The only advice for picking a cylinder with spools is to use almost ZERO tension on the wrench. They arent like regular pins. You will feel the bottom pin sorta stick, and not want to move up for you. This is classic feel of when you encounter a spool, youll also feel the pins set WAY to easily like the cylinder wants to give but it doesnt.
Picking a lock in a door is much harder than in my hands. I honestly dont really enjoy it as much because of the uncomfortable position Im forced to adaopt while picking. If you had a cylinder with spool pins in you hand you would be able to feel what was going on better and would be easier for you to pick.
Are you sure that the schlage in your door has spool pins? Chances are if its an older schlage it doesnt have them. It just may seem difficult because its in a door and picking in those positions makes it more difficult in general.
As far as I know schlage only started using spool pins on residential locks in the last few years and only on their higher end residential locks. I may be wrong, but thats the impression I was under. I know the schlage locks on my house dont have spool pins.
The key is learn how to recognize how a spool feels when you're picking it. They are very easy to recognize once you know the way they feel. And the key is when you know you are dealing with spools is to uise almost no tension
You will actually feel the tension wrench resist and move the opposite way you are applying tesion as the spool pin sets into place, then it will move back to the direction it was. This is very noticable for me when picking the last spool pin before the cylinder gives.
A good way to start is getting you hands on some schlage locks, and pinning 2 or 3 pins with spools and work on picking 2 or 3 pins before you move to 5.
It doesnt take long to pick them once you learn how little tension is required. Its amazing how little tension is required to keep the set pins from falling back down. It really isnt any tension at all. I cant stress that enough.
Sometimes the set pins do fall down after they have been set because tension is so light but with patience they will all set, one by one by one. I find I start by using the flat end of the pick and pushing them all up and down a few times. this usually sets one or 2 right off the bat, then I go in and set each remaining one.....one at a time.
They arent much harder than regular pins once you get the feel for them and understand how little tension to use, honestly I think you could just use the weight of the tesion wrench to set the pins......Im kidding but it really isnt that far from how little tension to use. Otherwise they just bind right up on you. You can tell when they binded because the bottom pins just dont push all the way up they wont raise easily, you need to let off the tension, move the feeler pick side to side on the bottom pins trying to sort of wiggle that spool pin to go upwards and set.
Its hard to explain how to pick a spool, you just learn how by doing it. A cutaway lock with spool pins would also be a great way to learn how to pick them and the feel of them.
Once you know the feel, they are soo easy to spot in a lock, and once you know you are dealing with spools its not hard to pick. You just use almost no tension. They sell feather touch tension wrenches but you dont need one at all. I prefer to feel whats happening through the vibrations of my own home made wrench.
Good luck.
Hey N2oah how are ya buddy!
Ya...its all of you guys who are outbidding me on ebay. Many I wanted that assa demo kit last week with the cutaway profile cylinder. The winner go a great del on it. THat cutaway is worth 200 us alone. If cash wasnt so tight because of my other hobbie, (high end audio) I would own them. But I gotta say, I'm very happy with my new westone UM2 headphones. These things are sooooo sweet. They were my consolation prize and cost the same amout as those locks went off for, 280 usd.
Ps.....did I mention the secret to picking spools is using VEY LIGHT tension......lol
PS.........use light tension
