Newb to Lockpicking, need advice...

[TreeofLiberty]

I purchased a set of pics. Studied internal diagrams, so I have a good theoretical understanding of basic locks.

I am able to open simple padlocks in short order now.

However, I have been trying a Schlage deadbolt I bought for practice, and cannot get it to work.

When I disassembled it, I noted that furthest back lower pin is a straight cylinder, while the other four are narrower in the center than the ends.

Is this what is holding me up? How do I get around this?

Can anyone advise?

Thanks!

[Jason13]

They are called Spool pins when you apply tension it will make you think youv'e set a pin etc...

When you False set a spool pin you can carry on setting all the other pins but that one pin wrecks everything!

I find getting around spools is to rake it then pin pick to find which is the false set and you will find it will rotate the plug in the other direction (anti clockwise) then it will suddenly stop and set the false set into a set.


Thats my only way of picking spools hope this helps you when you try this.

[Olcaytug]

put that lock into a box until you can pick all locks without security pins you can find. I picked my first lock with spools after picking nearly 50 different locks and it was only by the help of bogata picks! It took another 50 locks to pin pick one of those!

[Jason13]

I picked about errm under 10 padlocks my grandas front door my garage from door.


Then i got a Yale euro cylinder from a lp101 member and raked it and pin picked it open.


I always rake the spools into a false set and then pick the false set into a normal set

[Olcaytug]

I picked about errm under 10 padlocks my grandas front door my garage from door.


Then i got a Yale euro cylinder from a lp101 member and raked it and pin picked it open.


I always rake the spools into a false set and then pick the false set into a normal set

I really do admire you!

[Jason13]

[TreeofLiberty]

I always rake the spools into a false set and then pick the false set into a normal set

Remember, I am a newbie to this. Are you saying that the "spool pin" is causing a false set thru its plastic deformation, as in this:

'If you scrub a lock and pins are not setting even when you vary the torque, then some pin has false set and it is keeping the rest of the pins from setting. Consider a lock whose pins prefer to set from back to front. If the backmost pin false sets high or low see Figure 9.2), then the plug cannot rotate enough to allow the other pins to bind. It is hard to recognize that a back pin has false set because the springiness of the front pins makes it hard to sense the small give of a correctly set back pin. The main symptom of this situation is that the other pins will not set unless a very large torque is applied.

When you encounter this situation, release the torque and start over by concentrating on the back pins. Try a light torque and moderate pressure, or heavy torque and heavy pressure. Try to feel for the click that happens when a pin reaches the sheer line and the plug rotates slightly. The click will be easier to feel if you use a stiff torque wrench."

So the spool pin, because it is a straight cylinder as opposed to a cylinder with a narrower middle, or I shape, has more plastic deformation and thus is more susceptible to being false set?

Thanks!

[vector40]

Nothing's deforming.

Ordinarily, you feel a pin stack set when the plug turns very slightly -- you've "broken" the pin stack at the shearline, and the top pin in that stack is no longer blocking the rotation of the plug, allowing the plug to move a little and bind on the next pin (whichever that is).

With a spool pin, you'll lift the pin stack, and it will promptly "catch" on the cut-out center part. The plug will rotate a little, but you've not set that pin -- the flat edges of the spool have just gotten caught against the wall of the lock hull, and you won't be able to push it up any farther, which means you won't be setting either that pin nor any others until you can get past the spool.

It's a kind of a false set, but it's much harder to deal with because the pin is actually shaped to keep you from pushing past it. There are a few popular ways of dealing with these. The most common is to pick until you hit the spool (sounds like you've actually got four of them, which will be a real pain), then try to push up the spool using tension light enough that you don't get jammed by the edge. Ultra light is the key.

[TreeofLiberty]

Nothing's deforming.

Ordinarily, you feel a pin stack set when the plug turns very slightly -- you've "broken" the pin stack at the shearline, and the top pin in that stack is no longer blocking the rotation of the plug, allowing the plug to move a little and bind on the next pin (whichever that is).

With a spool pin, you'll lift the pin stack, and it will promptly "catch" on the cut-out center part. The plug will rotate a little, but you've not set that pin -- the flat edges of the spool have just gotten caught against the wall of the lock hull, and you won't be able to push it up any farther, which means you won't be setting either that pin nor any others until you can get past the spool.

It's a kind of a false set, but it's much harder to deal with because the pin is actually shaped to keep you from pushing past it. There are a few popular ways of dealing with these. The most common is to pick until you hit the spool (sounds like you've actually got four of them, which will be a real pain), then try to push up the spool using tension light enough that you don't get jammed by the edge. Ultra light is the key.

Ah - I see. The straight pin in the back is the normal pin, whereas the four 'spool' pins are the difficult ones.

I understand now. Thanks!

[Mr. Lock Pick]