Just started, and I have a question

[m3ph15t0]

Hi, I just started recently, and have run into a slight problem. I have been picking a Defiance 5 pin cylinder I bought at the hardware store and have been following the exercise that digital blue wrote up. I have reached the point where I am picking three pins, and when I set the first pin (often the back one) everything kind of jerks and all of the shear pressure is transfered to the next pin. Now this wouldn't be a problem, except that when the pressure transfers the next pin often gets pushed up a ways by my pick, and if it is a tall pin it will sometimes get popped up above the shear line. So I take some pressure off to get it to drop down, and the first pin always drops down with it. So my question is, how do I keep it from popping up in the first place, or get it to drop back down without the first pin doing so as well?

[CVScam]

I think I understand your problem, your lock sounds like it has a high pin then a low pin. I would first try putting less tension on the cylinder starting out or use a different shaped hook that won't lift the wrong pin. You might try to put the tension wrench at the top of the cylinder or pick it turning the tension wrench the other way.

[Kaotik]

That's what it sounds like to me too. Like CVScam mentioned try applying the tension at the top of the keyway near the first key pin without touching it and use a deeper hook than the one you were using and this should solve the problem.

The deeper hook will reach under and past the long pin to set the short one adjacent to it with more room to work with the tension applied on top.

[Gordon Airporte]

You should also try picking with tension in the opposite direction. The pins will bind in a different (theoretically opposite) order. It's something I think we all learn to do at some point, although it can be awkward depending on how the lock is mounted. You're brain gets used to reading the feedback from pressing the wrench with your fingertip, and you have to do it some other way.

[Gordon Airporte]

Oops - CVScam beat me to it.
But I can add: you should make a special wrench, or shape one end of a wrench you already have, so the blade is very short - like 1/8" or less, for using in the top of keyways.

[m3ph15t0]

Thanks, a lot! I just finished a deeper hook (out of a bycicle spoke) and that worked perfectly. I just have to be really carefull to not touch the really tall pin, and keep the tension light so my pick doesn't bounce. I didn't try tension in the opposite direction, because my lock is so new that the two back pins both bind at almost the exact same tension. But next time I run into that problem I'll try it.
Thanks a lot!

[JackNco]

ah so ur making my own picks. im one of those that buys picks in stead of makes them (at least for now) u might consider getting a slimline long hook. might make thing s a bit easier. or model ur picks on it.



If u need a more detailed pic of it i think i have one just give us a PM

[m3ph15t0]

Yeah, thats almost what my new hook looks like, except that the entire neck is also really thin.

Now, I seem to have run into a new problem. I worked my way up to four pins and can pick that really eaisily now. Obviously the next step would be five pins, but I only have one lock and the fifth pin is a spool. I put it in by itself to get the feel of setting it and got the general idea, but whenever I put in a new pin stack, I always seem to overset the spool. Do any of you have any tips or tricks for spools?

[pizarro]

are you sure that you are oversetting the spool?
try with 2 in stacks, first stack with a normal driver pin, and the second with the spool pin.

set the first binding pin (probably the first stack), then try setting the second, you will have to release the pressure and the first stack may unset, don't worry about it, set the second stack (i.e. the one with the spool pin) and then reset the first.

See if that helps.

[m3ph15t0]

I'm sure its oversetting, it pops up all the way untill the pin is completely gone. Then I lay off the tension untill just that pin pops back down and try to catch it at exactly the shear line, but its a crap shoot.

[m3ph15t0]

OOH! OOH! I figured somthing out!
Ok, what I figured out is that I can use the top of my tension wrench as a kind of fulcrum and use it to apply leverage to my hook pick, the idea being that when the spool pops past it's little ridgy thing I have way more control over how far it pops up than if I'm just applying pressure with my hands.

[pizarro]

I do something similar, but I use my finger against the lock as a pivot point, or part of the key warding instead