First bottom pin sticking

[PongApp]

I just don't know what it is. For some reason the bottom pin of my practice lock (very first one in the keyway) keeps sticking no matter how far i push it up and regardless of tension. I actually was able to take my hand off the tensions tool completely and it still stuck. Am I doing something wrong?

Here's a picture of the pin stuck and the practice lock I'm using.

[PongApp]

Guess my image tags didn't work and I can't find an edit function. Just take the links, apologies for double post.

http://img258.imageshack.us/i/40909348.jpg/

http://img526.imageshack.us/i/36271534.jpg/

[MacGyver101]

Hrm. Could be a number of things.

Random guess: if there's a very deep cut in that position on the key, I've seen cases (I'm thinking of one of my Yale KIK cylinders here) where the spring actually normally sits inside the plug... and, if you pick it open in that position, you can trap and damage the spring, which could then interfere with the bottom pin. Have you looked at the pinstack? (i.e., do the spring, driver and bottom pin look normal?)

...or perhaps I misunderstanding your question, and you're describing a situation where you've managed to trap a spooled driver pin?

[PongApp]

Well it could simply be my inexperience. These are standard pins, and it's a 5-pin practice lock. I just started and I took out 4 of the 5 pins. Now it sets easily (though it's just one pin). When I was trying to set all 5 pins before (very hard as a noob, haha) it kept seeming to stick. Must've been trapping it against the shear line though im not sure how as i was being very careful.

[PongApp]

Okay, now I noticed that even with less pins that first one keeps sticking for some reason. Even when I try to turn the key to lock it back in place it wouldn't go back down.

[EmCee]

Have you tried swopping the spring in case the spring is damaged?