Does it matter which order you put the top pins in?

[Sennheiser]

Hello!

I have dissambled a lock for the first time and I simply wonder if it matters which order you put the top pins in?

The top pins is all of the same type, but have different lenghts.

I really can't see why it would matter, and I therefore wonders why they make them in different sizes, if it won't make any difference anyway?

// Sennheiser

[Shrub]

Well yes, the longer ones need to go paired to the shorter bottom pins or else they will rattle around and the others will copmpress the spring too much.

[illusion]

Stops decoding, but there is no particular order they should go in, except that if you have a large top-pin with a large bottom-pin te springs get put under a lot of pressure, and may over-compress.

[n2oah]

Top pins with different lenghts are called "balanced drivers". Balance drivers are used in almost all high security (they can be used in any pin tumbler lock) locks. They are used to thwart decoding tools that measure the length of the whole pin stack when the springs are fully compressed.
Anyways, it doesn't matter what order you put them in as long as they don't compress the springs too much.

[Sennheiser]

Well yes, the longer ones need to go paired to the shorter bottom pins or else they will rattle around and the others will copmpress the spring too much.

Ok, I have a lock that I happened to pull out the plug from without intention while explaining about lockpicking for a friend (hehe, yes I will be more careful in the future ) and the top pins fell out, but the bottom pins remained in the plug (phuh ). The friend got pretty happy (she got to see a plug and pins IRL), but I, the other hand, wasn't as satisfied.

However;
I have 7 pins in which 6 is security pins and 1 is a standard pin, and the standard pin should probably be located in pin chamber #1.
The remaining 6 security pins is of two different lenghts. 3 of them has a shorter length and 3 of them is a bit longer. The 3 short pins is of the exact same lenght. And the 3 long pins is of the exact same lenght.

As far as I can see it, I only need to make sure to put the longer top pins with the shorter bottom pins and the shorter top pins with the longer bottom pins, and I should be fine?

// Sennheiser

[Shrub]

Yes, youve got it