Mixing pins made by different manufactures?

[Bad_Jason]

I have a 6 cylinder cutaway that I re-pinned yesterday with some Schlage spools and the lock doesn't feel as responsive... particularly the tension. Once I get a false set, there's no resistance back to the 12 o'clock position when pushing the pin up. I find myself having to rotate the cylinder back a little with the tensor but there's absolutely NO resistance, no play at all. It picks, but it just doesn't feel right.

Does this sound right under certain circumstances? Should you be able to place Schlage and other misc security pins in any lock? I have several other locks with spool pins and they don't behave the way I described above.

Thanks,
~J

[loki-aka]

Have you doubled checked the driver pin heights ? Make sure the security pin sizes are the same as the original drivers. This is particularly the case if your repinning using the LAB Mini Durex security kit.

Also, if repinning to a new bitting-not just changing to security drivers- try to keep the stacks balanced.
Otherwise you could be crushing a spring, and that will make a stack feel odd.

[Bad_Jason]

Hi Loki.

I just ordered the LAB Mini Durex security kit the other day.

It appears that the security drivers are in-fact the same height. I left the bottom pins the same, so the bitting isn't effected. Maybe this lock just doesn't like the Schlage spools?

The key fits in the keyway but it isn't silky smooth like it was with the original pins.

Hopefully the LAB Mini Durex security kit works a little better for me. Thanks for the tip and if you have anymore repinning advice using this kit... it's very welcome!

~J

[Schuyler]

I love the LAB Mini Durex security pin set. One of the best purchases I ever made, and then I had the awful idea of awarding it to someone in a competition I was running. Getting my hands on serrated pins has been a miserable fight ever since. I really just need to reinvest, but it's hard to blow that money twice when a hundred spool pins can be had from CLK for $4.

[Bad_Jason]

Hmm, 100 serrated pins from CLK?

Website or your secret fight club? Details please!

~J

[Schuyler]

Not serrated, spool. Finding Serrated is Br00tal.

http://clksupplies.com

You'll probably want to buy a couple of things to offset the shipping costs, but they've got a lot of great stuff. I swear by them.

[Bad_Jason]

Very cool! Thanks!

[Bad_Jason]

That LAB Mini Durex security pin kit arrived.

I'm very pleased.... They work great in the cylinder that was giving problems with the Schlage spools.

http://www.lockpicks.com/highsecuritypinkit.aspx

[loki-aka]

Glad you like the Mini Durex. It is a good kit to have. The serrated pins are especially good.
Good, but "evil".