Mountain Security Cylinder Turning Question

[marlowe]

I promise I already tried to search for several variations on my question, with no helpful results.

I bought a Mountain Security deadbolt from Walmart, and am having some trouble. I've managed to open it when only 3 or 4 pins are inside, but I've been able to pick it with tension on either side. Is this normal? I've been unable to pick it for a while, since I've mostly had luck on my side, not skill at this point. Does anyone know which way the cylinder is supposed to turn in an MS lock? (Or am I uninformed and the cylinder will always go either way in a lock just being held in the hand?)

Thanks in advance for any help.

[tjweaver84]

For a dead bolt in hand it should unlock either way. The bolt is what stops the cylinder when the lock is installed and determined which direction is lock and which is unlock.

[Olson Burry]

Locks can be trickier one way than the other. If you've got a really long key pin that binds first towards the front it can be a challenge getting under it without overlifting. Often it is the case the a pin binding first clockwise, will be the last to bind anti-clockwise.

Also, when applying bottom of keyway tension the wrench can actually snag on the bottom of the cylinder and dig in against the warding, giving the impression rotational force is being applied where actually it's just digging in or pushing up against the warding. One way to test that is to pick the lock then hold the back while you put the wrench in as if to go the other direction. If it binds instead of turns after you've put some pressure on and released the back, that'll be the problem. Top of keyway tension can eliminate possible binding of the wrench against the bottom of the cylinder.

Hope that helps, keep at it

[Squelchtone]

I promise I already tried to search for several variations on my question, with no helpful results.

I bought a Mountain Security deadbolt from Walmart, and am having some trouble. I've managed to open it when only 3 or 4 pins are inside, but I've been able to pick it with tension on either side. Is this normal? I've been unable to pick it for a while, since I've mostly had luck on my side, not skill at this point. Does anyone know which way the cylinder is supposed to turn in an MS lock? (Or am I uninformed and the cylinder will always go either way in a lock just being held in the hand?)

Thanks in advance for any help.

Take the lock out of the box, and on the table assembly the thumb turn, the deadbolt, and the cylinder together. What you will notice is that a flat piece of metal (the tailpiece) coming out of the back of the cylinder which goes through the deadbolt assembly and into an X shaped hole to the plate that has the thumb turn on it.

Now, insert the key and turn it clockwise if the deadbolt is on your left, OR turn the key counter clockwise if the deadbolt is to your right. By doing this you first learn how a lock actually works when installed in a door, and take that new found knowledge and apply it to your picking sessions.

Now, if you just take the cylinder and pick it in your hand, and forget the fact that normally when installed on a door it has the deadbolt and thumb turn attached to it, direction no longer matters since we are not actually moving a deadbolt in and out. So the only remaining point is to lift the pins in the lock up to the proper height for each pin, create a shear line and turn the plug. It doesn't matter which direction you apply tension while picking, just as long as it turns the lock once your hook pick, or half diamond or snake rake create a shear line. If you were a locksmith and had to get someone into their house, then yes, you need to know which direction to turn the plug, and that comes with experience. Some locks also pick easier CW or CCW, so some locksmiths will pick them in the easy direction, then use a tool called a plug spinner which quickly rotates the plug in the desired direction, in order to retract the deadbolt or latch.

Squelchtone