Picking spool pins

[glens_1999]

Well I followed the advice of some of our more skilled members and made a practice lock with just one spool pin in a 5 pin lock. Thats hard enough but I have picked it now 3 times. Learning the feel of spool pins as they go up and down in their holes. Light tension and sometimes even releasing tension slightly.

Used a SouthOrd short hook. Now my favorite pick.

Glen

[fgarci03]

Haha keep up the good work!

[Quickpicknpay]

Spool pins are a great challenge once you are confident picking locks without them. There are becoming more and more locks that use them these days. I just pick the lock as normal with whatever picks or pickgun you use until I feel and see the plug turn a bit. Then grab your favourite hook pick and try lifting each pin using light to moderate tension. You will find one or more that will try to take the tension off the tension wrench(the tension wrench will move or you can feel back pressure on it) This is when you know you have a spool pin. Lift the pin while slowly releasing tension until it clicks and sets. Other pins may drop in this process but at least one of the spool pins has been picked. Continue feeling and lifting the remainding pins until it's opened. I used to walk up to Yale deadlocks and think "Crap! mushroom pins!" this may take a while. But now I look forward to picking them just for a slight challange. Practice is the key....or the pick...or the opened lock...you know what I mean.

[glens_1999]

Well I did it! After much practice with a spool pin in a mortise lock I was able to pick the Brinks padlock. It's a great feeling. Thanks for all the good advice on practicing. Now on to 2 spool pins.

Glen

[Quickpicknpay]

Nice work! Most locks I see have two or three spool pins standard. Though lately I saw a brand new lock full of mushroom pins. I think there will be more and more manufacturers starting to use these as it's the cheapest way of making the lock more difficult to open.

[glens_1999]

I have been continuing to practice on my single spool pin lock. It's still tricky getting that spool pin to set " right". I can tell if its not set because I can't get the other pins to set.

I have my see through practice lock which has 3 spool pins. Much tougher but it's getting easier. I put some blue tape on it so I can't cheat.

That Brinks R70 discs lock is really tricky for me, but I've done it now 3-4 times. Takes a lot of patience.

With all the fancy picks out there I've found a short hook, a long hook and a tension wrench is really all I need for SPP picking.

Glen

[bjornnrojb]

I have found in the field that spool pins are really common in, say, Defiant locks or Schlage sourced from hardware stores. I bought a Defiant DB from Home Depot and found it had three spool pins. It was easy to learn on. Moving the spool pins into more tightly machined plugs makes it a lot harder! Another locksmith told me that the way to figure out if you have a spool pin is when the lock turns slightly, go back through and lift pins that will still move and if one moves the plug back against tension, it is probably the spool pin. Let it move back until you can raise the spool pin. Chances are you will lose some other pins, just lift them up after re-assessing the pin binding order. You can see it gets more complicated with more spool pins, though for some reason it is recommended not to use more than two or three in a five pin lock. My locksmith distributor said that he has never sold spool pins when I asked to buy some, not sure why not as it seems like a good way to upgrade people's cheap locks. They are usually game for an upgrade after their locks are picked in minutes in front of their eyes.

[Legion303]

When you get really good with security pins, try an American 5200 padlock. The core I pulled from mine has 5 serrated spools with matching serrated key pins (i.e., all 10 pins are high security). SPP is brutal.

-steve

[MrAnybody]

.......... You can see it gets more complicated with more spool pins, though for some reason it is recommended not to use more than two or three in a five pin lock.

If a 5 pin lock was loaded with 5 spool pins, there'd be too much rotational play in the lock. As a result, inserting the key fully would be difficult. As long a there's a 1 regular pin in a 5 pin lock, there's no reason not to load it with 4 spools. That 1 regular will prevent that excess rotational play.

There are several manufacturers (here in Europe) who load their locks in this way. 2 examples are cylinders made by ISEO and ZONE. It's probably the same in US, but I can't think of examples right now.

[glens_1999]

I just picked my see-through practice lock. It came with all spool pins but I traded out 2 for regulars. I have to put tape over it so I won't cheat Feels good to make some progress. Just love the little rush every time one falls open.

Of course I know the pattern pretty well now. Time to mix them up and keep practicing.

Glen

[fgarci03]

Congrats man!

[glens_1999]

Well I thought I was losing it. One of my locks with 1 spool pin that I've picked a dozen times, I could no longer pick. Went back to basics and picked some of my no spool pin locks to get my confidence back. Even picked my Brinks R70 disk, and another lock with 2 spool pins. I think I wore out the lock I couldn't get open. The spring on pin 1 is so weak that the driver just sticks. Anyone else had this problem? I guess that's one reason you shouldn't pick locks you don't own!

Anyway, getting better. Picking locks with 2 spool pins now. Really improves my "feel".

Glen

[basepi]

Spool pins are currently my kryptonite. Thanks for the tips on this thread, I'll keep at it!

And congrats! =)

--
basepi

[glens_1999]

Anyone picked a lock and didn't realize you had it picked? Happened to me last night picking a lock with 2 spool pins. I kept probing around and it felt like everything was set (of course I was watching tv at the time). I looked down and realized the barrel had turned and I was just feeling resistance because I was using a bottom keyway tension. I have ordered a Peterson prybar so I should be able to use top-of-keyway tensioning.

I got some new Goso picks and their hooks are really nice with good reach for those tough bittings.

Anyway, thought that was kind of funny.

Glen

[Bmrtin]

Happens to me here and there. Ill be working on it with light tension and it will rock and I will think I hit the spool and continue feeling with out knowing that the lock is open.