keys just to turn them.

[Raymond]

One of the turning tools I carry is considerably thicker than normal. It is rigid. It would easily fit part of your paracentric keyway and turn it easily. The factory original key would probably break before this tool bent. Similar rigid tools can be made from an allen wrench ground flat on the bent tip.

[IndigoChild]

Thanks for the tip, this is now my center pocket tool for those stubborn levers.

[catsoup]

This just doesn't seem like a very good idea...

fits a very small number of locks (only useful in a business/campus scenario where you are constantly called to work on the same keyway)

potential breakage is much higher than a screwdriver or similar tool (any tempered piece of metal)

if it does break its going to break with the whole shaft in the keyway (or most of it) which will be harder to remove than say, a chip off a screwdriver tip.

Those little promotional screwdrivers are small enough and useful enough to be an efficient addition to a kit.
Personally I keep one of those screwdrivers with my kit, as well as my multi-tool.

I suppose this is as good a use for a ruined blank as any.

[phrygianradar]

I have had this problem too, but I like to use another tension wrench for the extra push to move a stubborn bolt. If I picked it with the wrench at the bottom, I would put a top of the keyway wrench in and vise versa. I used to use a screwdriver, but it was so cheap it quickly broke, or tore, to be more precise. It seems to me that the closer it was to being right smack in the middle of the plug the better (the screwdriver, that is), but as mentioned, with slim or paracentric keyways that is tough to impossible. Maybe if I had more disposable screwdrivers I would feel differently...

[fgarci03]

Yeah.. I guess there are a lot of much better ideas for this! Particulary like the modified Allen Wrench!

Thank you for the advices

[fgarci03]

Thanks for the tip, this is now my center pocket tool for those stubborn levers.

I wonder how you made it so perfectly. When I try to shape something like that it always turns out looking like my dog has been chewing it for a while

[IndigoChild]

I have a unique mind with phenomenal patience and a grinding wheel. It may be my best friend in the shop.

[EmCee]

While I like the look of the tool you've made, in my view it's too powerful for use turning a plug, with therefore too much risk of ruining the lock.

I use a small driver as described above when needed (and never broken one in the lock), but not very often since most times a tension wrench will do it. If you are having to use that much force to turn the plug then in most cases it'll be because the bolt or latch is jamming in the keep, so pulling or pushing on the door while turning the cylinder will solve the problem. In a few cases it might be the plug that's tight, perhaps due to damage, or perhaps the bolt is bent - and in those cases using a more powerful tool is fine because I'd be replacing the cylinder anyway.

However, turning the plug after picking in a 'real life situation' is a locksmith problem, not a hobbyist problem because the locks you pick should be out of a door and not in use.

[IndigoChild]

Actually this tool doesnt really damage locks at all. The taper I put on it gently stops me from putting the tool in too far and its short enough that you cant wreck a lock unless your trying to break a smart key lock your not going to damage it. It is by no means a tensor for picking. It is to use after the plug has been picked to beat springs and WD-40 in the locks safely. as having the same exact dimentions on its blade as a small screw driver has I rather think this is the perfect tool for the job.

540 Exp Gained.