Way strong springs...

[DanJ96125]

The 5-pin Schlage deadbolt on my front door has super strong
springs. As in, it kinda hurts after picking for a while. (Yes,
I know I shouldn't practice on a lock that is in use, so serves
me right...) But: any idea whether this is something standard
or maybe a locksmith did it to ward off picking? It has worked
in my case. I've had no luck at all with it.

I assume there is a fundamental trade-off between being a pain
to pick and causing wear on keys and pins.

Thanks!
Dan

[AngryHatter]

Please do not take this the wrong way; I have to wonder more about your technique rather than the lock.

How do you hold the pick?
What kind of wrench are you using?

And yes, why are you playing with a lock you want to be in 100% working condition?
Eventually you will drop a spring and tear it. In some cases that effectively freezes the lock.

Much cheaper is a practice lock. Like The 7 Pin Adversary or Mr Wizards.

[DanJ96125]

Thank you for the reply.

You are right to question my technique, especially since I'm a beginner. I've
tried many ways to hold the pick, multiple tension tools (including pry bars).
Even pushing the pins without tension takes much more force than other
locks. I've now picked a dozen or so locks, including other identically keyed
Schlages around the house (I know, I know...). This one is my nemesis, but
I'm happy to let it go. It's mostly curiosity at this point, but how embarrassing
not to be able to pick my way into my own home!

The last piece of info I have is that, when I bought the house a decade ago
and took this particular deadbolt to the locksmith for rekeying, he said
"wow, that's a high security lock". Previous owners were very security
conscious.

thanks again!

[GWiens2001]

Have you tried to lube the lock? And is it a real Schlage, or just the Schlage C keyway?

Gordon

[billdeserthills]

How about posting a pic of your lock, so we can see the keyway?
Schlage deadbolt housings accept most every standard deadbolt cylinder in the US & many from abroad

[DanJ96125]

@GWiens2001, yes I've sprayed in some silicone dry lube, but haven't disassembled. I'm assuming
they lubed it 10 years ago when the locksmith rekeyed but maybe not.

@billdeserthills Here is photo:


Thanks!

[billdeserthills]

@GWiens2001, yes I've sprayed in some silicone dry lube, but haven't disassembled. I'm assuming
they lubed it 10 years ago when the locksmith rekeyed but maybe not.

@billdeserthills Here is photo:


Thanks!

Do you ever use your key on that lock?

[DanJ96125]

Yes, key works fine. Just noticed it's pretty loud as you insert it
and the pins ride over the ridges.

[billdeserthills]

Yes, key works fine. Just noticed it's pretty loud as you insert it
and the pins ride over the ridges.

Sounds like it needs some lubricant, I usually find the more a lock gets used the easier it can be to pick open
and the less it gets used, the harder it can be

[DanJ96125]

OK - I disassembled to clean and lubricate. Here is a shot of the driver pins
and springs. For comparison on the right are a spring I pulled from a Medeco
and another that (I think) came from a Schlage. As you can see, the springs
in this lock are pretty beefy. They're still giving me quite a struggle. Think I'll
give up now

[billdeserthills]

OK - I disassembled to clean and lubricate. Here is a shot of the driver pins
and springs. For comparison on the right are a spring I pulled from a Medeco
and another that (I think) came from a Schlage. As you can see, the springs
in this lock are pretty beefy. They're still giving me quite a struggle. Think I'll
give up now

Looks like standard springs and top pins for an old Schlage lock. Those older deadbolts were fairly tight tolerance,
which does tend to make picking harder-
of course you might have an exceptional key bitting frustrating your picking abilities, it does happen

[GWiens2001]

Double spring on the end?

Gordon

[DanJ96125]

@ GWiens2001 I was just showing two springs at the end for comparison. Those weren't in the cylinder. One from a Medeco and another from a different Schlage (I think).

[GWiens2001]

OK, that makes more sense.

Gordon