Cutaway Lock

[Exodus5000]

I've been working on learning to pick security pins as the "next step" in my work to become a better lock picker. I don't want to buy a cutaway lock, so I figured making one would probably be a lot cheaper, and not very hard. I think i'm gonna go to the hardware store, buy a lock that I know has security pins in it, remove the core and grind away on the side until the pins are exposed. So if you were looking at the key way of the core, and the core were evenly divided into 4 quadrants, the upper left quadran would be ground away.

You think this will work? If not please post some better how-to instructions.

BTW - can anyone name an easy to find lock with security pins that I can find at the hardware store for this purpose?

[Romstar]

For your lock choice, I would say any good YALE rim or mortice cylinder will do the trick. The higher quality Yales have several security pins.
Be sure to ask at the hardware store if they have any thin plexi-glass. Thick stuff works, but thin is easy to work with. If you are lucky, they may have a scrap they will give you for free.
You only need a small piece. Also, be sure to have a new, fresh tube of crazy glue.

If you know how to disassemble the lock properly you are already half way there.

Disassemble and set aside the parts of the lock. Be sure to keep the pins together acording to their proper position. Use an egg carton for this.

I have a rim cylinder here in my hand, so I will use that as an example. Using a cut off disk on a Dremel, gouge out the front upper portion of the cylinder face. IE: cut a quarter of the face away. No need to be overly neat, we don't want to cut into the plug corridor.
Also, remove the left side bolt tail from the cylinder.

Now, using a grinding wheel on the Dremel, smooth out your cuts. Be sure not to damage the plug corridor.

Once the first gouge cuts are smoothed out, you will now focus your attention on the upper part of the cylinder. The spring gallery.
Very slowly, and gently use the grinding wheel in long smooth strokes along the left side of the spring gallery. Eventually you will grind through, and see the five or six galleries. Be sure that you can see all the openings in the gallery.

Now, very, very carefully begin to grind into the upper part of the plug corridor. Stop at the very moment you can see the shear line. The rest of your finish work will be accomplished with fine files and sand paper.
Smooth the side of the cylinder you have just ground with your files. Follow that up with wet/dry sand paper. It is not necessary to make this mirror smooth.

When the cylinder prep is finished, use the Dremel with a cut-off wheel, or a hobby knife and cut a piece of your plexi-glass to the proper width for your lock. Make the piece a little taller then necessary by about 2-5 mm. If you do not have an accurate plug follower, wrap the plug in sand paper, and radius the inner edge of your plexi-glass so that it fits the plug corridor perfectly. Taking the place of the metal you ground out to see the shear line. Do the final sending with 1000 grit wet-dry paper on this radius.

Continually test fit your plexi-glass until it fits properly into the cylinder, and is perfectly aligned in the plug corridor. If you cannot make it match pefectly, the plug won't turn properly. If, after several attempts, the plex-glass will not match up perfectly. proceed to the next step.

Taking care that the cylinder is completely clean and dry, very carefully place several dots of crazy glue on the surfaces where the plexi-glass touches the cylinder. Be absolutely sure not to get anything larger than a pin head drop or it could run into the cylinder.
When you have the glue in place, very carefull fit the plexi-glass to the cylinder. Use a few drops very sparingly along the bottom edge of the plexi-glass where it meets the plug corridor. Set this aside and allow to dry.

After your new clear wall cylinder has had time to dry inspect the plug corridor. If the plexi-glass and the corridor wall does not match up perfectly, get ready to fix this problem.

Wrap a pen or marker that is almost as large as the plug in 600 grit wet/dry sand paper. Insert the pen into the plug corridor and try to stay on the plex-glass. Frequently inspect the plexi-glass to see how close it is to the original corridor. Using your baby finger, or a small lock pick look for any ridges in the plug corridor. Contine to work the sand paper up to 1000 grit wet/dry. Stop the moment there is no loger a ridge.

To check, insert the plug into the cylinder, and turn with the key. If the plug hangs, or catches you have more sanding to do. Be sure to check frequently so that you don't inadvertanly make the plug corridor larger than it was. This would introduce slop into the workings of the lock, and actually increase the pickability of the lock.

Once everything is working smoothly, wash all parts including the pins and springs in warm soapy water. Be sure to only wash the springs and pins for each position one at a time. This removes any oil or lubricant which may obscure the view into the lock. Set everything to dry overnight.

After everything is dry, reassemble the lock in the normal manner. You should now be able to see the shear line, and all of the upper pins and springs.

If you can see everything, and the proper key works opening and closing the lock, you are finished. If the lock refuses to function, troubleshoot as you would any other malfunctioning lock.

You can of course make a good mounting stand for the lock. This is highly advised as it allows you the ability to pick the lock in a manner similar to how you would find it. Otherwise, clamp the new practice lock into a small bench vise and get to picking.

Good luck,
Romstar

[Exodus5000]

I love you Romstar.

[Luke]

Calm down champ

[mbell]

Somebody buy Romstar a trophy for the 'continued outstanding contribution to LP101 award'.

[toomush2drink]

I was just thinking we could probably compile a book using romstars posts, each one is a mini chapter.
Keep it up romstar the "writer" , we love your style

[Romstar]

Thanks guys I appreciate it.

Toomush's comment about the mini chapter thing made me laugh and blush. I don't blush very often.

Hey Exodus, don't gush too much. Just let us see some pictures if you can.

Personally, I have to get a digital camera. I have all this stuff around here, and I have some video I was shooting. I just don't have a capture card, or the digital camera.

Soon I hope to have them.

In the meantime, I hope I can continue to contribute.

Romstar

[Chucklz]

A lockpicking wiki probably would be very nice. Anyone want to take the initiative here?

[Romstar]

A lockpicking wiki probably would be very nice. Anyone want to take the initiative here?

Okay, this time you got me.
What the hell is a wiki?

Romstar

[CaptHook]

Its like a wooby, only not as soft.....
Chuck

[Chucklz]

A wiki is a community document. Basically, it would be a document that everyone could have a hand in.

[Romstar]

A wiki is a community document. Basically, it would be a document that everyone could have a hand in.

Well, I am, or was involved in assisting the creation of a new lock picking manual. A sort of effort to replace or supliment the MIT guide.

However, I am having serious video card problems and I am finding it terribly difficult to contribute in the proper manner.

Either way, as soon as I can work at my machine for more than ten minutes without the video going crazy I have some things I hope to add.

Romstar