Repinning a Yale Cylinder Lock.

[stacks]

I'm having a little difficulty removing the small circle-like piece of metal that keeps the plug in the lock. I think it's called the retaining ring. On this Yale lock, it's clasped pretty tight on there. I've tried a screwdriver but it doesn't seem to want to budge. Has anyone had any luck removing this thing or can anyone think what might help.
I'm building a practice lock. One pin at a time.



stacks

[stacks]

Oh and, thank you illusion for this article. It's really straight forward and the pictures are perfect.

[Olson Burry]

Yeh, those things are a pain in the arse to get off, you've just got to keep prying at it. Be careful not to stab yourself.

When you do get it off, and begin to remove the core, dont let the springs and everything fly away! You can do it in freezer bag or something to make sure.

The other thing, when you come to put the C clip back on, it can be awkward especially if it isn't straight when you do clamp it together, it can inhibit the movement of the plug so just something to bear in mind.

Good luck!

[Puzzlerf]

Yeah those things are a pain, I've stabbed my self pretty bad because of one of those. Don't use a kwickset tool to try to take them off. Small flat head works good, about what it looks like your doing in your photo. And you usually have to bend them back in shape to put them back on.

[stacks]

Got it! The secret was good old fashioned gumption. I used a screwdriver to loosen it, a kitchen knife and some needle nosed pliers. And yeah, I nearly sliced myself up good. Scary.

And the picture was from illusions article on repinning cylinder locks. Thanks guys.

stacks

[jpb06080]

I find that a good set a pinning tweezers is the best way to tackle a C-clip. They are sort of expensive (about 20$) but its really worth it to get a pair by LAB or A1 if you are going to be rekeying alot of locks.

[mhole]

Spread the ring a little with a small flat screwdriver, then spread it the rest of the way with a set of small circlip pliers. This minimises the distoration of the clip, and makes reassembly easier.

[Raymond]

I cannot see clearly enough is this picture to determine if there are bumps on the inside of this particular retaining ring. If so it can be understandably difficult to remove. If the ring is round inside and does not have flat sides like a Kwikset it should be easy to remove. At best, avoid deforming the ring at all.

This is a speed method that works most of the time on a lot of locks. Try securing the lock in a vise or something so it will not spin to practice. I usually just hold it down on my bench. Using your finger, fingernail, tweezers, or another small screwdriver press the ring hard and in toward the plug on the left end of the ring. Using another metal tip of anything, scrape the other end of the ring toward you and off of the plug. I know this may be difficult to comprehend without a good photo. I try to hold the metal tip in my right hand closed in my fist and put my thumb on the opposite side of the lock. Then close my hand toward my thumb as my thumb supports the lock. As long as the ring does not slip around the plug, it will rotate off with very good control. Get it halfway off and grab it before it springs itself into earth orbit.

Learn a million techniques and pick the best one for the next job.

LOL

Raymond

[stacks]

The Yale cylinder lock I was re-pinning did have bumps on the side. The method I found that worked the best was to use a flat nosed screwdriver and to twist the ring outward from the plug and then to grab the ring with some needle nosed pliers and pull it gently until it has bent the ring enough to work it off with my fingers.

It deformed the ring slightly, but I could fix it back into place no problem.

[mhole]

Also, if this is a genuine Yale cylinder, you don't need to remove the clip to rekey it.

Yale cylinders, and a few other good quality cylinders, holes on the bottom of the cylinder, and a metal blanking strip which covers the holes. This strip is retained by the circlip which holds the tail on and retains the plug.

If you spread the surclip a little, so there is a gap of about 5mm where it opens, you can slide the blanking plate out. Then, simply turn the plug 180 degrees, and you can drop out the old pins and repin as required.

NB: You will need to remove the plug entirely to swap or remove driver pins and springs.

[stacks]

Oh my god, you're right!
I can't believe I missed it. That could've been so easy!
Oh well, I suppose it was handy to see the innards of how the lock worked.
It really made visualizing it a lot easier. When I put the lock back together, I remember all the illustrations I'd seen of lock diagrams suddenly made sense.

cheers,

stacks.

p.s Oh um, hypothetically speaking, if someone happened to be rekeying a lock for the first time and happened to accidentally break a tiny spring...do you think that person will be able to buy new springs and if so, where?

[barbarian]

hypothetically ??

I would grab a spring that fits from another lock. I always seem to have one or two cheapo donor locks laying around. Pinning kits come with springs, so they are available. If you have a local locksmith, they would probably give you/sell you a few if you ask nice.