one of my favorites rakes but a problem lock.

[gr00ve]

i have a brinks 5 pin brass padlock which i am having a lot of trouble opening. usually my method of locks is to see if i can rake it open first then il try to carefully SPP it a second time so i can master it. anyhow, i can plow my "S" rake i think it is in a couple time and get it to false set but then comes the problems. if i hold my TW too tight i cannot push the pins at all its REALLY hard for some reason, and if i release a slight amount of tension, i can move the pins but i usually accidentally unset pins in the process. any help?

[straightpick]

You have to determine the order of picking. The pins must be picked in a definite order, the problem is that you have to figure out what that order is as it varies from lock to lock. Picking is successful because of minute variations in the machining process of the holed drilled in the plug. Say you have a five pin lock. Picture a straight line on which the holes are drilled These holes will not be perfectly straight. Some will be slightly to the right of the line, some will be centered and some may be slightly to the left of the line. If you are turning the plug to the right, you need to pick those pins first, then the pins that are centered next, and finally the pins that are to the left. Essentially if you pick the pins in the proper order, the plug will move incrementally to the open position without dropping any pins. This is both the joy and frustration of picking. Hope this helps and keep practicing!

[gr00ve]

hm so the way i did it isnt good? i just raked it until it false set but i cannot find the security pins, nothing moves its so annoying lol il keep at it

[wolfie]

most of the brinks locks have spool pins in them, when you feel the plug start to turn stop turning it and pull your rake out and go to spp and feel for counter rotation on all the pins, it takes a lil practice, but on the lock i have it "pops" when the spools set in place

[gr00ve]

yeah what i think i end up doing is either overpicking the spool pin or i release too much tension and the other pins fall back into place. i actually got it open yesterday once but it was kind of a fluke, i didnt even false set it i was just going crazy SPP lol im gonna try again and see if i can get it open the skillful way. its definitely the hardest lock i've picked so far. yuck, and it only cost $5... i can only imagine what its like to pick a medeco... or not pick it in my case

[Pyrhhus]

Just curious, but do you know what model of Brinks it is? I just bought two brinks padlocks off ebay and am waiting for them to get shipped. Wonder if they are the same as what you are having difficulty with.

[gr00ve]

its this style, shorter shackle though

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/03/92 ... 00X500.jpg

its a pain in the butt for me ;D

[apb]

My first question to any one who is having problems picking locks with spool pins. Are you using top tension or bottom tension?

If you are using bottom keyway tension, I suggest trying the top for all the extra room to work with and maneuver from set pin to unset pin without as many problems. I have three of those exact locks (with the smaller shackle).One of them gave me serious problems for a while. I finally was able to get it as I normally can get most locks-top keyway tension.

[spoolspanker]

most of the brinks locks have spool pins in them, when you feel the plug start to turn stop turning it and pull your rake out and go to spp and feel for counter rotation on all the pins, it takes a lil practice, but on the lock i have it "pops" when the spools set in place

I recently purchased a brinks non-puck style padlock from walmart. It has 5 pins, I am pretty sure that only 1 pin is a spool, and I think the rest are all serrated.

[HKW]

top keyway tension.

I've been able to pick these locks using 'bottom tension'.. I was looking some threads over and saw this: Just what is "top keyway tension" and how is it accomplished?

[Olson Burry]

You use a shortened wrench end to tension the lock in front of the first pin at the top of the keyway. I say say a shortened wrench because this is the way I find easiest to avoid snagging the first pin but if you can use a normal wrench end without it interfering then that will work as well.

[spoolspanker]

You use a shortened wrench end to tension the lock in front of the first pin at the top of the keyway. I say say a shortened wrench because this is the way I find easiest to avoid snagging the first pin but if you can use a normal wrench end without it interfering then that will work as well.

I'm gonna try that, my brinks 5 pin padlock is the only lock that I own that has been giving me real trouble.

[apb]

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm26 ... C01004.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm26 ... C01134.jpg

These pics are from an old post. The first is a broke bobby pin and the other is a narrow piece of wiper insert. The wiper insert can be bent easily to vary the length needed to reach the first pin if you want to do that. The second is topkeyway tension with a bobby pin on an American 5200 padlock. What can make topkey tension way easier, is making sure that the wrench handle rests flush against the face of the lock when in use. In other words, it is not sticking way out from the key way. If so, you will have a hard time applying tension without is wigggling around and out of the keyway. Some of these you may have to use a trial and error method. For instance, I have one bobby pin thats broken just right to reach into the top keyway/first pin of the American 5200 padlock and rests flush every time. These bobby pins can last a long time. With some locks, the keyway size may need a wider body of wrench to grab both sides of the keyway. Top tension may take some getting used to, but for SPP, when I go back and use botttom tension on certain locks,

[apb]

heh ...didn't finish the last part.

Was gonna say when I go back and use bottom tension on locks I've opened with top tension, they can become a lot harder.

Hope this helps.