Stopped by a Schlage

[PrimalFuture]

Was sitting around the house the other day and decided to pull out a couple of padlocks, a Master and a U-Haul. Pretty soon I had them both open, so I decided to do a search and see what else was out there and found this forum. After doing some reading I was ready to try some deadbolts. I went to Wal-mart and picked up every deadbolt they had (2 to be exact). A Mountain Home and a Brinks. Not satisfied with my selection, I went next door to Home Depot and picked up a Defender, a Kwikset, a Defiant, and a Schlage.

Happy that my new collection ought to give me hours of enjoyment, I got home and began picking away. Since I heard the Kwikset pretty much sucked I started with that. After about 30 seconds of raking with my S-pick, I had it open. Not satisfied, I pulled out the hook and began to single pin pick it. In not too much time, I had it open.

On through the Brinks, the Defender, the Defiant, and the Mountain Home. Each lock came open within a couple minutes each using both raking and single pin techniques.

And then came the big head. This isn't so hard. I have no clue what's supposed to be so hard about this. If I can do it with so little practice, I'll be on to the Medeco's in no time.

And then came the Schlage. I haven't taken it apart yet, but I immediately noticed there was a lot less room in there to work around due to the design of the keyhole. To make matters worse, each of the pins was bullet tipped, so my hook pick would slide off and give a much worse feel than did the pins on the other locks. It seems like this lock takes a lot less tension than the others. Too much tension and all the pins lock. Too little tension (not much less) and all the potentially set pins (haven't gotten to the point of telling whether they're REALLY set or not) pop down and I'm back to square one. I've tried and tried and not much luck.

So, off with the big head and on with one that is much more realistic. Looks like I need to take the thing apart, remove some pins and start with small steps. It'll be interesting to see if there are any spool or other security pins in there. At times I think I feel some funny movement in there, so we'll see.

Wish me luck!

[Stash]

Many Schlage locks have security pins. The keyway is also very restrictive, so I usually have to pick it in reverse and use a plug spinner or I can't get it. Also, it's great that you've made it through all those other brands so quickly.
~Stash

[Eyes_Only]

Funny, we were just talking about this. Check out this thread, it might help. viewtopic.php?t=18634

[cheesehead]

try putting your wrench in the top of the keyway, that seems to be the best way to handle schlage keyways. It will give you more room to work -and most likely it does have a couple of security pins.

[raimundo]

make a bogota rake and sand it really well, then try the hokey pokey

[SmokieD]

try putting your wrench in the top of the keyway, that seems to be the best way to handle schlage keyways. It will give you more room to work -and most likely it does have a couple of security pins.

Yep,

When picking tight keyway schlages( i have a cutaway of a schlage btw) i have always found that once i get through the first pins my pick usually oversets the pins ive already picked leading me to start over again.
This can be very frustrating. And keep in mind i am watching this happen with my cutaway but it is still hard to stop.

You might also need a slimmer shaft of a pick. And try it with a circle or a diamond, but a rake like your using is still good to start off with.
Switch up, once you pick it with a rack and loosened it up, insert a circle(round pick)into it and see how it does. Then a diamond. Your bound to get lucky eventually.

[PrimalFuture]

I finally had the chance to take my Schlage apart and its a doozie. 2 spools, 2 mushrooms, and 1 regular pin. Unfortunately, it looks like I need a lot more practice putting it back together. I've already managed to clip a couple of the springs by accident.

I did get a chance to at least single pin it. I was really able to feel the over-rotation that everyone talks about. I learned to back off the tension to get past the spool and then push up the pin up to the shear line. I can see how the need to let off the tension would make things more challenging as you progress to more pins, as the reduction in tension would increase the chances that earlier set pins would fall as well.

The reverse picking technique is something that makes a lot of sense, theoretically, with picking spools/mushrooms. If the security pins are dropping down and set that way, the security features of the pin wouldn't come into play.

Do you guys find reverse picking to be more consistent in picking security pins?

I'll get my Schlage back together, with some new springs, and give it another go, trying everyone's suggestions ... reverse picking, wrench in top of the keyway, etc.

[LockNewbie21]

make a bogota rake and sand it really well, then try the hokey pokey

here's a tip. Get a wiper blade (rays bogata design make it to easy )

Bend the wiper blade to stick stick in the top of the keyway, bend it so its right infront of the first pin (it should not touch)

Then rake till false set (the cylinder will turn a bit and lcok up again)

Take you hook and lighten the tunring pressure, push of the last four pins, and false set pin the cylinder will turnthe oppsite way, when you feel this, contiue descreasing tension until it clicks.

Odds are there are four spools int he last four chambers, the last pin yu get to the plug will be turned a fair bit so be careful setting the last pin.


Or jsut do what i do when i get lazy use a snap gun.. things fall open

[LockNewbie21]

I just re read that, and man, I need another cup of coffee, that looks like a monkey on crap was smashing my keyboard as i typed that.

You can kind get the hint of what i said i hope?

[cjames73]

regarding reverse picking, i have tried it but prefer getting around security pins the way LockNewbie21 describes above(minus the snap gun ).

LockNewbie21, your supposed to type with your fingers, not your forehead

[LockNewbie21]

LockNewbie21, your supposed to type with your fingers, not your forehead