Need help getting the cylinder out of a padlock

[Slick Pick]

Okay so I’m going to take the plunge and try and get the cylinder out of this ACE padlock. I’ve taken cylinders out of locks before, along with the pins (a Medico is REALLY neat inside). So where do I begin here? I see the small hole at the bottom and have tried to insert a stiff wire into it with the shackle open but……..nothing.
So why do I want to take this one apart? It’s a tough little bugger to pick, harder then my Brinks padlock. And I’d like to see the security pins inside. Thanks in advanced for your help.

Hopefully I’ve made the picture smaller then last time. I’m still trying to get the hang of that.

[TigerDragon]

That padlock is not a rekeyable lock. The hole you see is to allow for drainage from the shackle when used out in the weather.

[Slick Pick]

Ah Master TigerDragon, thank you for your quick response to the humble grasshopper. I kind of thought that but wasn’t sure, so that’s why I went poking around inside of course. My way of thinking as the lowly grasshopper was, well it went it so it has to come out . Well looks like back to picking………….”Git ‘er done”.

[TigerDragon]

Ah Master TigerDragon, thank you for your quick response to the humble grasshopper. I kind of thought that but wasn’t sure, so that’s why I went poking around inside of course. My way of thinking as the lowly grasshopper was, well it went it so it has to come out . Well looks like back to picking………….”Git ‘er done”.

If you search the forums to about a year ago or so (maybe a little longer?) you may find a video that someone did where they cooked a similar lock to force the caps over each pin on the side of the lock to come out. The person was able to repin the lock with new parts, but I wouldn't suggest this method for most people. It's a novelty, but any time intense heat is applied and then extreme cold, there's a chance of causing unwanted damage.

Mileage may vary, void where prohibited, usual warnings apply.

[ToolyMcgee]

Yes, not rekeyable, but you can exploit the manufactoring process to make
dissassembleing it easier. TigerDragon is right about the heating and rapid cooling.
It can crack brass, definately discolors it and might not force all the caps out.
You could put it to the drill press, if you have one. Here's a thread that
talks about both.
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10589
Oh, and a cool tricircle dissassembly illusion did.
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10665

Of the brass locks I heated to eject the caps, the ones I was able to reassemble
were noticably affected by the process. They look burnt, heating smoked
every bit of lubricant inside, and the locks operation changed. I assume because
superheating the metal deformed it. They work, but not as well as they did.
I havn't been able to force out a plug retaining pin by heating a lock, only the caps

-Tooly

[Slick Pick]

Okay maybe I don't want to know what the security pins look like THAT bad That looks like a LOT of work, the second way is pretty cool looking though. So how did you tell by looking at the lock that it’s not rekeyable? Was it just because it was brass or is there some other “secret”. The reason I ask is I have more than one padlock that I may try getting my feet wet with. Thanks for all your help, it’s greatly appreciated.

[ToolyMcgee]

Arrrgghhh! I hate this center justification! Sorry... anyway it is because
there is no trap door, or cylinder retainer houseing. There has to be a place for the
bible to come out with the cylinder, or 90 percent of the time it has a retaining
pin holding the plug in and the shell and bible are the body of the padlock. Many times the
cylinder retainer houseing will be held in by a retainer screw found inside the bottom
of the cavity of the opened shackle. If there is a screw in the bottom of the
cavity, then turn it and the houseing and cylinder will be release. Trap doors are this way
as well. However, on occasion trap door's will be swaged in, which means it looks rekeyable,
but the trap door cannot be removed from a retaining screw. There are of course other
ways to hold a cylinder in a rekeyable lock, but these are the most common ways.

-Tooly

[thelockpickkid]

I had a brinks, that was almost the same kind of lock, it was so fricken hard to pick, I tore it apart to have a look, I used a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel and got it to come apart, I cut two shallow lines on either side of the lock, on the right hand side then used a sharp wide punch to sort of put into the cuts and crack the case the rest of the way open, just be careful when you cut, don't cut too deep or you will cut into the bible and you don't want to do that.

[Slick Pick]

Thanks so much for your help everyone, your time, effort and the sharing of your knowledge is greatly appreciated. I’ve learned a lot from all your answers.

Mr. ToolyMcgee I hope I didn’t get you upset with anything that I said.

Arrrgghhh! I hate this center justification! -Tooly

[Olson Burry]

No.. Tooly is using Internet Explorer probably which for various reasons
centres the text instead of left justifying it like Firefox.

[Slick Pick]

That one kind of went over my head, duh don't you think? KIND OF
Hey no wonder they tell me I need help! Well at least I finally get that one now