Schlage F series

[wakeboard1290]

Hey Everyone!

I have a few Schlage cylinders with security pins that I can pick open quite easily, but have not been able to open my Schlage F series!

Does anyone have any insight on this lock? It was originally in a lever handle, has 6 pins and I'm assuming they're all security, based on previous experience with Schlage..

Thanks in advance!

All you guys are a wealth of knowledge; I love this forum!

Ben

[FarmerFreak]

The Schlage Failure series can be tricky. (I think of the design was very poorly thought out).

To start with, pick any pins that feel normal first. Remember which pins those were when continuing to the "security" pins. They aren't really what I would consider spooled pins. But in some ways they are better, and in most other ways they are worse. You need to use really light tension (practically none), and then lift each of the pins that didn't pick normally, up and over the spooled part of the pin. The reason for the extremely light tension is because unlike a regular spooled pin, there is virtually no counter rotation.

Another reason for the super light tension is that you are actually binding on the springs. If someone tries to pick these locks forcefully, they will most likely only succeed in breaking the lock. Much more so than in a regular lock.

[FarmerFreak]

To add to what I just posted.

Here is what is inside the lock.

The diagram on the left is what your top and bottom pins look like. The diagram on the right is what happens to all shallower depths when you try to bind them. The spring gets smashed...(light tension).

If it is a deeper depth, than the sheer line will be on the bottom part of the driver pin and act just like a regular pin.

Hope that helps.

[wakeboard1290]

Thanks Farmer, I'm gonna give that a shot and let you know how it goes.

[CaptHook]

Have you tried reverse picking it yet?
Chuck

[globallockytoo]

shove a blank in really hard and fast. That will knock the spring cover off and you can then knock each pin out of it's chamber with a pick.

disassemble replace etc.

[UtahRootBeer]

shove a blank in really hard and fast. That will knock the spring cover off and you can then knock each pin out of it's chamber with a pick.

disassemble replace etc.

Does This Damage The Lock or The Springs?

[Eyes_Only]

Probably better if you replaced the springs afterwards. You'll need to disassemble the lock to fix it most likely.

[wakeboard1290]

Yeah Ive tried reverse picking, but without luck. I think the tolerances are just too high for my skill level, unless there's just a factor i'm missing.. but i cant even get it to bump.
Thanks to everyone who's replyed so far. keep it comin!

Ben

[Eyes_Only]

I can usually pick these but they can sometimes pose a problem. I think it might be due to the keyway, the way it's shaped makes it difficult and awkward to secure a tension wrench in there.

[wakeboard1290]

How long have you been picking? I can pick most other Schlage cylinders, even with the half spool pins, as illustrated in the beginning of this thread. For some reason the F series gets me stumped

[yng_pick]

I was practicing with one of these this evening. I spent awhile not being able to pin by pin it.

After messing with it, I used a knife tool to lift the pins all the way up (like a key blank would), and while holding it up, applied counterclockwise tension using a tension wrench on the bottom of the keyway.

Next I slowly released tension and would hear a couple of pin clicks from it dropping the over lifted bottom pins. While still applying tension I would only have to pick maybe one or two pins, and it would spin over really easy.

After doing this for awhile, it got to the point where I would release tension, hearing the clicks, until the cylinder made a movement like a false set, and then I would only have to put my hook in to the fifth position and set that one pin to have it turn over. Can consistently do this, while still having difficulty standard pin by pinning it.

Tomorrow I am going to disassemble to see what the bitting is, rekey it, and give it a go. If I can do this consistently after-wards, I figure I'll grab a couple of F series knob cylinders while at the shop Monday and give it a go, see if its just this cylinder or not.

[yng_pick]

Ok,

I tried this one three more F series knobs at the shop, NIB.

On 3 of 4 I was fairly consistently able to set the pins, back off, and then only have 1 or 2 pins left to single pin.
For the most part, it was reaching my hook in and pushing up the fifth pin, and the lock popped open.

On the other lock, I was not able to do it as smoothly, but still only had to spp 3 pins. Much smoother than dealing with the false setting on the t-pins/springs.

Now on the three that were quite smooth, occasionally they would basically pick themselves.
I would be realeasing the pins one by one from tension, and all of a sudden the last would drop and it would spin open. Never had to put the j-hook in at all, only thing I did was lift all the pins all the way up, apply tension, and slowly release.

It was rather exciting- I used to get annoyed coming on these during lockouts, but now I'm looking forward to it

If anyone else tries it out let me know how it goes, thanks.