Assa Mortise Cylinder

by **dougfarre** » 27 Nov 2007 13:02

I found this mortise cylinder. It says "ASSA" stamped on the plug and below that to the right of the key way it has the "UL" trademark symbol. Is there anything special about this lock? It seems to be pretty hard to open, I have been trying to use the pick gun so i can take a look at the pins, but i have had no luck. Otherwise i can't manually pick it either.

by **zeke79** » 27 Nov 2007 13:54

Assa Twin. 6 Pin with couter bored chambers on the normal pin stacks that should lock onto specialized top security pins. Then you have a 5 pin sidebar mechanism to tackle. Similar to primus only the sidebar pins need only to be lifted, not lifted and rotated.

Forget picking it if you want it apart. Shim the main pins from the back and then disassemble. No need to fuss with the sidebar that way.

by **dougfarre** » 27 Nov 2007 16:29

Yea, i quickly noticed that second row of sidebar pins on the lower left hand side of the key way. Could you go into more detail about the security features of the key and driver pins? Can this lock be picked by conventional means?

by **jgor** » 27 Nov 2007 17:18

Is this lock open to public discussion?

by **dougfarre** » 27 Nov 2007 17:31

Well, we were already discussing it! Plus, might as well get as much info in the open until the mods come in and "pee in everyones cereal" (direct quote from a mod, proving that they love peeing in cereal and ruining everyones fun). Plus, it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission.

By the way.. just kidding mods.

by **Gordon Airporte** » 27 Nov 2007 22:43

*** When you shim it open, put the lock in a plastic bag when you slide the cylinder out! ***

If you pull the cylinder without the key in there's nothing holding the sidebar pins in, and they're spring loaded and very tiny. The sidebar pin springs are smaller, and the sidebar springs are even tinier yet. You really really don't want to be crawling around looking for these pieces, believe me :-)

The lock does have a sidebar, so that makes it advanced material. Fortunately (if you have Advanced access), I wrote a discussion of picking the Twin's big brother, the V-10, which should be applicable.
If it does have the counter-bored chambers and special spools, I feel safe revealing in public that it makes them incredibly difficult to pick.

by **dougfarre** » 27 Nov 2007 23:22

Will i ever get it back together? Also, could you go into a bit more detail about the type of security pins?

by **AndreasK** » 28 Nov 2007 1:36

assa locks are way hard to open i have only picked 2 so far and it takes a loooooooooooot of time....

by **AndreasK** » 28 Nov 2007 1:40

oh and it probably has spoolpins at least 4out of 5 :evil:

i hate those spoolpins! oh and it is most lightly that the toppins are difrent sizes so make shore thy come in the right order.

by **Legion303** » 28 Nov 2007 8:52

Alternatively to shimming, there's a brass cap that lies right above the main pins which you can pry off (I got this tip from jkthecjer). Then the pins can be dumped and the cylinder and sidebar removed. As Gordon mentioned, do this in a baggie unless you enjoy crawling on the floor with a magnet and a magnifying glass...

-steve

by **raimundo** » 28 Nov 2007 9:16

If your going to remove the cap from the top of the cylinder, I suggest that you get a two inch piece of broken off hacksaw blade, put this on the top cap so that the direction of the cut in the hacksaw teeth is toward the back of the cylinder, then with the cylinder held firmly (in a vise if you have one) hold the hacksaw blade on the cap so the teeth touch it all along, and start tapping with a small hammer at a fourtyfive degree angle on the corner of then end of the blade that is toward the front of the cylinder, the teeth will bite a little bit into the brass and they will drive it toward the back of the cylinder a little bit with each tap,

this method will remove the cap without damaging it functionally, and you will later be able to tap it back on to the empty cylinder. then you can reload the cylinder in the usual way with a follower and tweezers.

don't try to tap the cap back on over a loaded cylinder, as this will not work so well unless you are very careful and also lucky.

by **greyman** » 28 Nov 2007 15:54

It's a Twin 6000 by the looks. Remove the slide and dump the top pins and drivers out. You may be able to pick the 5 sidebar pins. Good luck! :wink:

by **Gordon Airporte** » 28 Nov 2007 23:28

Getting these things back together without a key is a whole 'nother discussion. Second Law of Thermodynamics and all that :-)

I developed a technique, but it would take a lot of explaining. Ask if you get stuck.
It is quite possible to leave the upper pins out and pick just the sidebar, or vice-versa.

by **Eyes_Only** » 28 Nov 2007 23:42

Legion303 wrote:Alternatively to shimming, there's a brass cap that lies right above the main pins which you can pry off (I got this tip from jkthecjer). Then the pins can be dumped and the cylinder and sidebar removed. As Gordon mentioned, do this in a baggie unless you enjoy crawling on the floor with a magnet and a magnifying glass...

-steve

I think I still do this every other week. Sometimes even at work. :oops:

by **greyman** » 29 Nov 2007 16:23

A magnet? I thought the pins were nickel silver - that's not magnetic, right? :shock:

On the other hand - someone said remove the sidebar pins - I don't think you can do this unless the plug is removed from the cylinder.

Assa Mortise Cylinder

Assa Mortise Cylinder

remove cap

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