Agent 99 wrote:I have here a Brinks 50mm padlock. My question is does it have security pins? Any hints? I've gotten it randomly about 5 times but I feel thats too random. I would like to be able to unlock it on command. And yes I have the key, its my lock.
I am not familiar with the Brinks (or any other US locks for that matter), but you might try to find out if the lock can be repinned (plug removal to reveal the chambers). If you can afford to waste the lock in case of failure, try that. That way you know for sure if and where and how many security pins there are. You can then remove them or place them to different chambers and try again (careful though, your key might be rendered useless if you swap the positions of pins, so you will have to PICK it to get it apart after that).
On a side note, being a relatively new member and lock hobbyist, I have to say that 1 hour of taking a old lock apart has taught me more relevant things than 10 hours of picking practice. Sometime you just need to see the real deal to grasp it.
Agent 99 wrote:Also, for about the 100th time, can somebody please point me towards a thread that explains security pins and where they might be found and how to deal with them? Thanks
Two lockpickers will prolly give you three opinions on spool pins. Here is something to look at:
http://www.crypto.com/photos/misc/lockpins/index.html
Most of these are hardcore security pins, but looking at the ABUS picture should give you an idea how they look. There are lots of variations on these out there, but if there are some in your Brinks it will be probably be pretty regular ones like the ABUS.
Here are my thoughts and observations on spools and other security pins:
General suggestion in dealing with them seems to be to push them till the lock rotates a bit (false set), then rotate back a tiny bit (trying not to lose other set pins) and push on the spool. The lock will give a feedback, it tries to rotate back to zero degrees (therefore pushing against your fingertip through the tension tool). Allow this to happen until the spool pin sets. Then go back through the lock and set all the pins you lost during this back to shearline. This can be very frustrating and I had locks that would throw me into an endless loop doing this.
Another suggestion is to pick until false set. After false set, take a hook pick or half diamond and push on the false set spool WITHOUT rotating the lock back beforehand. Just push hard, you will find that an corresponding amount of pressure is transferred to the tension tool. Keep the plug under pressure and keep pushing and pushing. Use a ward in the keyway as a pivot point for the pick to keep the pressure if you have to. With some luck the spool will set and with even more luck you might not even lose a single of the other set pins. Be careful with the pressure, in the first few attempts you will most likely ram the pin all the way down once it gives way and overset that pin stack. Repeat. This works like a charm in some of my ABUS eurocylinders, but it won't work for my BKS. I don't know why, might be wear and tear on the lock/pins/chambers that enables this.
You can pretty easily identify spools or serrated pins in a half picked lock by probing the pins. To do this, turn over the half-picked lock so you are facing it euro-style. On all the pins which are set correctly, the keyway pin will fall down a little due to gravity. Use a small HD pick or similar to gently push on each of the "set" pins. If they have a very little bit of play (i.e. there is movement of a fraction of a millimeter when pushing) the pin is set correctly. If you find a pin that looks set (rests deeper) but that is abslutely stationary does not move the slightest bit, there you are with a security pin. Reason is that the security pin has caught the chamber wall with his lip or serration and is stuck there. Another reason for a pinstack stuck like that can be a serrated keyway pin that is overset. But you can easily eliminate that by turning the lock back to american orientation. If one or more pins do not follow gravity they are overset or stuck serrated pins.
Well, that's what I can tell you about spool pins.
Sorry for the longwinded post, but these things are the source of lots of discussions and frustrations. You are right, the search function is dodgy at times, but you should try if it works now and search for "security pins", "spool pins", "serrated pins" and other related terms or combinations thereof to find out what others have to say about this. Remember, I am picking since mid-February now, no longer.
HTH
