Took apart my Kaba Gemini.

by **treboR** » 2 Sep 2005 19:51

I have read some of the horror stories about this lock, but I couldn't resist.

Mine only had 8 sets of pins in it.

Here are some pics.

Before I took it apart.

After.

I did not pay attention to the pin placement while I was disassembling it.
That was a mistake. Not only are the key pins different sizes, but so are the driver pins. This made reassembling it quite a challange.

I did get it all back together after a couple of hours. I managed not to lose any pieces(came close though).

I have yet to try and pick it. I think all of the odd shapes of pins and the false ledges on the driver pins are going to make picking difficult.

by **zeke79** » 2 Sep 2005 20:03

Actually from what Ezer and I have both found is that these locks are not difficult at all to pick. Just be sure to not rotate the plug too far after you have picked it or you are in for a surprise when all of the bottom pins end up in the keyway :shock:

.

by **treboR** » 2 Sep 2005 20:08

zeke79 wrote:Actually from what Ezer and I have both found is that these locks are not difficult at all to pick. Just be sure to not rotate the plug too far after you have picked it or you are in for a surprise when all of the bottom pins end up in the keyway .

I will definately keep that in mind.

by **treboR** » 3 Sep 2005 0:25

I picked my kaba.

After trying to pick this lock for about 30 minutes my hand started to cramp. So I decided that I would mount the lock in a vice. I also decided to make a matador style rake to try.

I combined a matador and a sawtooth.

After I placed the lock in a vice it took me about 3 seconds to open it with my new pick.

I was not prepared for this and ended up turning it to far. :oops:

Anyway it looks like I'll be taking it apart again tomorrow.

by **Shrub** » 3 Sep 2005 5:54

3 Seconds?

Show us a pic of your tool please, dimensioned if possable.

by **Ezer** » 3 Sep 2005 7:01

I just used a rake from the HPC 2000 set.

It took a minute or two to get the technique down. Then it would open in seconds.

by **Shrub** » 3 Sep 2005 9:13

Ive only realy tried the simpleton method, sorry i meant the Hampton method :roll:

whereby you use a syringe needle and rake the pins from the top corners pulling out, ive not spent much time with it but i will have a go this weekend with what you suggest :wink:

by **treboR** » 3 Sep 2005 11:17

Shrub wrote:3 Seconds?

Show us a pic of your tool please, dimensioned if possable.

Umm. The bottom picture is the tool.

I will post a pic with dimensions. I want to get my lock back together and make sure that it wasn't just a fluke first though.

by **digital_blue** » 3 Sep 2005 11:40

You know, I made a tool almost exactly like yours Robert. In only have one Kaba Gemini, but I've raked this puppy for days and I've yet to ever pick it. Not sure if I just have a tough one, or perhaps I've contracted a case of incompetance, but I've had no luck at all. I first made a fairly plain matador pick, but it occured to me that it did little to hit the pins in the top of the keyway, so I made a new one very much like yours. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I was pretty confident that it would do the trick, but alas, no joy.

db

by **Shrub** » 3 Sep 2005 13:25

Sorry Robertb, when there are big pictures i wait as long as my patience will allow and then just read the rest of the thread without seeing 100% of them (im on dial up) ill wait this time and see it all :wink:

I know a guy who used to work at Kaba and hes getting me the paperwork for repining gemmini's etc,

by **Shrub** » 3 Sep 2005 13:30

Ah ive seen it now, perhaps instead of making it like a rake on top how about just folding it down the middle so you have a 2 sided triangle (i mean a triangle with 1 side missing before anyone says a 2 sided triangle is a straight line :lol:

)

Or even better a curve, it may be that you would have to make it out of solid though instead of bending flat material (junior hacksaw blades?)

by **treboR** » 3 Sep 2005 13:45

digital_blue wrote:You know, I made a tool almost exactly like yours Robert. In only have one Kaba Gemini, but I've raked this puppy for days and I've yet to ever pick it. Not sure if I just have a tough one, or perhaps I've contracted a case of incompetance, but I've had no luck at all. I first made a fairly plain matador pick, but it occured to me that it did little to hit the pins in the top of the keyway, so I made a new one very much like yours. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I was pretty confident that it would do the trick, but alas, no joy.

db

Have you tried mounting it in a vice?

by **digital_blue** » 3 Sep 2005 18:01

Robert: No. You think that'll really make a difference? I always pick locks in my hands unless a situation arises where I need to pick a lock that's mounted. I suppose I could give it a try... but the vice is all the way downstairs..... :lol:

db

by **treboR** » 3 Sep 2005 18:47

digital_blue wrote:but the vice is all the way downstairs.....

db

The new endurance portion of locksports?

by **Shrub** » 4 Sep 2005 5:38

digital_blue wrote:... but the vice is all the way downstairs.....

You would have to have Mr Tickles arms to do that :lol:

Took apart my Kaba Gemini.

Took apart my Kaba Gemini.

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