schlage doorknob

[poor paperclip picker]

would you guys suggest raking the pins or go pin by pin?

Schlages have good enough manufacturing tolerance that SPP is really kind of enjoyable. They (or new ones anyway) feel nice and crisp.
I also suggest you use a real pick, in case you haven't already moved on from the paperclips .

ok I will try SPP (single pin picking??), and yes I have a set of picks, what would you suggest out of; half diamond, short hook, c-rake, double ball( which I am pretty sure you wouldnt suggest for this lock)

thanks

[Afisch]

Half diomond if you don't have a hook of some type. The rest are all mainly rakes.

[poor paperclip picker]

i do have a short hook

[criminalhate]

I almost always use a short hook to spp with.

[dougfarre]

Do you have a copy of the key? It is very helpful for new pickers to look at the key that works with that lock when the first start picking. That will help you understand about how high certain pins need to be and you can begin to get a feel about the relationship between different cut depths.

[poor paperclip picker]

Yes I have a copy of the key, and I re pinned the door knob and made the key, so I know pretty well what I am dealing with. I agree, that knowing the cut of the key will help with knowing the pin heights.

thanks

[5thcorps]

When I started picking I found that Changing just one pin in a Schlage changed th eballgame all together. I'd wonder how the lock could change so much after just one pin change. Then I realized that I was getting to used to picking the same pin combinations. I started putting security pins in all holes and repinned them every other day. Did this for about 6 months until I was a pro on Schlage deadbolts and knobs.

[poor paperclip picker]

I am having a problem that you guys might be able to help with, well I can get 2 or 3 out of the 5 pins set, but after that there is not a next pin that binds, the remaining pins just give the push back due to the springs. I have tried going from ultra light tension to pretty hard tension.
Also sometimes when I find a binding pin, it takes a lot of force to push it up, (sometimes enough force where I stop trying because I dont want to break my pick). This even happens with really light tension.
Any advice will help a lot.
Thanks

[poor paperclip picker]

well I finally got my custom re keyed schlage doorknob to open today!! I used a combination of raking and SPP. To SPP I used the half diamond since it fit better in the keyway rather than the short hook. I think I might try to pick it though with the short hook, just so I can get use to the technique with the short hook, since I mainly use the half diamond.

Thanks everyone for your help and support.

[lockeymoto]

I used to find schlages problematic until I used the top of the keyway for the pick as read on here, made all the difference to me.
SPP with short hook and normal tension wrench. also usually mounted as I find mounted locks give me more feedback.

[yoyoboy]

I put a commercial grade knob lock with a 6 pin schlage cylinder on my bedroom door and its not too hard to pick.

Just remember, Commercial grade has almost no bearing on the difficulty of picking. It only refers to how much use and abuse it can take. They even make commercial grade passage sets.

[poor paperclip picker]

now that I have picked this lock, I can not seem to get it that easy anymore. I noticed that when I set one pin, the next pin I try to set will set, but unset the first set pin. Do any of you have advice? Even trying the order of pins that I have picked before doesn't work. Other picking orders don't work either. I have also tried to vary the tension quite a bit.

Thanks

[poor paperclip picker]

Now that I have picked this, I would like to try to put in some security pins. I would be very happy if someone could sell me a re-keying set for a schlage door knob, and a matching key to go with it. The key series I have is a Schlage E series. ( I know this isn't in the buy sell trade section, and I am sorry)
But I also have another question about this lock. As stated above after picking this lock a few times, I noticed that when I set the first pin that is binded it stays, but when I pick the next binded pin, it pops out the first pin that set. Are there any pointers?

Thanks a lot in advance